Unstable Situation

Unstable Situation . . . 

In the heart of the vast Azure Mystic Immortal Realms lay the Central Regions—a sprawling expanse marked by desolation and dotted with countless empires and major powers. As the core of this immortal realm layer, it boasted unparalleled opulence and grandeur, commanding the largest expanse of land.

In this hub of vitality and prosperity, a city reigned supreme—Nine Tripod City.

At its heart lay the city's core, while to its west stretched an endless ocean, where tales whispered of the occasional appearances of jiao dragons, and even rumors of true dragons dwelling in its fathomless depths.

To the other three directions, various powers held dominion, but Nine Tripod City was a haven of freedom and prosperity. Experts from all corners of the immortal realms flocked to this bustling metropolis daily, seeking its treasures and mysteries.

The city derived its name from the nine tripods stationed at its boundaries. Legend had it that these tripods were divine and served as a stabilizing force, imbuing the city with prosperity that had endured through countless ages.

Recently, an incident had transpired, lending credence to this age-old legend. A few days prior, a beam of divine light had descended from the heavens, sweeping through the immortal realms before finally alighting within Nine Tripod City.

The entire city had erupted into frenzied excitement. Experts from far and wide converged, their auras, at times, suffocatingly dominant, blanketing the city as if powerful immortal senses were scrutinizing the situation. News soon rippled across the immortal realms, announcing the descent of the Heavenly Dao Sacred Academy upon Nine Tripod City.

In a rush, the powers of the immortal realms converged upon Nine Tripod City. Its already thriving streets grew livelier, teeming with people from every corner. The city shone with newfound splendor, illuminated by the glow of anticipation.

Among these visitors, each faction boasted the backing of an immortal king or immortal emperor. Here, mediocrity held no place, as even arrival was a privilege earned by the elite.

Eastern, Western, Southern, and Northern Region experts soon joined the throngs in Nine Tripod City. These individuals represented the cream of the crop, the finest elites from their respective powers, united by a singular goal—to secure admission to the Heavenly Dao Sacred Academy.

"Behold, the Southern Phoenix Clan approaches. Years ago, the Southern Phoenix Matriarch was renowned throughout the immortal realms for her beauty. Her descendants are no less resplendent," remarked onlookers as their gazes turned toward a group of ethereal figures in the sky. These exquisite females were none other than the Southern Phoenix Clan, hailing from the Southern Regions of the immortal realms.

"The Southern Phoenix Clan is one of the three great ancient clans, boasting immense power and deep-seated foundations. To marry one of their holy maidens would indeed be a marvelous honor," someone mused, their thoughts drifting into fantasies of what might be.

"The timing of the Southern Region's forces is truly coincidental. Look over there, that group is from the Ancient Jiang Clan. The mysterious Jiang Clan has also sent such a large number of people," observed some experts, their attention drawn to a group trailing the Southern Phoenix Clan, soaring through the air.

"The Ancient Ying Clan brought the most experts," someone remarked with a chuckle, gesturing toward a distant group. Despite the distance, their sharp eyes discerned the experts of the ancient Ying Clan, seated in an imposing dragon carriage that exuded an overwhelming presence. The man leading them wore a dragon robe, radiating an aura that seemed peerless in this world.

Although the Heavenly Dao Sacred Academy didn't appear especially vast from the outside, rumors suggested that another entire world existed within its walls.

"Can we enter directly?" queried someone.

"Even immortal emperors have no way to force entry, let alone you. This place is the Heavenly Dao Sacred Academy, and they would naturally have a set of rules. It seems that no one can enter unless they meet the criteria," came the response. As the news of the sacred academy continued to spread, more and more people flocked to the scene.

After several days, the experts from the Eastern Regions had all arrived.

Today, the experts from the Thousand Transformations Immortal Sect reached their destination. Bai Wuya personally led the group, numbering several thousand, and Qin Wentian was among them.

"Which power do these people belong to?" someone in the city asked, unaware of the Thousand Transformations Immortal Sect.

"Not sure."

"They're a new power that recently rose in the Eastern Regions of the immortal realms, known as the Thousand Transformations Immortal Sect, established by the Thousand Transformations Emperor Lord. They've taken control of six out of the thirteen prefectures of the Eastern Sage Immortal Sect and are currently at war with them," explained those with a broader view. The Central Regions of the immortal realms were far from the Eastern Regions, and in this vast and prosperous city, conflicts among major powers were common. Consequently, people here didn't pay much attention to events in other regions, and ordinary individuals primarily focused on their own cultivation.

"So many experts here, truly a gathering of formidable talents. Our strength seems minuscule in comparison," Jun Mengchen whispered.

"We haven't even reached the main location yet. There will be even more experts there," Qin Wentian reassured him with a smile. Bai Wuya's immortal sense guided them onward until they reached the area where the academy had descended. Here, numerous experts had already gathered, all representing the peak powers of the immortal realms.

"The Southern Phoenix Clan has arrived as well," Jun Mengchen pointed out. Qin Wentian followed his gaze, spotting the holy maidens among the crowd. Leading them was Nanfeng Jinghong, the dao protector of the Southern Phoenix Matriarch.

"Don't be shy; you can go over and greet them," Bai Wuya suggested.

Qin Wentian nodded and stepped forward. Nanfeng Yunxi and Nanfeng Shengge noticed him approaching and moved to meet him. Both were as beautiful as ever, and Nanfeng Shengge wore a bright smile as she spoke, "Sir Qin has arrived as well."

"Miss Shengge, it's been a while," Qin Wentian replied with a warm smile. He then turned to Nanfeng Yunxi, who remarked, "I heard that you've stirred up quite a commotion again, but this time, it was in the Evergreen Immortal Empire."

"You heard about that too?" Qin Wentian chuckled.

"The Skymist Immortal Empire invoked the adjudication ruling, attempting to force Qing'er into marriage with their empire. Their audacity knows no bounds," Nanfeng Yunxi remarked. "I thought you would have come here together with Princess Qing'er."

"Why do I feel a sense of jealousy?" Jun Mengchen, standing nearby, chuckled mischievously. His words earned him a ruthless glare from Qin Wentian. Seeing the awkward expression in Nanfeng Yunxi's beautiful eyes, Qin Wentian hastily intervened, saying, "Don't pay attention to him; he always loves to talk nonsense."

"I'm used to it," Nanfeng Yunxi replied, casting a glance at Jun Mengchen, who promptly avoided her gaze. He added defensively, "Nanfeng Yunxi, when have I ever talked nonsense?"

"I'll go back first," Nanfeng Yunxi decided not to engage further and retreated with Nanfeng Shengge to the Southern Phoenix Camp. Curious onlookers cast many glances their way, even Nanfeng Jinghong observed. Qin Wentian bowed slightly in Nanfeng Jinghong's direction, a sign of respect, and Nanfeng Jinghong nodded in acknowledgment, leaving others in the Southern Phoenix Clan astonished.

Suddenly, Qin Wentian felt a chilling intent directed at him. His gaze shifted to a group of experts from the ancient Ying Clan, among whom was Ying Teng. His eyes glinted with malevolence as they locked onto Qin Wentian, emanating a powerful killing intent.

Ying Teng could never forget the humiliation he had suffered at the God Hand Mountain Manor.

However, Qin Wentian merely gave Ying Teng a casual glance before turning his attention away. He returned to the Thousand Transformations Immortal Sect, no longer concerned about Ying Teng. In his mind, Ying Teng was not even worth considering as an opponent. His disdainful attitude only fueled the hatred in Ying Teng's eyes.

"Ying Teng, is he the one who humiliated you?" a companion of Ying Teng asked.

"Yes, and this time, I'll make sure to kill him," Ying Teng replied icily.

"I'll remember him," the other person added.

"We don't know when the Heavenly Dao Sacred Academy will open for sure. Let's wait nearby for now," Bai Wuya suggested. At their level, they could go without rest or sleep. The location was vast, offering ample space for them to sit down and cultivate.

More and more experts gathered. These were all top powers of the Central Regions, supreme sects, and ancient tribes from the Western Regions, and powerful clans from the Northern Regions.

Finally, the people from the Evergreen Immortal Empire arrived. Qing'er naturally approached Qin Wentian.

Aside from these peak powers, several unaffiliated immortal kings brought their descendants along. Ordinary individuals didn't dare to offend anyone, as they couldn't tell if the person next to them on the street was a core disciple of a great power.

On that day, a fierce devilish energy suddenly pervaded Nine Tripod City.

Within the area where the sacred academy was located, all the experts looked up to see a large group of figures in black soaring through the air. These individuals exuded an ominous devilish aura and were clustered together in different groups, each representing a particular power. These clusters of devil-path practitioners were gathered here, suggesting that the major devil powers in the Myriad Devil Islands, which typically engaged in ruthless infighting, had temporarily formed an alliance to visit this place.

"People from the Myriad Devil Islands, do you dare to set foot in the Nine Tripod City of our immortal realms?" an old man from a certain power challenged. His aura was extremely intimidating as he stared at the approaching experts.

"What a joke. Isn't the Myriad Devil Islands also part of this layer of the immortal realms?" a black-robed expert responded coldly. "This time, us devil practitioners have come without the presence of devil emperor characters. We are here solely for the Heavenly Dao Sacred Academy and have no intention of causing trouble. We hope you will keep that in mind and refrain from causing unnecessary problems."

"Are you arrogant enough to challenge us while in the territory of the Central Regions?" another person declared harshly.

"Do you want to test us? Our Myriad Devil Sovereign has already dispatched devil emperors to various locations in the immortal realms. If you want to wage war against us, our devil emperors will simply sweep through your clans and sects." The black-robed expert who had spoken earlier replied with dominance, causing many to snort in disdain. Yet, they couldn't help but feel a sense of unease in their hearts.