170-174 (12.4k)
Chapter 170 Spitting Swords into Pills, Sword Cultivator at the Golden Elixir Stage (Seeking Subscriptions)
In the dark underground world, a massive and dilapidated black sphere housed a gigantic black serpent coiled in silence.
It lay quietly.
"Wu Yuan's spiritual aura is strengthening." Little Black, coexisting with Wu Yuan's life, had a remarkably clear perception. It silently guarded Wu Yuan's body.
...
"Don't worry about the outside world." Wu Yuan's spiritual avatar in the Upper Dantian was slowly assimilating a strange stream of light.
This light was composed of a substantial amount of spiritual power.
Assimilation, in essence, was devouring.
This force naturally wanted to resist, but the overwhelming red light enveloped everything, rendering it immobile. It had to allow Wu Yuan to slowly assimilate it.
"Step by step, getting stronger." Wu Yuan felt that his spiritual avatar, which was on the verge of collapse, was rapidly recovering.
"With Fang Xia and King Qionghai."
"Even if they can't kill Jin Quan and Jin Ji, there should be no safety concerns when these two join forces." Wu Yuan had great confidence in them.
Especially Fang Xia.
He was a strong expert who comprehended the domain. Although only at the Eighth Level of the Qi Sea, his foundation was powerful, and in terms of strength, he was much stronger than an ordinary Ninth Level of the Qi Sea.
King Qionghai was also formidable.
"As for my body?"
"Trust Little Black; if there is really any danger, it will definitely take my body away at the first opportunity." Wu Yuan believed in this.
Little Black, as a Teng Snake, might be naive just after birth, but it was definitely not foolish.
Familiar spirit beast.
They were absolutely loyal to their owner. As long as the owner had a thought, they would be willing to die for them.
"Moreover, I have no choice. If I don't assimilate completely, my consciousness can't break out of the Upper Dantian Palace." Wu Yuan shook his head and continued to assimilate the stream of spiritual thoughts.
His spiritual avatar was rapidly recovering.
While assimilating these streams of light, Wu Yuan was also 'contemplating' the Dark Tower, allowing his spiritual avatar to continue growing.
...
While Wu Yuan was deep in the Demon Cavern, continuously restoring his spiritual power, tens of thousands of miles away in the sky above the Holy Capital City, the imperial capital of the Great Jin Empire, a terrifying battle was unfolding.
"Boom!" "Boom!" "Boom!" Terrifying fireballs, comparable in size to houses, fell one after another.
"Boom rumble~" The earth trembled, and houses collapsed.
Palaces were burning, full of broken walls and remnants, along with numerous corpses.
The imperial city had been completely destroyed.
"Ah!" "Escape!"
"It's a battle between Divine Immortals on the Heavenly Ranking; we can't stop it." Countless palace maids, soldiers of the imperial guards, and even many who were not afraid of death, gazed with horror and curiosity at the sky where the fierce battle was taking place.
Not only the people in the imperial city.
Throughout the entire Holy Capital City, numerous dignitaries, commoners, and warriors were terrified, looking up at the sky.
A cyan-scaled dragon, over a hundred meters long, emanated a formidable aura.
A tortoise-like demonic beast, the size of a small mountain.
And a fearsome six-legged golden mantis, nearly a hundred meters tall, exuding dense golden energy streams.
In addition, numerous human figures, resembling immortals, hovered in the sky around the city from all four directions.
"Great Jin, shall be exterminated!" A roar echoed.
Three terrifying figures, emitting overwhelming power, were jointly roaring between heaven and earth, while a human figure in a purple robe was battling in the high sky.
This figure in the purple robe appeared ethereal and celestial, surrounded by bursts of blue light and numerous flames, along with flying swords in motion.
Facing this scene.
Many human experts on the Heavenly Ranking, separated by a considerable distance, were shocked as they watched the fierce battle but did not participate.
"Just with you, you want to destroy my Great Jin." The voice of the figure in the purple robe contained a hint of mockery.
He stood firm between heaven and earth, unmoving.
Countless flying swords whizzed through the air, and giant fireballs surrounded, forcefully blocking the consecutive attacks of the three great powerhouses.
"Toppling Jin? Why? So many experts on the Heavenly Ranking are killing their way to the imperial capital of my Great Jin? Even the Jin Palace has collapsed, and I heard that His Majesty was crushed to death." Numerous people in the Holy Capital were terrified and discussing the news that spread.
Most of them had heard the voices in the sky, but how could they understand Heavenly Ranking experts?
Most only heard the initial phrases like 'Toppling Jin,' 'Great Jin's demise,' and so on.
"Jin Quan, you alone can't stop us."
A massive cyan-scaled dragon roared into the sky; it was King Qionghai. "Facing the Catastrophe of the Insect Demon, if your Great Jin refuses to participate, it's fine. But to dare to betray us, you deserve to die! You deserve to die!"
"Haha."
"Betrayal?"
"It's a joke." The figure in the purple robe hovered in the high sky, eyes flashing like lightning, hair fluttering, and robe rustling. "I, Jin Quan, have dominated the world for more than two hundred years, known as the number one in the world. I founded the Great Jin Empire based on strength, not mere words."
The voices of both sides spread extensively.
"Catastrophe of the Insect Demon?"
"Jin Quan?"
"I am the founding emperor of my Great Jin, the number one powerhouse in the world."
"He is the founding emperor."
"Emperor!" Countless people in the Holy Capital were shocked, looking up at the phantom of the figure in the purple robe.
In the Great Jin Empire, the founding emperor Jin Quan had long been revered as a legend, and even in secular rumors, he was said to have fallen.
"Toppling Jin?"
"Let me see, with Wu Yuan dead, Wan Xing dead, Dong Pan dead, what can you do to stop me in this world?" Jin Quan's eyes were cold. "Remember, I am the first Golden Elixir expert in the Central Land."
"Formation, rise!"
Boom~ In an instant, the sky above the Holy Capital darkened, and a layer of hazy blue light quickly covered the entire city.
In the blink of an eye, it completely enveloped the six-legged golden mantis, King Qionghai, and the Demon King of the Mountains.
Only the six-legged golden mantis, surrounded by a majestic golden aura, resisted this layer of hazy blue light, protecting King Qionghai and the Demon King of the Mountains.
"Blue Light Sword Formation."
Jin Quan formed hand seals, and countless fireballs dissipated. Flying swords surrounded him, and he spat out a sword pellet.
The sword pellet transformed into a swift flying sword with a sharp aura. The sword energy crisscrossed, and the sword body was shrouded in a layer of hazy blue light.
"Main Sword Flying Sword?"
"Sword cultivator."
"Golden Elixir Sword Cultivator." Seeing this scene, Fang Xia, King Jibei, King Qionghai, and the others had changed expressions.
In their original plan, there was a great hope for the various forces in the world to join forces and annihilate Great Jin in one fell swoop.
However.
They encountered a head-on attack from Jin Quan as soon as they arrived, displaying the formidable strength of a Golden Elixir cultivator, forcefully resisting their assault and intimidating everyone.
No one had expected that Jin Quan had unknowingly broken through to the Golden Elixir realm.
However.
The more this was the case, the angrier Fang Xia, King Jibei, King Qionghai, and the others became. The various forces on the Heavenly Ranking were also infuriated.
Jin Quan, clearly possessing such powerful strength, still refused to participate in the battle.
As a result, a full-scale war erupted between the two sides.
Golden Elixir cultivator? Indeed formidable, much stronger than the Third Level of the Spiritual Body realm of the Demon Soldiers. However, Jin Quan had recently broken through, and many powerful spells and formidable magic treasures had not been cultivated or used, so he ended up at a disadvantage.
Finally, Jin Quan was forced to use his ultimate move.
The protective formation of the Holy Capital City! Main Sword Flying Sword!
Sword cultivators were a very special type among Qi Refiners; they excelled in only one thing—attack!
They were among the few Qi Refiners who, in terms of attacking power, could match Body Refiners of the same realm.
The four words "Sword Breaking Myriad Techniques" resonated like the phrase "Power Breaking Myriad Techniques," echoing through numerous worlds.
"Kill!" Jin Quan's eyes were cold.
Gathering the power of numerous flying swords, a terrifying sword light suddenly condensed, slashing across the sky and heading straight for the six-legged golden mantis.
"Boom!"
The six-legged golden mantis violently retreated, and at the same time, layers of dense golden light and air currents, resembling small flying swords, roared, intending to suppress the advancing green sword radiance.
"Tear~" Like cutting through tofu, the heavy golden air currents instantly split in half, and the sword radiance was already in front.
Four blades crossed the sky.
"Clang!" "Clang!" "Pong~"
The sword radiance dissipated.
The six-legged golden mantis also retreated, and visible cracks appeared on its four extremely tough leg blades.
"Swish!" "Swish!" Several more sword radiance shot out, whistling towards the six-legged golden mantis, King Qionghai, and the Demon King of the Mountains.
"Retreat!" The six-legged golden mantis roared low.
Boom! King Qionghai reacted the fastest and fled the fastest, but even if he was quick, could he be faster than the sword radiance?
"Get away!" King Qionghai roared, and his giant tail lashed out like lightning, colliding with the sword radiance, causing an explosion as if the skin was torn apart.
Luckily, there was a spiritual weapon battle armor.
Otherwise.
With just this one sword, King Qionghai might have lost his tail.
"Tear~" The sword radiance fell on the turtle shell of the Demon King of the Mountains, which was like a huge shield, instantly causing a massive crack, with countless blood spilling out.
"Whoosh!" Another sword radiance came.
The strength of the Demon King of the Mountains was the weakest among them.
"Phew!"
A golden figure soared in, and the blade light whistled, once again blocking the attacks of the sword radiance.
Seeing this, the Demon King of the Mountains frantically fled.
"Clang!" "Clang!" The sword radiance roared, and although the six-legged golden mantis was extremely laborious, it still successively withstood the attacks.
Finally.
The three great powerhouses escaped the formation.
"Hmph!"
"Remember, if those willing to surrender to my Great Jin, submit the surrender documents before the first of June." Jin Quan did not chase out of the formation; his icy voice echoed through the heavens and earth. "Otherwise, when I sweep across the Central Land, none shall be spared."
"Jin Quan, relying on the might of the formation, that's all. I'll be waiting for you at Yunsan." Fang Xia's cold voice also echoed through the heavens and earth.
Swish! Swish!
Seemingly agreed upon, the six-legged golden mantis, King Qionghai, and the Demon King of the Mountains quickly fled, and many Heavenly Ranking experts also swiftly withdrew.
The entire world fell silent.
"Your Majesty!"
"Emperor." The entire Holy Capital City instantly boiled over, countless citizens and warriors incredibly excited.
They weren't quite clear about the cause of this battle.
What they saw was their emperor displaying immense power, defeating dozens of Heavenly Ranking experts alone, naturally making them excited.
In the high sky.
Swish! Swish!
Two figures, one green and one black, flew out from the clouds, precisely Jin Ji and Zhao Xing.
"Your Majesty." Zhao Xing respectfully bowed, not daring to show any disrespect.
In the past, he and Jin Quan were on equal footing.
But now? He was completely intimidated by Jin Quan's strength.
From the Ninth Level of the Qi Sea realm to the First Level of the Golden Elixir realm.
This step was like ascending to the heavens!
"Friend Zhao, no need for formalities." Jin Quan said indifferently; he also needed some subordinates, and Zhao Xing was still obedient, so he naturally wanted to be courteous.
"Father."
Jin Ji couldn't help but say, "Just now, why only form sword radiance? If the lifebound flying sword directly forms a sword array, there would be a chance to kill them."
"Naive."
"Sword array, long-range attacks, forming sword radiance repeatedly may weaken the power slightly, but the consumption is negligible." Jin Quan glanced at his son, "The power of the lifebound flying sword is indeed great, but it has not yet fully reached the sixth-grade flying sword. Attacking up close? What if it gets destroyed?"
"Remember."
"For Qi Refiners, self-preservation takes precedence in killing enemies. The first principle of a sword cultivator's lifebound flying sword is to protect oneself."
"Secondly."
"Even if the lifebound flying sword attacks, it's difficult to break through Fang Xia's leading formation." Jin Quan shook his head, "Fang Xia is indeed formidable; even if he and King Qionghai join forces, it's hard for me to kill them, even with the help of the protective formation."
"Those who can kill the Insect Demon cannot be underestimated." Jin Ji and Zhao Xing nodded involuntarily.
"Father, what should we do next?" Jin Ji asked.
"I've recently broken through, and my strength has not fully consolidated." Jin Quan's gaze was tranquil, "No rush, wait until the flying sword undergoes transformation. I'll complete a few spells, and then it won't be too late to go to Yunsan."
"As the Divine Soul grows stronger, if I can comprehend the Domain Realm in this period, even better."
"At that time, the first to be annihilated will be the Hengyun Sect," Jin Quan said.
Jin Ji and Zhao Xing listened. After the Insect Demon Catastrophe, most of the top experts in the Central Continent suffered heavy losses. Now, the biggest threat to Great Jin is Fang Xia.
"Are you sure Wu Yuan is dead?" Jin Quan suddenly asked.
"Not certain." Zhao Xing shook his head.
"At that time, we only saw Wu Yuan rushing towards the Insect Demon Nest, and then we fled." Jin Ji smiled bitterly.
"However, with the strong vitality of a Body Refiner, if Wu Yuan didn't die, would he not come to join the battle?" Zhao Xing said, "Most likely, it was the dying counterattack of the Insect Demon that killed him."
Jin Quan frowned slightly.
He couldn't be sure.
Go to explore Huangzhou?
Before his strength was fully consolidated, Jin Quan dared not leave the Holy Capital City.
If Wu Yuan didn't die.
By then, Wu Yuan, Fang Xia, King Qionghai, and others might besiege him, and there was a possibility of falling.
"And that Wan Liu." A hint of coldness appeared in Jin Quan's eyes, "What is his strength?"
Wan Liu is too mysterious.
"Just, he never truly appeared. The Central Land Immortal Palace is controlled by Martial Ancestors. Could it be that Dong Pan, Fang Xia, Wan Xing, and others deliberately created a non-existent Wan Liu to deceive me?" A thought suddenly flashed in Jin Quan's mind.
The more he thought about it, the more he felt it was possible.
...
Shortly after.
A thousand miles away from the Holy Capital City, Fang Xia, King Beipole, Wu Hannong, and a group of Heavenly Ranking experts gathered here.
The atmosphere was extremely oppressive.
"I didn't expect." King Beipole's eyes were cold, "Jin Quan has actually become a Golden Elixir cultivator."
A silence fell, and the thoughts of many Heavenly Ranking experts were varied.
Golden Elixir Realm!
In the past, they had only heard of the power of the Golden Elixir Realm.
But today, they finally witnessed it—the formation of sword radiance alone, blocking the joint attack of the top experts in the world.
"Clearly possessing such powerful strength."
"But still refusing to participate in the battle." Wu Hannong's eyes reddened, "If Jin Quan came, Taoist Wan Xing and the others might not have to die in this Insect Demon Catastrophe."
The atmosphere became more and more oppressive.
Jin Quan's strength is indeed formidable, but precisely because of this, many Heavenly Ranking experts became more angry the more they thought about it.
"Friend Fang Xia, can Senior Wan Liu take action?" King Beipole suddenly spoke up.
Wan Liu.
Suddenly, everyone looked at Fang Xia, their hearts ignited with a trace of hope.
"He has left the Central Land." Fang Xia smiled bitterly.
Wu Yuan cannot show up; Fang Xia can only answer in this way.
Many Heavenly Ranking experts looked at each other.
"In fact, there's no need to be so pessimistic." Fang Xia swept his gaze over everyone, "A Golden Elixir cultivator specializing in sword techniques is indeed formidable."
"But it doesn't necessarily mean they cannot be killed."
---
ps: Second update
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 171 The Changing Situation in the Central Region
"Kill him?" Everyone was surprised.
Jinquan is a true Golden Elixir cultivator, not like those foolish Spirit Body Realm demon soldiers, making it incredibly difficult to kill him.
"Fang Xia, do you have confidence?" the Northern King asked solemnly.
After the battle against the insect demons, many of the top experts in the Central Region fell. Now, besides Jinquan, Jinji, and Zhaoxing, only a few senior cultivators remain, including Fang Xia, the Northern King, the King of Qionghai, and Haifei Zhang.
As for the eighth level of the Qi Sea, Beili, he is in perfect harmony with the Northern King.
Therefore, the Northern King's status is extremely high, and his words naturally carry great weight.
"Yeah," Fang Xia nodded slightly. "Today, you all saw it. Jinquan's strength is indeed formidable, worthy of the name Golden Elixir Sword Cultivator. However, relying on the power of the great formation, he couldn't do anything to us. His strength cannot be considered overwhelming."
People nodded involuntarily.
Indeed, at the beginning, when Jinquan did not use his own flying sword and protective formation, he was at a disadvantage in the battle against the Six-legged Golden Mantis, the King of Qionghai, and the Mountain Demon King.
"He has not comprehended the Domain."
"As long as we return to Cloud Mountain and use the protective formation I set up and the Metal and Stone Five Elements Formation, even if he comes to kill us with all his strength, he won't win." Fang Xia said seriously.
The Northern King, Beili, and others looked at each other.
"Fang Xia, this is just a defensive approach. We can't just stay on the defensive," the Northern King said solemnly. "Moreover, you and I both know that once you step into the Golden Elixir Realm, your spiritual consciousness will dramatically improve. The possibility of Jinquan comprehending the Domain will greatly increase, and with time, his strength will become stronger and stronger."
"What we want is a way to defeat him, or even kill him," the Northern King said.
"One word, wait," Fang Xia said. "As you all know, I have already comprehended the Domain. As long as you give me time, within ten years, I can enter the Golden Elixir Realm."
"Once I reach Golden Elixir, with the power of the Domain, and with everyone forming a large formation, it won't be difficult to kill Jinquan." Fang Xia smiled.
There was silence, and everyone was thinking.
Everyone witnessed Fang Xia's strength, and they also knew that he would step into the Golden Elixir Realm sooner or later. However, accumulating magical power and breaking through the Qi Sea both take time.
Ten years? Can they afford to wait?
"As long as we stay at Cloud Mountain for ten years, it will be enough. Ten years is not too long for us," Qionghai King said with a sneer. "Two paths: one is to submit to Jinquan like dogs, pray that he will spare our lives, and be slaves for the rest of our lives!"
"The other path is to resist, kill Jinquan, and wipe out the Great Jin. If you human cultivators want to submit, then go ahead, but I, Qionghai, won't."
"Mountain Demon, what about you?" Qionghai King looked at the Mountain Demon King.
"Big brother, I will follow you." The voice of the Mountain Demon King was thunderous.
He is the second strongest in the South Sea and has a close relationship with the Qionghai King.
"I, the Black Dragon King of the Wilderness Temple, am willing to fight against the Great Jin." The huge figure of the Black Dragon King said in a deep voice, and Sanggu nodded as well.
The two of them represented the remaining power of the Wilderness Temple.
Wu Hannong and Liu Junxing looked at each other, and Liu Junxing said in a low voice, "Without destroying the Great Jin, it goes against the principles of heaven."
"Today, when I go back, I will move the core of the 'Central Region Immortal Palace' to Cloud Mountain." Wu Hannong said indifferently.
Two sentences.
Revealing the attitude of the Qunxing Tower and the Martial Ancestor.
At this time, the eyes of the other Heavenly Ranking experts all fell on the Northern King and Haifei Zhang.
After the battle against the insect demons, only a few major forces remained.
For example, the Nine Killing Mansion and the Seven Star Tower, there is no high-level Qi Sea cultivator sitting in town, and the number of Heavenly Ranking experts is also small, so naturally, they have to keep a low profile.
"I will gather the remaining power of the Starry Sea Pavilion and be willing to station it at Cloud Mountain. I hope Fang Xia Daoist will not mind," Haifei Zhang suddenly spoke.
"How could I? I welcome it." Fang Xia smiled.
Even with suspicion towards Haifei Zhang, Fang Xia, at least for now, did not reveal it.
"I also want to warn you, fellow Daoists," Haifei Zhang said slowly, "Jinquan is a person who holds grudges and is cunning. Even if he accepts surrender temporarily, it's hard to say what will happen once the situation stabilizes."
Many Heavenly Ranking experts pondered.
"What about you, Northern Friend?" Fang Xia looked at the Northern King, the most heavyweight senior cultivator.
"Kill Jinquan," the Northern King uttered three words.
Seeing that all the top experts had reached a consensus, even if other Heavenly Ranking experts had different thoughts, they dared not express them immediately.
Time passed.
Soon, many Heavenly Ranking experts reached an agreement.
First, establish a Pan-Central Region Immortal Alliance to jointly resist the Great Jin. Various forces will jointly declare war on the Great Jin, destabilizing the hearts of the people in the Great Jin Empire.
Second, all major forces will gather at Cloud Mountain before the destruction of the Great Jin. Cloud Mountain City will serve as the headquarters of the Pan-Central Region Immortal Alliance.
Third...
...A total of nine clauses, although not discussed at Cloud Mountain, were eventually referred to as the "Cloud Mountain Covenant."
However, whether intentionally or unintentionally, all major forces tacitly did not propose a candidate for the alliance leader.
Apparently, this alliance was temporarily established only to resist the Great Jin.
Soon after, many Heavenly Ranking experts left. Some forces' strongholds were still far apart, and even if they eventually had to gather at Cloud Mountain, they needed to make some preparations.
Arrangements were made for various matters.
Fang Xia, the Northern King, Beili, Wu Hannong, Liu Junxing, and the King of Qionghai stayed behind.
"Fang Xia, why did you use divine sense transmission just now to ask us to stay? What's the matter?" Wu Hannong was full of doubts. "I have to go back and move the Central Region Immortal Palace as soon as possible."
The Central Region Immortal Palace was coveted by any powerhouse. It was an invaluable tool for communication, and the current Martial Ancestor was powerless to protect it.
"Many Heavenly Ranking experts have left. Among them, some might go to surrender to the Great Jin," Fang Xia said solemnly.
Everyone in the room nodded.
Not to mention Haifei Zhang's nice words; would he turn around and surrender?
What about those lone Heavenly Ranking experts? What choices would they make?
Even the Heavenly Ranking experts from some major forces might choose betrayal. After all, the deterrence of a Golden Elixir sword cultivator was too strong.
Moreover, unlike the insect demons, who would definitely kill everyone, Jinquan might not necessarily take lives.
"I asked you to stay," Fang Xia smiled, "to tell you one thing: Wu Yuan is not dead."
"What?"
"Wu Yuan is still alive?" Everyone was shocked.
...
Fifteen minutes later.
Swoosh! Swoosh! Fang Xia and the King of Qionghai flew quickly in the high sky.
"Fang Xia, why did you tell them that the master is alive?" the King of Qionghai asked in a low voice. "If someone among them secretly tells Jinquan about this information, what will happen? Will it threaten the master?"
"I had no choice," Fang Xia shook his head slightly. "If I don't give them a peace of mind, especially the Northern King, is he really willing to fight Jinquan to the death?"
"In the insect demon disaster, no one had a choice."
"Now, the two of us have no choice."
"However, the Northern King has a choice, but can he and Jinquan resolve their irreconcilable hatred?" Fang Xia said, "Including Wu Hannong and Liu Junxing, how do we know if they are truly willing to do whatever it takes for revenge, or if they have ulterior motives?"
The King of Qionghai fell into contemplation.
"However, when you told them that the master would return within a year, are you certain?" The King of Qionghai couldn't help but ask.
"No certainty," Fang Xia shook his head. "But one year is the psychological bottom line that the Northern King and the others can bear."
"Ten years? Too long! Too many variables."
"One year is just right," Fang Xia said. "Moreover, as you mentioned, the young master's spiritual aura is rapidly recovering and is expected to reach its peak in a month."
"Just an estimate. How do we know if there won't be any unexpected events after a year if the master doesn't return?" The King of Qionghai shook his head.
"Then we'll talk about it after a year," Fang Xia remained calm.
...
The battle between Fang Xia, the Northern King, the King of Qionghai, and Jinquan in the Holy Capital City was like a huge stone thrown into a lake, creating towering waves that shook the entire Central Continent.
This battle once again solidified Jinquan's reputation as the "number one under heaven."
However, soon after, the eight top forces, including Hengyun Sect, Qunxing Tower, Martial Ancestor, Seven Star Tower, Nine Kills Mansion, Northern Alliance, Wilderness Temple, and Southern Sea Alliance, jointly issued a proclamation to the world.
The proclamation detailed the entire process of the "Insect Demon Disaster" and marked the contributions of various powerhouses. Qunxing Tower even specifically released "Heavenly Ranking Wind and Clouds," recounting the fall of each Heavenly Ranking expert.
Names and deeds of Heavenly Ranking experts like Wanxing Daoist, Dongpan Emperor, Niu Hao, Rong Le, etc., spread far and wide.
The world was in an uproar!
Countless civilians and warriors just learned about the sacrifices of these Heavenly Ranking experts and the catastrophe that occurred in the Wilderness.
Of course, Wu Yuan, who had surpassed many Heavenly Ranking experts at the age of twenty-one, holding up the sky during this disaster, was highlighted.
Under the guidance, or unintentional encouragement, of various forces, various celebrations and commemorative events took place.
The status and significance of the Battle of the Wilderness seemed to trend towards the magnitude of King Wu's founding of the civilization.
On the contrary, the actions of the Great Jin Empire, once spread, also shocked countless people and warriors.
Initially, the Great Jin Empire issued proclamations to refute the claims, attempting to cover up the truth.
However, with the high-level members of the Starry Sea Pavilion leaving for Cloud Mountain, almost confirming the truth, the situation changed.
In an instant, in the eyes of countless people in the Central Continent, the Great Jin Empire almost became synonymous with "evil" and "traitor."
The reputation of the Great Jin imperial family also plummeted.
...
In the Holy Capital City, the broken Imperial City was being repaired.
In an undamaged small palace, the hall was spacious.
"Why worry?" Jinji sat on the main seat, overlooking the tall and thin middle-aged man in a yellow robe below. "As an emperor, if you are worried, how will the courtiers and the people think of you?"
Jin Cang bowed his head and remained silent.
In the Battle of the Holy Capital City, it was rumored that he was killed, but in fact, he was not in the Imperial City at the time.
"Ancestor." Jin Cang spoke in a low voice, "Just rumors. I am not really worried. Various armies and powerful officials throughout the country will not rebel because of rumors."
"Just..."
"Now, all forces in the world are against our Great Jin," Jin Cang said with great concern. "Can our Great Jin win?"
A world against Jin was no joke.
"A bunch of insignificant people, what is there to fear?" Jinji said coldly. "Do your job as an emperor. The founding ancestor is already the number one person in the world. When the founding ancestor comes out, wielding the sword and sweeping the world, who can stop our Great Jin?"
"Yes." Jin Cang nodded repeatedly.
...
In Cloud Mountain City, Wufu, front yard.
The sunlight was dazzling.
"Xiaoyi, is the news true?" Wu Qiming was extremely worried. "In the Heavenly Ranking Battle of the Wilderness, did Wu Yuan really die?"
Qunxing Tower spread the news, and countless people in places like Jiangzhou might not know about figures like Wanxing Daoist, Dongpan Emperor, and others.
But they knew Wu Yuan!
As a genius who had risen in recent years, he was known to everyone.
Wu Yijun wore martial attire, with a heroic demeanor, and a sword hanging by his side.
"Well, brother, he died in battle." Wu Yijun nodded gently, and her face showed no sign of pain.
"The Supreme Elder of the Sect, Buyu, personally came to the mansion. I saw it." Wu Yijun said solemnly.
Due to the significance of the matter, except for a few top figures like Fang Xia, the others were not aware of Wu Yuan's true situation.
The public information released was that Wu Yuan died in battle.
Wu Qiming's face changed when he heard this.
In his eyes, Buyu was already a figure like a transcendent existence.
"Clan Chief, my elder brother is the most pinnacle expert in the entire Central Continent, the most dazzling genius in thousands of years. He died for the entire Central Continent." Wu Yijun stared directly at Wu Qiming.
"Yes." Wu Qiming nodded repeatedly.
But suddenly, Wu Qiming felt a shock in his heart and suddenly realized that the girl who used to be carefree had changed; she had grown up.
In a trance, Wu Qiming had an illusion that the one standing in front of him was not Wu Yijun, but the fifteen-year-old Wu Yuan from years ago.
Wu Yijun said in a low voice, "Clan Chief, rest assured, Supreme Elder Buyu has promised that the sect will not mistreat the Wu family, and all positions remain unchanged."
"Furthermore."
"Although my elder brother is dead, I am still here." Wu Yijun's voice was cold. "I will not let the Wu family of Cloud Mountain decline."
Wu Qiming sighed in his heart.
He understood that he could no longer treat the girl in front of him as an ignorant child.
Wu Yijun, a fifteen-year-old second-rate expert—how many dared to underestimate her?
"There is only one thing." Wu Yijun said in a low voice, "Don't let my mother know about my elder brother's death for the time being."
"I understand." Wu Qiming nodded.
After seeing off Wu Qiming, Wu Yijun stood by the window. Her gaze swept over and suddenly caught sight of something piled up in the corner—Wu Yuan's toys that he had bought for her before.
"Big brother!"
There were faint tears in Wu Yijun's eyes, but immediately a hint of determination appeared. "I will not let your sacrifices for the family go in vain."
"I won't!"
She was very smart. From the moment she received the news, she understood that the towering figure that had sheltered her and the family from wind and rain in the past was gone.
Looking around, there wasn't even one top expert in the entire Wu family.
Wu Yijun always remembered her elder brother's words: "Relying on mountains is unreliable; all prestige and status are illusory. Only by relying on one's own strength."
"Big brother, you have laid the foundation for me." Wu Yijun silently prayed in her heart. "In the past, maybe I wasn't so diligent, but I will definitely work hard to cultivate into a grandmaster, and even reach the Heavenly Ranking!"
...
Time passed day by day.
In the year 3231 of the Eastern Martial Calendar, on the tenth day of June, starting from Jiangzhou, the secular armies of various forces in Minzhou, Jiangzhou, Dongzhou, Yanzhou, Yuanzhou, and Huangzhou began to attack the state capitals of the Great Jin Empire. The flames of war ignited throughout the Great Jin Empire.
June 16th.
Emperor Jin, Jin Quan, joined by Jin Ji and Zhao Xing, descended upon Cloud Mountain. Jin Quan wielded his life-bound flying sword, and the sword qi traversed the void for hundreds of miles, intending to flatten Cloud Mountain.
Fang Xia, the Extreme North King, Qiong Hai King, and others took the initiative to confront them.
A colossal battle raged, with no clear winner.
In the end, Jin Quan had to retreat.
Soon, orders from Cloud Mountain were transmitted, and the armies of various states gradually ceased their attacks.
The entire Central Continent entered a brief period of peace.
However, both the Great Jin Empire and the "Immortal Dao Alliance" knew that peace would not last forever.
Sooner or later, the two sides would have to determine the victor.
...
In the blink of an eye, the time came to July.
About ten miles from Cloud Mountain, in a newly opened vast lake, this place had been shrouded in mist since its inception, making it inaccessible to ordinary people.
"Qiong Hai, is there still no news from the Young Lord? It's been nearly two months." Fang Xia said in a low voice.
"No."
"The Young Lord hasn't responded." Qiong Hai King's massive body lay in the lake, only his enormous dragon head surfaced, and his voice was majestic. "However, the Young Lord's spiritual aura has been growing stronger at an astonishing rate!"
"I estimate it has increased several times."
"Several times?" Fang Xia was shocked. Wu Yuan's spiritual aura was already unparalleled, so how powerful had it become? To what extent could it elevate in such a short time?
"Young Lord, what is the situation now?" Fang Xia asked in confusion.
---
PS: First update
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 172: Yang Soul Realm, Three Hundred Thoughts
In the depths of the Demon Abyss in the Wilderness, within a gigantic and ruined black sphere, a black serpent continued to guard this place as always.
Several months had passed, and it hadn't moved an inch.
Inside Wu Yuan's body, in the Upper Dantian Palace, the red light emitted from the top of the black tower still enveloped this area mightily.
Only the thick blood-red mist that surrounded the black tower had dissipated by more than half.
Similarly, in the surrounding void, the peculiar streams of light that seemed to freeze time had also disappeared by more than half.
Beneath the black tower.
Sitting cross-legged was a nearly substantial colossal figure, astonishingly Wu Yuan. His spiritual form had condensed countless times compared to the past.
It was much larger as well.
"Refine! Contemplate!" Wu Yuan's eyes were resolute as he continued to refine the strange streams of light, strengthening his spiritual form.
Vaguely.
Wu Yuan had sensed that his spiritual form had grown to a certain bottleneck limit, and the refinement of those peculiar streams of light became increasingly challenging.
But Wu Yuan never gave up.
If he just wanted to break free? With Wu Yuan's current spiritual form, he could easily resist the remaining peculiar streams of light by releasing the oppressive red light of the black tower.
However, Wu Yuan understood that once this opportunity was missed, who knew how long he would have to wait.
"Fight!"
"What I want is not to encounter the feeling of powerlessness when facing the Insect Demon again. I want to protect everything I hope to protect."
"Formidable strength."
"Only with a stronger spiritual form can I cultivate faster." Wu Yuan silently contemplated. "Only with a stronger spiritual form, do I have hope to open the Sea of Qi and walk the path of witchcraft and the world."
Step by step, he refined the power of the spiritual form contained in the peculiar streams of light.
Contemplate the black tower! Strengthen!
"Boom~"
Finally, as if breaking through a certain bottleneck limit, Wu Yuan's colossal spiritual form explosively shattered... In an instant, Wu Yuan felt that his consciousness had completely dispersed into various places in the Upper Dantian Palace.
No!
Not only the Upper Dantian Palace but his consciousness had completely surged out of the Upper Dantian Palace.
The Middle Dantian Palace, the Divine Palace, and even the meridians and acupoints in the body—all were perceived distinctly.
Even.
Wu Yuan's consciousness directly rushed out of his body, instantly arriving outside the ruined black sphere, seeing his own body, seeing the black serpent that lurked and rested...
This was not a broad-spread perception through divine sense but a genuine observation from different angles.
"In the past, my divine sense perception was essentially like eyes. Eyes can see far, but it is limited to sight." Wu Yuan had a moment of realization. "But now, it's like a possession."
Scattering consciousness outside the body was like standing outside to observe oneself.
Delving into the blood vessels and meridians felt like being attached to them, vividly feeling the circulation of the spiritual energy.
All perceptions had completely changed!
"It's thought! In the past, my spiritual form could handle at most one main thought with six or eight subsidiary thoughts, in other words, maintaining seven or eight thoughts."
"But now, I have a total of three hundred thoughts." Wu Yuan sensed. "All three hundred thoughts are me, with one main thought and the rest being subsidiary thoughts."
"This is—the Yang Soul Realm!"
Wu Yuan understood that the realm of his spiritual form had already entered a completely new level—the Yang Soul Realm.
In martial cultivation, the spiritual form usually exists in the Yin Soul and Concentrated Spirit realms, with the notion of the Yin Soul not dispersing and inner vision during Concentrated Spirit.
In the Sea of Qi Realm and Profound Connection Realm, the spiritual form is generally at the level of Soul Perception. Initial creation of divine sense allows for a weak exploration range, but it can already manipulate objects. Some powerful individuals belong to the Spiritual Perception Realm.
In the Golden Core Realm and Spirit Body Realm, the spiritual form is in the 'Spiritual Perception Realm.' At this stage, the spiritual form becomes stronger, the divine sense exploration range expands, more thoughts can be generated, but remote movement of large objects is still impossible.
One still relies on treasures' life imprints and magical power. At the same time, thoughts cannot leave the original body.
Therefore, individuals in the Spirit Body Realm often engage in close combat.
In the Violet Mansion Realm and Mountain River Realm, the spiritual form generally reaches the 'Yang Soul Realm.' At this level, although the divine sense range may not seem much stronger than in the Golden Core Realm, the number of thoughts will skyrocket. It is a true qualitative change, where one can instantly drive divine sense to move a mountain or a river. Moreover, thoughts can separate from the body, walk in the sunlight, attach to weak creatures, and invade their souls.
Techniques like Soul Search and Memory Erasure require the spiritual form to reach the Yang Soul Realm to be executed.
Similarly, powerful individuals in the Mountain River Realm, even without true elemental magical power, can manipulate treasures with a strong spiritual form, enough to remotely annihilate a large number of Sea of Qi Realm individuals.
For individuals in the Violet Mansion Realm, relying on such a powerful spiritual form enables the casting of truly world-destroying spells.
"I didn't expect it."
"Unconsciously, my spiritual form has reached such a level," Wu Yuan sighed.
For normal cultivators, progress in the spiritual form is usually slow.
Wu Yuan's progress was indeed rapid.
"My foundation is very strong. Although I am only at the Profound Connection Fifth Layer, I am comparable to many at the Profound Connection Ninth Layer," Wu Yuan thought to himself.
The mysteries of the earth comprehended at the domain level would also nourish the spiritual form.
Most importantly.
It was these past few years, as Wu Yuan contemplated the black tower day and night.
"Combined with the opportunity from the Insect Demon, the spiritual form of the Insect Demon is naturally like the Yang Soul Realm, able to differentiate countless thoughts. Cooperating with the black tower ultimately allowed me to reach the level of Yang Soul," Wu Yuan understood everything, his thoughts stirring.
Splash~
All thoughts converged and gathered, returning to the Upper Dantian Palace.
"These strange streams of light?" Wu Yuan perceived, and with a thought, an invisible spiritual form fluctuation spread, causing the streams of light to dissipate.
For ordinary people, eating meat can enhance physical fitness.
But for a Grandmaster, one must consume Qi!
For Wu Yuan, who had reached the Yang Soul Realm, it was a qualitative change. The residual spiritual power of the Insect Demon, even if refined again, was useless and could no longer promote the growth of the spiritual form.
Hum~
The stone pillar at the top of the black tower suddenly contracted, the red light dissipated, and the entire Upper Dantian Palace returned to normal.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Wu Yuan's spiritual thoughts instantly flooded into every corner of his body, ultimately entering the Divine Palace.
Regaining control of the body once again.
"Whew!"
Wu Yuan, who had been in a deep sleep for nearly three months, suddenly opened his eyes. At a glance, he saw a huge snake head looking at him.
"Little Black, thank you for your hard work," Wu Yuan smiled.
"Master, you're awake!" Little Black shook its big head, its body rapidly shrinking, winding around Wu Yuan's arm, extremely excited.
Wu Yuan smiled as he patted the small head of the creature.
With a sweep of his gaze, there was no one in sight.
Divine sense swept through.
"Within a fifty-mile radius, there's not a single living being," Wu Yuan muttered. His divine sense now extended to a range of fifty miles.
Moreover.
Within the range of divine sense, all his thoughts could harness power. However, the farther they were from his body, the weaker the power they could invoke.
In other words.
If Wu Yuan wanted to assassinate an ordinary person now, he could manipulate a weapon from fifty miles away, making his actions unpredictable.
"No wonder they say powerful sword cultivators can kill enemies from a thousand miles away with a flying sword," Wu Yuan whispered.
Those mythical legends were getting closer to him.
"The mysteries of heaven and earth." Wu Yuan's divine sense converged, feeling various mysteries between heaven and earth, vividly displayed before him.
Especially the mysteries of the earth, the perception was not just ten times better than before.
"No wonder they say once you transform into the Yang Soul, you can easily comprehend the domain level." Wu Yuan muttered to himself, "With such clear perception, comprehending the domain level? Very easy."
Foundation is crucial.
"Swoosh!"
Wu Yuan's thoughts moved, and a stone on the ground suddenly flew up, shooting towards the distance, accompanied by a booming shockwave.
"As expected!" Wu Yuan showed a pleased expression, "Let's try a flying knife."
Whoosh!
A black battle knife appeared out of thin air, and with a howl, it soared into the air, reaching a terrifying speed, leaving a dreadful streak of light in mid-air.
"Boom~" The originally damaged black sphere suddenly exploded and collapsed, with countless fragments suspended in the air.
Shoo~ The battle knife floated in front of Wu Yuan.
"Using only divine sense to manipulate treasures to such an extent? It's probably comparable to the Golden Sword Technique that Old Fang uses." Wu Yuan was amazed.
This is without even considering the use of domains.
If executed within the domain range, the power would skyrocket, easily slaughtering ordinary Sea of Qi Ninth Layer cultivators with just one move.
This is the terror of a powerful spiritual form.
Spiritual form, true essence, physical body.
Any one of these aspects, if powerful to the extreme, would make the strength incredibly terrifying.
"If a Sea of Qi Ninth Layer cultivator with such a powerful spiritual form, slightly supplemented with magical power, is afraid that killing a Golden Core First Layer cultivator is very easy," Wu Yuan shook his head slightly, "Even now, in close combat, my divine sense manipulating objects from a distance is probably more powerful."
Close combat is extremely dangerous, easily resulting in death.
On the other hand, distant attacks are very safe.
"With my current powerful spiritual form, opening up the Sea of Qi should not be difficult." Wu Yuan had a thought.
Previously, he planned to reach the Profound Connection Ninth Layer before opening up the Sea of Qi.
Now? It seems unnecessary!
Even if life source power is cultivated to the Profound Connection Ninth Layer, the enhancement to the spiritual form is negligible.
"Wait until I meet the domain master and ask for his opinion." Wu Yuan contemplated.
Opening up the Sea of Qi is a major event that should not be taken lightly.
Suddenly.
"Master, here you go." Little Black suddenly raised its head, opened its mouth, and spit out several pieces of crystal-clear fragments, shining like jade.
"What is this?" Wu Yuan stared at these crystal fragments.
"It's the crystals left behind after the Insect Demon's main body died. I felt they were very special, so I collected them." Little Black's voice echoed in Wu Yuan's mind.
"Oh? The main body of the Insect Demon?" Wu Yuan was curious, reaching out to take the crystal fragments and probing with his divine sense.
Sensing the unusual nature of these crystals.
They actually contained a strange power, different from normal magical power or life source, but rather a power born from the combination of spiritual energy and the essence of heaven and earth.
"Good find, Little Black, well done," Wu Yuan smiled, waving his hand to collect these sparkling fragments.
Unable to understand them temporarily, he decided to put them away for now.
"It's time to go back. I've been in a deep sleep for several months. I wonder if Fang Xia has managed to kill Jinquan," Wu Yuan scanned the surroundings.
His divine sense explored in all directions, confirming that there were no remaining treasures as if personally visiting each area.
As for the bodies of these ordinary demon soldiers?
Several months had passed, and they were somewhat decayed.
As for the demon soldiers in the Spirit Body Realm, their bodies had not decayed, but their demon crystals had long been taken away, making their flesh and blood less valuable.
"Let's go!"
Wu Yuan took a step.
"Boom~" His divine sense enveloped, and the rocks and soil above him cracked open, revealing a crack passage.
Wu Yuan descended rapidly to the ground.
At the same time.
"Qiong Hai, I'm back." Wu Yuan sent a message to his other spiritual beast.
---
ps: Second update
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 173 Opportunity to Unify the Central Region (Seeking Subscriptions)
Yunshan Prefecture, Qinglong Lake, extends for more than ten miles.
This place is the residence that Qionghai King established in Yunshan after the formation of the Immortal Dao Alliance in the Central Region. Initially, it was just a small reservoir. However, Qionghai King expanded it, connecting it to Yunjiang through channels, allowing the river water to flow in, forming a small lake, named 'Qinglong Lake' by him.
Although Qionghai King is a dragon, he possesses the heart of a true dragon.
Qinglong Lake is shrouded in dense white mist for a long time.
"This pool is still too small," Qionghai King lay on the lake bed, leisurely thinking to himself, "It can't compare to my Crystal Palace."
As the King of the Southern Sea, the vast and expansive seas were enough for him to roam freely.
But near Yunshan?
Being able to create a lake of more than ten miles is already the limit for him.
"When the master comes back and kills that old guy Jinquan, with no threats left, I'll return to the Southern Sea," Qionghai King contemplated.
He has witnessed Jinquan's strength, especially the formidable lifebound flying sword of the Golden Core Sword cultivator.
Without killing Jinquan, Qionghai King wouldn't dare to leave Yunshan.
In the deep sea?
Even in a one-on-one situation, Jinquan could still kill him.
Suddenly.
"Qionghai, I'm back," a familiar yet slightly unfamiliar voice echoed in Qionghai King's mind.
"Master?" Qionghai King was suddenly delighted, sensing the presence of his master in his heart.
Splash~
A figure in white robes appeared out of thin air in Qionghai King's Upper Dantian Palace, facing the dragon-shaped core that occupied the Qinglong Lake.
"Master," Qionghai King was increasingly astonished.
In the past, when Wu Yuan communicated with him, it was only through mental dialogue. Now, he could condense his divine sense into a tangible form?
"What's wrong? Surprised?" Wu Yuan smiled faintly.
This was the effect of a powerful divine sense. Through the contract with the divine sense, he could easily form an incarnation, making communication with Qionghai King more convenient.
Of course, Wu Yuan was limited to condensing an incarnation and couldn't truly peer into Qionghai King's Upper Dantian Palace.
"Master, you're finally back," Qionghai King was quite excited, even wagging his divine sense tail happily.
"I haven't seen you so excited before," Wu Yuan couldn't help but smile, "Are you in the Southern Sea now?"
Upon waking up, when his divine sense swept through, Wu Yuan did not sense any other living beings and knew that Fang Xia and the others had left due to the impact of the divine sense.
"No."
"I'm in Yunshan," Qionghai King replied, "I dare not return to the Southern Sea alone. It's not just me; currently, most of the top experts on the Heavenly Rankings are staying in Yunshan."
"Oh? What's going on?" Wu Yuan wondered, "Why not dare to return to the Southern Sea?"
He was well aware of Qionghai King's temperament, and he didn't seem to like the environment in Yunshan too much.
The vast sea was Qionghai King's paradise.
"It's Jinquan!"
"Master, Jinquan has become a Golden Core cultivator," Qionghai King quickly said, "After you killed the Insect Demon, I followed your orders, along with Fang Xia..."
Wu Yuan communicated with Qionghai King.
Quickly learning about some events that occurred in the past few months.
"Now, the entire Central Region is divided into two major factions. One is the 'Great Jin Empire' led by Jinquan, with several Qi Sea high-level cultivators and more than ten Heavenly Ranking experts," Wu Yuan muttered to himself, "The other is the 'Immortal Dao Alliance of the Central Region,' led by Fang Xia, the Extreme North King, and Qionghai. It includes many forces like Hengyun Sect, Qunxing Tower, Qixing Tower, etc., with more than thirty Heavenly Ranking experts."
Significant changes have taken place.
In the past, there were no Golden Core cultivators in the Central Continent, and various forces competed against each other. Although the Great Jin Empire was powerful, it couldn't unify the entire region.
Now, with Jinquan's breakthrough, various forces were forced to unite and gather at Yunshan.
Even the core of the Central Region's Immortal Dao Palace had been moved to Yunshan.
"Yes," Qionghai King nodded.
"Master, the others in the Great Jin Empire are not a concern. Some Heavenly Ranking experts who joined in the past are just wandering cultivators, not even one is at the Qi Sea high level. The main force consists of the Great Jin royal family and the powerful figures from the original Xia Palace," Qionghai King explained.
Wu Yuan listened.
He wasn't surprised that Heavenly Ranking experts joined the Great Jin Empire; one couldn't expect everyone to uphold justice and ideals.
The efforts of Wanxing Daoist, Dongpan Daoist, and others were significant.
What Jinquan and Jinji did were indeed despicable, but Jinquan's overwhelming strength naturally attracted followers seeking survival.
"The main focus of the two factions is still on the showdown between the top combat powers. Jinquan is indeed formidable. Fang Xia leads the Great Formation, cooperating with the Seven-Star Profound Flame Formation led by Wu Hannong and Lei Meng. Only then can we contend with Jinquan," Qionghai King waved his claw, "Master, take a look at the footage of our confrontation. This is what I saw in my memory."
Hum~ Hum~ Hum~
Memory projections appeared on both sides of Wu Yuan's divine sense, forming images of the battles in the sky over the Holy Capital and Yunshan.
There were scenes of Yunshan clashes.
Wu Yuan watched them one by one.
He was well aware of Qionghai King, the Six-Legged Golden Mantis, and the Demon King's strengths, so he quickly estimated Jinquan's approximate combat power.
"Golden Core Sword cultivator?" A cold light flashed in Wu Yuan's eyes, and he felt a strong vigilance, "Indeed formidable!"
Jinquan, with a six-tier foundation and no breakthrough to the Domain Realm, if it were just the Qi Sea Ninth Level?
Wu Yuan believed he could defeat him with a single move.
However, advancing from the Qi Sea Realm to the Golden Core Realm was a significant transformation, and the leap in magical power alone could increase strength dozens of times.
Therefore.
Even with a divine sense transformed into 'Yang Soul,' erupting both long-range and close-range attacks simultaneously, Wu Yuan didn't have absolute confidence in defeating Jinquan.
Moreover, infiltrating the Holy Capital?
With protective formations, the difficulty of killing him would be even higher.
"However, Jinquan must die," Wu Yuan's eyes were icy, "A Golden Core Sword cultivator, if you only act for your own survival, that's fine."
"But hiding at the back unwilling to take risks when the entire Central Region is facing a catastrophe."
"Emerging to pick the fruits after the catastrophe passes and powerful individuals have fallen, that's truly despicable!"
Wanxing Daoist, Dongpan Emperor, Niu Hao, and others might not be good people, but they understood the bigger picture, had a sense of the overall situation, and showed valor.
Wu Yuan genuinely admired such individuals.
People like some Heavenly Ranking experts who refused to take risks and hid away, while he despised them, he didn't necessarily go out of his way to kill them.
But someone like Jinquan?
See one, kill one.
"Master, with your return, we now have hope of killing Jinquan," Qionghai King exclaimed.
"No!"
"Golden Core Sword cultivators are not to be underestimated. Either refrain from action or succeed in one fell swoop," Wu Yuan shook his head, "Didn't you say that Fang Xia has complete control over the Central Region's Immortal Dao Palace?"
"Yes."
Qionghai King nodded, "It was Wu Hannong who took the initiative to contribute. He said that treasures of such significance couldn't be preserved by Martial Ancestors."
Wu Yuan nodded slightly.
He was too lazy to delve into the truth.
"Qionghai, let Fang Xia enter the Immortal Palace," Wu Yuan said, "We will communicate in the Central Region Immortal Palace."
"Yes," Qionghai King nodded.
...With the gathering of various Heavenly Ranking experts, the area around Yunshan Mansion has undergone significant changes. New mountain peaks have been opened in all directions around Yunshan.
Each peak has Heavenly Ranking experts stationed on it.
However, Yunshan remains the same, and even the formations have been strengthened further, covering a larger range and being more powerful than before.
Inside the underground jade room.
"I didn't expect that Qunxing Tower would have such treasures. It saved me a lot of effort, allowing me to directly reach the Qi Sea Ninth Level," Fang Xia sat cross-legged on a jade platform, revealing a smile. "This way, in at most six or seven years, I can break through to the Golden Core Realm."
Fang Xia naturally yearned for a breakthrough to the Golden Core Realm.
"When I break through to the Golden Core Realm, Jinquan, I will crush you," Fang Xia's eyes showed a trace of anger.
Comprehending the Domain Realm, Fang Xia also had his pride.
He looked down on Jinquan's character but couldn't ignore his strong power.
"Take it slow. As long as magical power accumulates, I can break through to the Golden Core Realm," Fang Xia continued to cultivate.
In front of him, in the center of the jade room, two huge clusters of light floated: an extremely large golden light cluster, the core of the formation, and a slightly smaller purple light cluster.
Suddenly.
"Warning, there is a powerful individual exceeding the tolerance limit entering the Immortal Palace, warning..." a voice rang in Fang Xia's mind.
"What? Exceeding the limit?" Fang Xia was surprised.
Controlling the core of the Central Region Immortal Palace, he was familiar with various privileges of the Immortal Palace and naturally understood what exceeding the limit meant - Purple Mansion Realm!
A Purple Mansion cultivator entered the Immortal Palace?
"Hmm?" Fang Xia suddenly looked up, seeing a Jiaolong over ten meters long flying into the jade room, it was Qionghai King.
"Old Fang! Quick!"
"It's the master, the master is on his way back," Qionghai King exclaimed, "Quick, enter the Immortal Palace."
"Young Master is back?" Fang Xia instantly understood.
He was also shocked in his heart. The Young Master's divine sense had reached the Purple Mansion Realm? Good heavens!
This kind of progress in divine sense was terrifying!
"Alright, I'll enter the Immortal Palace right away," Fang Xia said in succession.
...
"Everything is the same as before," Wu Yuan stood on the Immortal Palace square.
There was no one here, and in three directions, there were still individual palaces.
However, compared to the past, the number of individual palaces was much fewer.
There were only less than forty left.
Whoosh~ Countless golden and green lights converged, forming a figure in a golden robe and a Jiaolong-shaped silhouette.
"Master," Qionghai King said.
"Young Master," Fang Xia also respectfully bowed, holding his breath and sensing Wu Yuan's aura, which was as unfathomable as an abyss.
"No need for formalities," Wu Yuan smiled slightly. "Old Fang, tell me about the current situation."
"Yes," Fang Xia nodded repeatedly.
Soon, Fang Xia explained his insights, and Wu Yuan compared his words with those of Qionghai King, gaining a clearer understanding of the situation in the Central Region.
"Young Master, Jinquan's actions are indeed infuriating, but this is also an opportunity for Young Master to unify the Central Region," Fang Xia said.
"Oh?" Wu Yuan was surprised.
"In the battle against the Worm Demon calamity, Young Master, Wanxing Daoist, Dongpan Emperor, and I can be considered the biggest contributors."
"Especially you, Young Master, ultimately killed the Worm Demon, achieving great feats," Fang Xia said. "Now, Wanxing Daoist and Dongpan Emperor have fallen, which is regrettable."
"But from another perspective, the entire Central Region has benefited from Young Master's kindness, and your prestige has been established," Fang Xia continued.
Wu Yuan nodded slightly.
"Now, everyone knows about the confrontation between the two major factions, and they are aware of Jinquan's strength."
"Next, as long as Young Master kills Jinquan, your influence will spread far and wide, shaking the world," Fang Xia said. "With this grace and prestige, along with my support, Qionghai King's support, and the explicit support of Qunxing Tower and Martial Ancestors, who would dare to oppose Young Master?"
"Those who oppose will be jointly dealt with by all sides," Fang Xia said solemnly.
Qionghai King, witnessing this, naturally didn't want to fall behind and added, "Young Master, I also think so."
---
ps: First update.
Thanks to the senior 'Absolutely ¢Leisure' for the silver reward, becoming the first silver supporter of this book, thank you!!
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 174 The Challenge (Seeking Subscriptions)
"The opportunity to unify the Central Region?" Wu Yuan muttered to himself.
"Young Master, for someone like Jinquan who attempts to dominate the world through force, it might work," Fang Xia said. "However, for cultivators like us, to truly unify the world, aside from nurturing disciples and accumulating resources, it is also about establishing true benevolence and power for the sake of faith and admiration."
"To make countless mortals and even cultivators genuinely willing to believe and worship from the heart, one must truly establish kindness and authority!" Fang Xia said.
"To gain believers, sincerity must come from the hearts of the people," Fang Xia continued.
Wu Yuan nodded gently. Once he stepped into the Purple Mansion Realm, the uses of faith and worship would be diverse and significant.
Of course, having faith was even better.
Without faith, it wouldn't affect him personally.
"Fang Xia, what plans do you have?" Wu Yuan asked. "How do we go about killing Jinquan?"
"One way is to besiege him," Fang Xia smiled. "In the battle at Yunshan two months ago, he forced us to stay in Yunshan without moving. He is already full of confidence and won't be afraid to leave the Holy Capital. As long as we lure him out, Young Master, along with me, Qionghai, and others, can join forces to siege him and have a chance to kill him."
"What else?" Wu Yuan asked.
"The second way is to wait a bit longer," Fang Xia said. "With Young Master's powerful divine soul, the progress is bound to be astonishing. In a short time, it could be a year or several years. Young Master might have the strength to kill him."
"A year? Several years? That's too long, and the night is long with many dreams," Wu Yuan shook his head slightly. "You mentioned earlier that Jinquan has a way to leave the Central Region?"
"Yes," Fang Xia nodded.
Originally, Jinji promised to let Zhao Xing and Hai Feizhang leave the Central Region safely.
Later, with the formation of the two major factions, Hai Feizhang naturally told Fang Xia about this matter.
"And?" Fang Xia was puzzled.
Qionghai King listened on the side.
"Old Fang, as you said, to establish authority over the world, it's best to openly and honestly kill him," Wu Yuan slowly said. "If we besiege him, how can we make various parties submit?"
Fang Xia pondered.
"Send someone to the Holy Capital and issue a challenge to Jinquan."
"Today is August 8th, set it for September 8th," Wu Yuan said. "I will arrive at the Holy Capital and have a life-and-death battle with him."
"What?" Fang Xia was stunned.
"Master, you alone, going to the Holy Capital?" Qionghai King was also surprised. "One month's time is too short, and Jinquan is a Golden Core Sword cultivator."
"I know," Wu Yuan smiled.
"Young Master, do you have confidence?" Fang Xia stared at Wu Yuan.
"Thirty percent," Wu Yuan uttered two words.
"Thirty percent confidence to defeat him?" Fang Xia couldn't help but say, "Young Master, you are a body-refining cultivator with extremely strong life-saving abilities, but there is still some risk."
"Thirty percent confidence to kill him," Wu Yuan said calmly. "Ninety-nine percent confidence to defeat him."
Fang Xia and Qionghai King fell silent.
Originally, when Fang Xia led the great formation, along with Qionghai King and Shanmowang, they could only escape in embarrassment when facing Jinquan in the Holy Capital.
Wu Yuan actually had a thirty percent chance of killing him?
"Don't worry. I've observed your situation when you fought against him. Even if I fail, it won't lead to my death," Wu Yuan smiled. "Moreover, you and Qionghai can support from a distance at that time."
Fang Xia couldn't help but nod, finally relieved.
True.
Wu Yuan's previous burst of strength was no less than when he led the great formation. Even if he were truly defeated, it seemed there would be no problem in preserving his life.
"The challenge will be delivered to the Holy Capital."
"At the same time, spread the word to the world, let all those who want to watch the battle come to the Holy Capital," Wu Yuan's voice was calm but carried a hint of dominance. "I hope that after this battle, there will be no more chaos in the Central Region."
"Okay," Fang Xia nodded. Although he was worried, since Wu Yuan had given the order, he would naturally comply.
"Young Master, when will you be back?" Fang Xia asked.
"I'm almost in Chuzhou," Wu Yuan smiled. "But it will probably take some time to return, so don't rush."
Fang Xia instantly understood that Wu Yuan was going to the Dingwu Realm.
"Qionghai, during this time, guard Yunshan well," Wu Yuan said. "Oh, by the way, Old Fang, how are my family members?"
From Qionghai King, Wu Yuan already knew that in the publications of the Starry Tower, he was considered to have fallen.
So, Wu Yuan was very worried about his family, especially his mother.
"It's fine. Your mother is still unaware, and we have blocked the news," Fang Xia smiled. "However, Young Master's sister knows the news. The little girl is quite resilient and has a style reminiscent of Young Master."
"Oh?" Wu Yuan couldn't help but smile.
His sister, Wu Yijun, had done well to earn Fang Xia's praise.
"Young Master, do you want to see the Northern King and the others?" Fang Xia asked.
"Let the Northern King, Black Dragon King, Wu Hannong, Liu Junxing, and others come," Wu Yuan said.
These people were currently the core of the Central Region Immortal Dao Alliance.
...
Upon receiving the notice, the several top experts who had been staying at Yunshan for the past few months quickly entered the Central Region Immortal Palace and saw Wu Yuan after a long time.
"Wu Yuan, Fellow Daoist!"
"Wu Yuan."
"How have you been, Fellow Daoist?" The Northern King, Black Dragon King, Wu Hannong, Liu Junxing, and others saw Wu Yuan and were both surprised and delighted.
Although Fang Xia had guaranteed it earlier, they had not seen Wu Yuan after all, and they were quite worried.
"Haha, with Fellow Daoist Wu Yuan here, we have a much greater chance against Jinquan," Wu Hannong said excitedly.
Others were equally excited.
No wonder they were excited. Wu Yuan, at the age of twenty-one, possessed almost the strength of the Golden Core Realm.
What an extraordinary genius!
They all believed that Wu Yuan would easily step into the Spiritual Body Realm in the future.
In the future, there was also hope to step into even higher realms, leading the Central Region Immortal Dao Civilization to an unprecedented peak.
This was the reason why Wu Yuan was arranged to lead by the late Fellow Daoist Wanxing and Emperor Dongpan.
After some exchange.
"I have already instructed Master Fang Xia to prepare to deliver the challenge to the Holy Capital," Wu Yuan glanced over everyone. "On September 8th, I will fight Jinquan in the Holy Capital."
"This battle will determine victory or defeat and also life and death!"
A wave of shock passed through; the Northern King, Liu Junxing, and others found it somewhat unbelievable.
...
Inside the Yunshan Jade Chamber.
"Haha, Old Fang, did you see the expression on the face of the Northern King just now?" King Qionghai lounged, shaking his head. "I'm afraid they still don't believe that the Young Master can do it."
"How many people dare to believe?"
"Jinquan is a Golden Core Sword Cultivator." Fang Xia sighed. "I can't believe that the Young Master is so confident."
"Just believe in the Young Master," King Qionghai shrugged.
...
North of Yunshan, about thirty miles away, there was a newly renovated mountain peak.
On the mountain peak, there were several pavilions and halls.
Inside one of the halls.
"Wu Yuan is back?" Bei Li was stunned.
"Yes," the Northern King nodded gently. "Just now, Fang Xia gathered me, Wu Hannong, King Qionghai, and others in the Central Region Immortal Palace, and Wu Yuan appeared."
"He gives me the feeling that he's even stronger than before," the Northern King said.
"Stronger? That's good." Bei Li nodded. "Although Fang Xia is powerful, relying on him alone might not be enough to stop Jinquan. With Wu Yuan joining him, the chances are much greater."
Obviously, Bei Li highly agreed with Wu Yuan's strength.
"Wu Yuan is preparing to infiltrate the Holy Capital alone and fight Jinquan," the Northern King's face became serious. "According to his tone, he is confident of defeating Jinquan."
"Alone? Infiltrate the Holy Capital?" Bei Li was shocked.
After a while.
"Big Brother, what should we do?" Bei Li asked.
"I have observed the situation all the way, and the situation is already clear. King Qionghai, Wu Hannong, Liu Junxing, all stand on Wu Yuan's side," the Northern King shook his head. "If he doesn't defeat Jinquan in this battle."
"If he wins, or even kills..."
"No, even if it's just a draw," the Northern King sighed lightly. "We have no choice."
Bei Li fell silent.
If Wu Yuan's strength could truly match Jinquan, then he and the Northern Alliance he represented would be too weak in comparison.
They must truly submit to one side.
Trying to ride both sides? That's the quickest way to die.
"Let's see the outcome of this battle," the Northern King said. "If Wu Yuan wins, then we should be the first to propose Wu Yuan as the leader of the Central Region Alliance and the Lord of the Central Region."
"Understood." Bei Li nodded. "I'll go prepare now."
Those who understand the times are wise.
...
While the top figures of various forces in the Central Region Immortal Dao Alliance were shocked, contemplating, and making their own decisions regarding Wu Yuan's decision.
Wu Yuan had arrived at the Jie Xian Mountain in Chuzhou.
This time, there was no need for Wu Yuan to call.
An invisible force had already enveloped him, moving him into another dimension.
Still, it was the familiar temple.
"Realm Master," Wu Yuan smiled.
At a glance, he saw the Realm Master at the end of the temple, resembling a giant.
In the past, in Wu Yuan's eyes, the Realm Master was unfathomable, beyond scrutiny.
But having reached the Yang Soul Realm, Wu Yuan could now sense some peculiar aspects of the Realm Master's aura.
"The Insect Demon, killed?" The Realm Master took a step forward, approaching Wu Yuan from the end of the hall, staring at him with some surprise.
He controlled the origin of the Ding Wu Realm and could clearly perceive the unique aspects of Wu Yuan's aura.
This was different from the past.
Especially the divine soul; at this moment, as Wu Yuan stood there, his life force was still weak, but the strength of his divine soul in the eyes of the Realm Master seemed like a scorching sun!
Extremely intense.
"Yes." Wu Yuan nodded. "It cost me a bit, but in the end, I successfully killed it. The catastrophe that affected the Central Region has come to an end."
"Tell me in detail," the Realm Master asked.
"Alright." Wu Yuan nodded and quickly recounted the entire Insect Demon catastrophe, omitting only the part about the Black Tower.
The Realm Master listened quietly.
However, when he heard that Wu Yuan had comprehended the 'Domain Realm' and showed a hint of surprise.
When he heard that 'Wanxing Dao Ren, Dong Pan Da Di, Niu Hao' willingly sacrificed themselves, there was a touch of emotion on his face.
In the end, when he heard that under Wu Yuan's fortuitous encounter, his divine soul had transformed into the Yang Soul Realm, he was truly shocked.
After everything was explained.
"Incredible."
The Realm Master couldn't help but say, "Wu Yuan, use your divine consciousness and domain power for me, preferably combining both."
He wanted to see it with his own eyes.
"Alright."
Wu Yuan nodded, and with a thought, the black 'Mad Demon Cleft Earth Blade' appeared on his chest.
This war blade could serve as both a treasure for Qi cultivators and a weapon for body-refining cultivators.
Hum~
Streams of earthy-yellow energy appeared out of thin air. The energy contained a tremendous force, instantly spreading throughout the temple, completely enveloping Wu Yuan and the Realm Master.
In the Ding Wu Realm, ordinary Heaven List experts couldn't arouse the power of heaven and earth.
However, for those who had reached the Domain Realm, they understood the essence and mysteries of the power of heaven and earth, something the Ding Wu Realm couldn't deprive them of.
Suddenly.
"Swoosh!" The suspended black war blade, surrounded by streams of earthy-yellow energy, swiftly cut through the void, leaving behind a dazzling light.
The blade mark lasted for a long time!
"Excellent! This strike might be able to kill a ninth-layer Qi Sea expert."
The Realm Master sighed with emotion. "Unfortunately, you don't have true elemental energy, otherwise, with such a powerful divine consciousness, the power to manipulate treasures would skyrocket."
The Realm Master looked at Wu Yuan and couldn't help but say, "Wu Yuan, you can open your Qi Sea now."
"Open my Qi Sea?" Wu Yuan's eyes lit up.
He came here precisely for this matter.
Unexpectedly, the Realm Master would take the initiative to bring it up.
Once the Qi Sea was opened, cultivating true elemental energy and enhancing the power of manipulating treasures would greatly increase.
This was the foundation of Wu Yuan's confidence in issuing the challenge!
"I underestimated you. Your divine soul talent is not in the top tier; it's clearly in the super tier. It's much more exaggerated than your body-refining talent." The Realm Master sighed, "Yang Soul Realm at twenty-one? I even suspect that you might be the reincarnation of some great being."
Wu Yuan couldn't help but smile.
"With such a powerful divine soul, not following the path of witchcraft is purely a waste." The Realm Master sighed, "You can open your Qi Sea anytime now."
"However, you need to think carefully about which path to take next."
---
PS: Second update
(End of this chapter)