Chapter 26: The Gathering of Kings

The bright moon hung high in the sky, accompanied by countless twinkling stars, densely scattered like sesame seeds on a flatbread.

Bathed in moonlight, Moon Fairy gazed at the spot where Lin Jiufeng had vanished. She frowned slightly and murmured, "This Nightshade Prince... he's different from before."

Behind her, a melodious voice echoed, as crisp and pleasant as a yellow bird's song. "He used to fawn over you, eager to please, never leaving your side. But now he's changed so fast. Can we still use him to find the other key?"

Moon Fairy responded calmly, "There's no need to worry. Nightshade Prince holds no real power in the Nightshade Clan. This time, even the Nightshade King himself has come. We will ally with him—he is formidable and will surely locate the missing key to the Grand Immortal Palace."

The soft, melodious voice hesitated. "But can the Nightshade King be trusted? I've heard he's extremely arrogant and difficult to deal with."

"That's irrelevant," Moon Fairy replied coolly. "The Nightshade King is dangerous, but are we any less so?"

Under the moonlight, her figure exuded an ethereal beauty, yet her presence pulsed with power. A faint golden Dao Core hovered around her, absorbing vast amounts of spiritual energy and moonlight essence.

Suddenly, her shadow detached itself from her body, forming a second young woman—identical in appearance but vastly different in demeanor. While Moon Fairy radiated an icy elegance, her shadow bore an enchanting allure. Like Moon Fairy, the shadow also wielded a golden Dao Core, drawing upon the energy of the heavens and earth. Between them, an invisible link formed, mutually enhancing their strength.

After distancing himself from Moon Fairy, Lin Jiufeng continued his rapid search for the Grand Immortal Palace.

Along the way, he encountered numerous figures—not from the Nightshade Clan, but from various other races.

"The Cloud Dream Marsh has become a gathering ground for the Hundred Races?" Lin Jiufeng frowned. "Did the Nightshade Clan really summon so many to hunt down Sword God Diliu?"

But after careful thought, he realized that couldn't be the case.

He quickly captured a lone straggler, a warrior from the Shura Clan, and interrogated him.

Under Lin Jiufeng's overwhelming aura—deep as an abyss, oppressive as a mountain—the Shura warrior trembled, barely able to stand. His voice quivered as he pleaded, "I—I followed the Shura King here. He ordered us to search for traces of the human Sword God. If we find anything, we must report immediately. That's all I know, I swear!"

Lin Jiufeng's expression darkened. Another Shura King? He had just slain one of their young princes, and now this?

"What is the Shura King doing here?" Lin Jiufeng pressed, his voice cold as steel.

"I—I'm not sure! I only overheard something about a treasure hidden in the Cloud Dream Marsh. The Shura King is here to claim it. And it's not just him—many young kings from various races have arrived," the Shura warrior stammered.

Lin Jiufeng's eyes narrowed. "Young kings from other races?"

The Shura warrior nodded desperately. "Yes! The Great Ape King of the Ape Clan, the Invincible King of the War Clan, the Skeleton King of the Skeleton Clan, the Nightshade King, the Golden Lion King of the Lion Clan… they're all here!"

Lin Jiufeng felt a deep sense of unease. These were not ordinary figures. Every single one was a powerhouse among their generation.

"Has word of the Grand Immortal Palace leaked?" he speculated.

From what he had learned, the Grand Immortal Palace released a batch of keys every 5,000 years. If a "batch" meant more than just a few, then aside from the two keys in his possession, there must be others out there.

If someone had managed to unite two keys, they would have learned the palace's location—explaining why so many young kings had converged upon Cloud Dream Marsh.

Lin Jiufeng swiftly pieced together the puzzle.

The realization weighed heavily on him. These young kings were undoubtedly formidable, each possessing unique talents and overwhelming strength.

Even the late Shura Prince had already reached the Fourteen Seals stage of the Dao Core. If he had been merely a prince, then just how powerful was the Shura King? And what of the Nightshade King, the Great Ape King, the Invincible King, or the Golden Lion King?

Among them, the Skeleton King stood out—Lin Jiufeng had long been marked for death by the Skeleton Clan. His hands itched with the desire to settle that grudge once and for all.

But rationality prevailed. His current strength was insufficient.

Turning back to the trembling Shura warrior, Lin Jiufeng demanded, "What else do you know?"

The warrior fell to his knees, sobbing. "Nightshade Lord, please spare me! I've told you everything I know! I swear it's the truth!"

Lin Jiufeng studied him for a moment, then issued a cold warning. "Forget this ever happened. If I hear even a whisper about this conversation, you'll be the first to die."

The Shura warrior nodded so fervently that his head nearly hit the ground. "I swear! I won't say a word! Not a single word!"

With that, Lin Jiufeng transformed into a streak of light and vanished.

As soon as he was gone, the Shura warrior collapsed onto the ground, gasping for breath, as if he had narrowly escaped death.

Inside the White Jade Ring, Lin Jiufeng relayed everything to the Sacred Beast Qilin.

After listening, Qilin shook his head. "The location of the Grand Immortal Palace has definitely been leaked. Those earlier scouting parties were just the vanguard. Now that the target has been confirmed, the real powerhouses have arrived."

"I thought the same," Lin Jiufeng replied.

"What's the plan now, boss?" Qilin asked.

"I must save Sword God Diliu," Lin Jiufeng said firmly.

Qilin frowned. "But those young kings are terrifyingly strong. Even if we work together, our chances of winning are slim."

Indeed, Qilin had innate divine abilities, and Lin Jiufeng could battle foes beyond his level—but against the elite young kings of the Hundred Races, their odds were still low.

Lin Jiufeng's expression turned resolute. "Then we avoid direct confrontation for now. We focus on growing stronger while watching how things unfold. You will absorb the twenty thousand catties of divine essence and break through to the Thirteen Seals stage. As for me, I need to raise my own cultivation."

Qilin was surprised. "How do you plan to do that?"

Lin Jiufeng's eyes gleamed. "The Dimensional Battlefield is overflowing with resources. I've never truly gone on a plundering spree before—but it's time to start."

With his current strength, he was already unstoppable against most opponents—so long as he didn't run into one of the young kings.

But if he wanted to stand against them, he needed more power. A lot more power.