Chapter 263: Two Months Later, the West is Settled

Chapter 263: Two Months Later, the West is Settled

The more Li Yinghai thought about it, the more suffocated he felt, as if he was being suffocated to death.

If he were to go and seek out Ji Jingqiu again, willingly handing over Jia Weiting as a "gift," and even put on a smile, saying that Brother Ji was a divine strategist...

What's the difference between that and asking him to go to his death?

"There are at least twenty Celestial Warriors among the western families. Are they just going to let Ji Jingqiu run rampant in the west without any restraint?"

Li Yinghai couldn't understand why his own Li family was actively trying to curry favor with Ji Jingqiu. Was it just because of the war in the west?

Are the Celestial Warriors of the western families all like Sima Long, a drunkard and a glutton? No wonder the Celestial Warriors of the Ten Thousand Warriors Association look down on those stationed in the rear, too afraid to venture onto the Celestial Path.

It has come to this, and even if Ji Jingqiu is defying the heavens, if several Celestial Warriors were to join forces and suppress him, they should have done it already!

"The Federation has also taken action, and some among the Hundred Lineages have already sided with Ji Jingqiu. As soon as Ji Jingqiu entered the Heart Image, he suppressed Sima Long of the Sima family, and the new allegiances have begun."

The elder of the Li family spoke with a calm demeanor.

This silent yet grand "allegiance" would reveal, if viewed from the present perspective, that it was initially instigated by those few great ancestors.

But who would have thought that not long after the ancestors left, Ji Jingqiu would have grown to such an extent?

It was too fast, so fast that the various parties were completely unprepared and still treated him as a genius.

Li Yinghai felt enraged. What a useless Sima family! A dignified Celestial Warrior, yet he was suppressed by a newcomer to the Heart Image. It was a disgrace to all Celestial Warriors!

"In this situation, for the western families, the only chance they have to gain more influence is to individually defeat Ji Jingqiu."

The Li family elder shook his head, not optimistic about the future of the western region.

Especially now that Ji Jingqiu has been winning battles one after another.

The Federation and the Hundred Lineages have joined forces, showing a determined attitude of not backing down. Other forces from different star domains must now consider whether to continue their involvement.

The west now has two choices: either a desperate fight to the death or following the path laid out by the Federation and the Hundred Lineages.

The brilliance of the Federation lies in giving the western noble families a seemingly viable but ultimately deadly path—waiting for Ji Jingqiu to come knocking, seeking a challenge.

Even as Ji Jingqiu continues his winning streak, some noble families have already realized this. But what use is it now?

It's too late.

The most crucial point is that the six great families are also restrained, either sealing themselves off or engaging in internal strife. It's difficult for them to intervene in the western affairs, as the Mu family has already openly sided with Ji Jingqiu...

In this situation, what can the western noble families do to fight to the death?

"Even if Ji Jingqiu has done well in the west, does our Li family also have to go and praise him?" Li Yinghai took a deep breath.

Throughout the Federation's ten thousand years, every era has had extraordinary figures.

Looking back, there was Chi Yinghuo three thousand years ago, Zhang Tiancheng two thousand years ago, and even Wan Chengcang a thousand years ago.

Perhaps they weren't as dazzling as Ji Jingqiu is now, but they each dominated their respective eras.

But when have the six great families ever needed to go out of their way to befriend someone?

No matter how talented, they are still not as talented as the great ancestors of their own families.

"Because he's the Commander Mu's Heir!" The Li family elder frowned in displeasure, "The six great families share a common origin and should support each other. Since he's the Commander Mu's Heir, he's naturally one of us. Within the Mu family, he should be regarded as a 'Little Ancestor,' and even our five families should give him the respect he deserves."

"As a disciple of the Li family, the first thing you should do is protect the family and uphold the foundation of the six great families. Do I need to teach you this, young one?"

Li Yinghai opened his mouth but didn't know what to say.

The identity of Ji Jingqiu as the Venerable One's Heir was no longer a secret to the six great families, as the Mu family had already announced it.

But Li Yinghai hadn't expected the elders to place so much importance and emphasis on this identity, to the point of overlooking the fact that Ji Jingqiu was also He Shuai's Heir!

The Li family elder glanced at Li Yinghai, not revealing the fact that Ji Jingqiu had already gained the recognition of the Mu family's Divine Armament. This matter was currently only known within the circle of Celestial Warriors.

He instructed Li Yinghai to prepare quickly, and as soon as Ji Jingqiu returned from the west, he was to pay a visit and express his stance.

After the elder left, Li Yinghai stood in his original spot, unmoving for a long time.

Until a familiar, indifferent voice sounded.

"What did the Qingyan Clan Elder say to you?"

Li Yinghai suddenly became alert.

The situation of the Li family was similar to the Mu family, but slightly better, not as heavily watched by the Heavenly Demon as the Mu family.

For example, he himself had entered the main branch from a side branch.

But the situation with Li Xuanting and his nephew was different; they were the true main branch of the Li family.

"Uncle Xuanting," Li Yinghai said cautiously, feeling a sense of apprehension towards this person and not wanting to get too close.

Li Yinghai briefly mentioned what the elder had just instructed him to do.

After hearing this, Li Xuanting didn't express his opinion; he merely nodded and turned to leave.

Watching the figure's back, Li Yinghai furrowed his brows.

Although this uncle and nephew were part of the main branch, they seemed rather peculiar, especially Li Xuanting. Li Yinghai felt that the Li family had wronged them...

As Li Xuanting left, he entered a deep and secluded courtyard, and made a call. He got straight to the point:

"In the west, you can't even delay Ji Jingqiu?"

After a moment, the person on the other end replied coldly, "The Federation and the Hundred Lineages have made their stance clear. We can't do anything for now, can you?"

"What about the Ten Thousand Warriors Association? Even with the help of a Divine Armament, Ji Jingqiu hasn't reached the top twenty of the Celestial Warrior Rankings, has he? What about those two from the Ten Thousand Warriors Association? Are they not capable of dealing with him?" Li Xuanting asked.

According to his knowledge, when Ji Jingqiu reached the top of Baiyu Capital and struck down the projection of Zhang Tiancheng, it caused quite a stir within the Ten Thousand Warriors Association.

That Zhang ancestor was known for his astonishing abilities, and many within the association had already begun to worship him as a god, almost deifying him.

"The Ten Thousand Warriors Association isn't foolish. Their goal is to enter the Federation's system and eventually grasp the power of the Federation. With Ji Jingqiu being portrayed favorably by the media, it's no problem for them to claim that he's the one who will achieve great things. They won't choose to oppose Ji Jingqiu at this critical juncture." The person on the other end explained.

"The media? The public opinion is always controlled by the upper echelons!" Li Xuanting said coldly.

"Taking down Ji Jingqiu at this time is equivalent to gaining the support of the western noble families. Don't forget the matter of Ji Jingqiu's parents; the Ten Thousand Warriors Association also benefited from that."

The person on the other end fell silent for a moment before speaking, "That was just an accident. The one who directly harmed Ji Jingqiu's parents was Jia Weiting, and there's no direct connection to the Ten Thousand Warriors Association."

Li Xuanting interrupted, "So, the Ten Thousand Warriors Association won't take action?"

After another silence, the person finally stopped concealing the truth and revealed, "The Ten Thousand Warriors Association will intervene in the final stages of the western conflict, but not to suppress Ji Jingqiu. Instead, they will mediate the conflict between Ji Jingqiu and the western noble families, acting as intermediaries."

"Li Xuan Ting mocked, "An intermediary? Waiting for Ji Jingqiu to fight to the end and then swooping in to reap the rewards is indeed consistent with my understanding of those people—stupid and unaware of it!"

...

...

Time passed by in a blink.

Two months had gone by since Ji Jingqiu's return to the western battlefield.

As time slowly ticked by, even for the western region, where battles raged and every moment was spent enduring hardship, the past two months seemed like a dream.

At this moment, Ji Jingqiu strolled through a city under reconstruction, the pre-dawn breeze brushing past his ears.

His mind was constantly in harmony with the heavens and earth, with no distinction between the inner and outer realms, truly becoming a part of the universe.

The boundless and formless void energy was like an ocean, his body immersed within it, every pore and orifice open, breathing in the essence of the heavens and earth, feeling an unprecedented sense of comfort.

He could sense that his innate formless Dao body was slowly transforming, and his vitality seemed to be rising like a tide.

Normally, this step would have limited benefits for enhancing vitality and was more about comprehending the principles of the Dao. However, his current progress clearly exceeded the norm.

Although this was a good thing, it wasn't very "friendly" for the upcoming unity of the heart and body.

For Ji Jingqiu, compared to the transformation of the innate Dao body, the unification of the heart and mind was a much easier step, with no significant challenges.

The next step, and his final hurdle, was the unity of the heart and body.

Over the past two months, he had traveled through the heavens and earth, challenging various heavenly people in the west, fighting to sustain his battles. However, the progress towards heart and body unity remained minimal.

"I feel like it's not enough. The transformation of the innate Dao body seems to be missing something."

Ji Jingqiu muttered to himself.

The divine awareness in his mind's eye told him that he could do better at this stage.

Hela's lazy voice echoed in his mind:

"After returning, I will teach you the Formless Heaven Demon Great Law. If you want to pass the test of heart and body unity, you'll need to rely on the power of the various realms, in addition to the water-grinding process."

This statement piqued Ji Jingqiu's interest.

This cultivation method was finally about to meet its true master.

"End your western journey quickly. Although watching the internal struggles of your Federation is interesting, watching you dominate everywhere has become boring."

Ji Jingqiu gently caressed the hilt of the Autumnal Lord's Blade.

Over the past two months, he had visited every famous clan and dojo in the west.

Initially, they were not welcoming, and there were even attempts by heavenly people to surround and kill him. But with the protection of the divine artifact, 'Four Directions Crystal World', he feared no group battles.

Additionally, the military department and the Hundred Warriors Clan weren't mere spectators. Ji Jingqiu's solo journey was a bait, putting himself at risk.

Their attitude towards heavenly people who broke the rules was completely different. To govern the west, both rain and shine were necessary, and these "willing" sacrifices were required.

After a period of "harmonization," his relationship with the western clans gradually became "harmonious."

Ji Jingqiu once again realized that reputation was earned through fighting, and respect was gained through killing.

Hela suddenly spoke up: "Do you think your current actions are truly meaningful? Perhaps in a hundred years, everything will revert to its original state. History always repeats itself."

Ji Jingqiu paused slightly.

Unconsciously.

He found himself standing at a crossroads again, surrounded by the hustle and bustle, as the sun rose on the horizon, and a bustling crowd surged forward with vigor.

This city was being rebuilt, people coming and going, each contributing to the reconstruction of their homes.

The official government had offered many people the option to move to other star domains, but many still chose to stay.

Perhaps it was because this was their hometown, with a certain indescribable sentiment, or perhaps there were too many past memories and people they couldn't bear to part with...

Ji Jingqiu stood still, not joining the crowd, yet feeling a sense of comfort, like sitting by a train window at night, gazing at the distant farmhouse's tiny lights.

Wasn't this meaningful?

Some things, you can't just say, "I'll do it later," and not take action.

At least...

"Before I depart this world, the western clans will understand. They will contribute during the upcoming great calamity."

Ji Jingqiu looked up, and in the distance, several figures stood in the void.

Just as Hela had said, it was indeed time to end this journey, and this planet would be his final stop.

He took a step, and his figure disappeared at the street corner, unnoticed by anyone.

With a single stride, Ji Jingqiu arrived at the final destination of his western journey. As expected, today would mark the end.

Standing before him were a planned female heavenly person, Yu He Liu's Liu Shu, and two heavenly martial artists he didn't recognize.

Ji Jingqiu expressed surprise: "Is the fate of the Gaohe Wang Clan and others not enough to make Elder Liu realize the severity?"

The Gaohe Wang Clan he mentioned had once tried to join forces to kill him.

In the 1619 version of the book, there is no mistake!

In the end, the involved clans were branded as rebels, and their fate was self-evident.

Liu Shu, feeling embarrassed, explained: "Young Master Ji, you misunderstand. These two are warriors from the Ten Thousand Warriors Association."

The Ten Thousand Warriors Association?

Ji Jingqiu looked around.

Among the powers at the forefront of the Celestial Path, the Ten Thousand Warriors Association was indeed a formidable force. Many warriors who had ventured onto the Celestial Path had registered with this organization.

A middle-aged warrior with a gentle expression stepped forward, smiling: "Young Master Ji, I am Zheng Beihe. I come on behalf of the Ten Thousand Warriors Association to contribute to the restoration of peace in the west."

Ji Jingqiu respectfully listened to the representative of this influential force at the forefront of the Celestial Path.

Seeing that Ji Jingqiu was giving them face, Zheng Beihe couldn't help but smile:

"We believe that the western upheaval should end here."

"Young Master Ji may not be aware, but the Heart Ocean has changed, and a great tribulation is approaching. With a formidable enemy at hand, we must not indulge in internal strife!"

"The western clans have indeed gone too far this time, but to strip them of everything because of this would be excessive."

"So-called patriotism is for the greater good. Everything else is trivial. As long as the western clans are willing to contribute during the upcoming great tribulation, we should make concessions, and everyone should take a step back..."

Listening to Zheng Beihe's eloquent speech about righteousness, Ji Jingqiu was puzzled.

Why, even now, were there still people who believed he was taking away what belonged to the western clans? Moreover, with the great tribulation approaching, how could the western clans not contribute? These were not negotiable matters.

He glanced sideways, looking into the distance, and calmly asked: "What do you see over there?"

As the crowd followed the direction indicated by Ji Jingqiu, they witnessed the rising sun gradually appearing on the horizon. With their exceptional vision, they could even discern the sparks within the stars and the surging streams of fiery lava.

Zheng Bei's eyes twitched slightly, sensing something hidden in Ji Jingqiu's tone. It seemed that his previous speech had not achieved the intended effect.

"Many are awaiting the break of dawn, but that also means the darkness of night," Ji Jingqiu muttered to himself.

"I see not the sunrise, but a new era, an era that belongs to me," he said, turning back. His aura surged, and he locked onto the three individuals, shouting, "This, is righteousness!"

The righteousness of the world is contained within this fist.

His punch was powerful, encompassing all three of them. Even the most forward Zheng Bei, standing in the void like a mountain, possessed a profound and bottomless true force. Yet, under this fist, he swayed like a leaf in the wind, seemingly incapable of withstanding a single blow.

...

In the void, one of the Celestial Warriors solemnly remarked, "He seems even stronger than before!"

The crowd remained silent, including some of Ji Jingqiu's defeated opponents.

They watched as the Celestial Warrior from the Liu Clan retreated in disarray, having already withdrawn from the battlefield without even engaging in combat.

Was there still any dispute in this battle?

None. Even the few Second Tier warriors in the west were defeated by Ji Jingqiu.

What use would it be for several First Tier Celestial Warriors to join forces?

There was no need for the military or the Hundred Vein warriors to intervene. Under the protection of the Mu Clan's Sacred Armament, Ji Jingqiu had no fear of facing a group.

Someone gazed at the faint blue lamp above Ji Jingqiu's head, filled with envy.

"I heard that when this Sacred Armament is at its peak, it can support the Ten Directions Crystal World, encompassing the heavens, earth, east, west, south, north, life gate, death position, past, and future..."

"Currently, there is no top-tier Demigod Armament worthy of battling Ji Jingqiu."

"Within the Federation, only the Six Grand Families seem to possess such top-tier Demigod Armaments. Unfortunately, the Ten Thousand Warriors Assembly's warriors did not bring theirs this time."

"Haha, the Ten Thousand Warriors Assembly's warriors were stopped by the officials. They were too ambitious, hoping to reap the benefits midway. It seems the rumors about the internal chaos within the Ten Thousand Warriors Assembly are true."

"Well, is this the end...?"

...

Zheng Bei's figure was disheveled, his heart filled with anger and frustration. He was enraged by the retreat of the Liu Clan's Celestial Warrior and even more astonished by Ji Jingqiu's decisive actions and formidable strength.

Ji Jingqiu's power exceeded the Celestial Warrior's body, just as the rumors claimed, without any exaggeration.

"Ji Jingqiu, are you going to make an enemy of the Ten Thousand Warriors Assembly?" Zheng Bei shouted, his heart sinking deeper.

In response, Ji Jingqiu threw a punch. This punch was overwhelming, embodying the idea of ruling over all under heaven. The punch forced the four to retreat, and even the two Celestial Warriors combined couldn't stop its advance, eventually fleeing in disarray.

"I held back, showing mercy," Ji Jingqiu sighed.

Watching the two Celestial Warriors from the Ten Thousand Warriors Assembly escape into the void, the observing Celestial Warriors fell silent after hearing Ji Jingqiu's muttering.

When Ji Jingqiu's gaze fell upon the Liu Clan's Celestial Warrior, Liu Shu smiled bitterly, "The Liu Clan is willing to follow the Federation's arrangements."

Upon hearing these words, even the veteran Xin Lie, who had no doubts about this outcome, couldn't help but feel a sense of loss.

Xin Lie had dedicated his life to pacifying the west, and to achieve that, he had to eliminate the numerous powerful clans.

These were high-ranking clans with Celestial Warriors, and even Xin Lie's position as the Third Army Lord was not enough...

Xin Lie's gaze finally settled on Ji Jingqiu, filled with both disappointment and relief.

Only a warrior like Ji Jingqiu, with his exceptional talent, strength, and status standing at the pinnacle of the Federation, could pacify the west...

Regardless, from this day forward—

The west is initially stabilized!

At that moment, everyone suddenly looked up, sensing an invisible force descending from the heavens, like a waterfall, and pouring into Ji Jingqiu's body.

This force seemed to be the collective spiritual energy of all sentient beings in the west, converging and flowing downward.

In an instant, Ji Jingqiu stood tall, and a vast and magnificent life force surged from within him, dazzling and awe-inspiring. The crowd couldn't help but turn pale.

This mysterious force seemed to be... tempering Ji Jingqiu's body? His physique was already astonishing enough. To what extent will he develop?

Ji Jingqiu turned his head, his gaze sweeping over the observing Celestial Warriors in the void, and said calmly, "The west is initially pacified. I ask that everyone honor our previous agreement. If I, Ji, visit again, it won't be for a friendly discussion, but to determine who stands above."

The crowd felt a chill, as Ji Jingqiu's words, though calm, conveyed an unparalleled martial intent, not to be taken lightly.

Not to determine superiority...

But to decide life and death.

"Three months from now, I will host a banquet for the Hundred Veins on the East 3 Star. If you are interested, you are welcome to attend."

With these words, Ji Jingqiu took a step and departed.

Leaving the Celestial Warriors in a state of unease.

Ji Jingqiu's current strength and status hosting a banquet for the Hundred Veins...

Is he becoming the leader of the Hundred Veins?

...

The western battle situation was not tightly sealed, and news of the various combat outcomes gradually spread, astonishing everyone who was paying attention to the west.

The news spread not only within the Federation but also to neighboring civilizations.

To many, the western battle had a surreal sense of chaos.

The name Ji Jingqiu, for the first time, made everyone feel a sense of heaviness.

This was the oppressive feeling of facing a powerful individual.

A genius with a vision for the future and a dominant force in the west were two different concepts, requiring different attitudes to confront.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end