Chapter 273: Pride of the Celestial Talents, Qingzhou's Spirit Ling Palace

Chapter 273: Pride of the Celestial Talents, Qingzhou's Spirit Ling Palace

Hearing this, Xu Yan and the others couldn't help but sigh. They never knew that the Wanxing Martial Arts Institute used to be so formidable, yet it still couldn't withstand the might of the Spirit Sect and the noble families.

In the end, the Spirit Realm belonged to the Spirit Sect and the noble clans. They forcibly erased this chapter of the Wanxing Martial Arts Institute from the history of rogue cultivators.

Wen Yong continued, "This is what the elders of our Eternal Alliance told me. According to them, after the Blood Demon calamity, the Celestial Talents clashed, and after crushing Wanxing, there was a period when the rogue cultivators in the Spirit Realm suffered greatly."

"The Spirit Sect issued an order—no one was allowed to spread or promote the name of Wanxing Martial Arts Institute, nor possess anything or emblem associated with it. Anyone who disobeyed would be killed without mercy."

"Informants were heavily rewarded, and those who assisted the Spirit Sect and noble families in restoring order in the Spirit Realm, spreading the slogans issued by the Spirit Sect and noble families, would be rewarded."

"If one distinguished themselves, they would be granted entry into the Spirit Sect or one of the noble families, becoming a member of their warriors."

"That was a dark period. Countless proud and unyielding rogue cultivators were slaughtered."

"Even more tragic were the countless cultivators who sold out their friends, and even their own brothers and families. It was truly a sorrowful time!"

Xu Yan and the others fell silent, realizing how much more difficult the situation was for rogue cultivators in the Spirit Realm compared to the Inner Realm.

They also understood why the warriors of the Spirit Sect looked down upon those from the Inner Realm as if they were pigs and dogs—it was all because of their arrogant and twisted mentality, stemming from their high and mighty positions.

"Our Eternal Alliance upholds the belief of breaking free from the established order and carving out a place for rogue cultivators in this world. Some of our elders have experienced that dark period first-hand."

"There are even elders who witnessed the Blood Demon calamity!" Wen Yong sighed.

As a bottom-tier rogue cultivator in the Spirit Realm, Fang Hao could deeply empathize with the plight of those at the lowest rungs of the realm's hierarchy. He understood all too well how lofty and distant the Spirit Sect and noble families were, looking down on the common cultivators.

"As the leader of the Jade State Alliance, I will definitely lead our alliance to stand on equal footing with the Spirit Sect and noble families of Jade State!" Fang Hao declared resolutely.

"I, Wen Yong, will wholeheartedly assist the leader in achieving this grand endeavor!" Wen Yong solemnly vowed.

Then, he turned to Xu Yan with a serious expression, "Brother Xu, you should understand what this clash of Celestial Talents could bring. Even the once-powerful Wanxing Martial Arts Institute was torn apart.

"The reemergence of this conflict is by no means a good thing. It's a situation where two fists are no match for four hands!"

Li Xuan had been listening quietly, and he, too, was secretly astonished. The strength of the Spirit Sect and noble families far exceeded his expectations. Even a formidable force like the Wanxing Martial Arts Institute had been crushed.

"There won't be dozens of peak God Refiners, or even existences beyond the Spirit Sect, who will come out to suppress me, the master of Xu Yan, right?" Li Xuan thought, feeling a tightness in his heart.

Wen Yong's words rang true—two fists were no match for four hands! However, although he was alone, with the power of the Divine Martial True Form, he wasn't fighting solo.

Moreover, the number of warriors from the Desolate Land was steadily increasing, and it wouldn't be long before he obtained the second Divine Martial True Form.

Li Xuan assessed his own strength and quickly calmed down.

"No need to panic," he thought. "With my combined might of the four martial arts schools, formations, the Heaven's Wonder Gate, and the sword formation... When I unleash my full power, setting up a killing formation, I can take on as many God Refiners as they send. I'm far stronger than the Demon Lord ever was."

"Even if they send someone beyond the God Refining realm, it doesn't mean I can't defeat them. If they anger me, I'll set up a grand formation and annihilate one of their Super Spirit Sect members. I'll show this Spirit Realm that I'm far more ruthless than the Demon Lord ever was."

With these thoughts, Li Xuan's anxiety melted away, and he felt as calm as the wind and clouds.

"I am invincible in the Spirit Realm!" he declared to himself.

"If I can reach the Divine Profound realm, I'll truly have nothing to fear," Li Xuan mused.

He wondered when Xu Yan would be able to comprehend the martial arts technique of the Divine Profound realm.

Once he entered that realm, he would truly have nothing to fear. With the power of the Divine Profound, even existences beyond the God Refining realm could be easily crushed.

Xu Yan fell into contemplation for a moment before speaking with a solemn expression, "I understand Brother Wen's concerns, but I, Xu Yan, have never feared any so-called Celestial Talents. I surpass the ancient Celestial Talents.

"I will accept this challenge. As for the saying that two fists are no match for four hands, it simply means one isn't strong enough.

"A true powerhouse suppresses the world alone. What's the fuss about four, eight, or even sixteen hands? They're all just chickens and dogs!"

The master's realm was far beyond imagination. What was so impressive about the God Refining realm? Sending more people would just mean more deaths.

"To reach the pinnacle of martial arts, one must step on countless powerhouses," Xu Yan thought.

Xu Yan's reputation as the Sword God, renowned for his mastery of the True Transmission of Crimson Darkness and the Divine Brilliance Treasured Body, was not yet resounding enough in the Spirit Realm. Since his opponents were presenting themselves to boost his fame, he would happily oblige them.

Wen Yong looked at Xu Yan, silent for a moment as he contemplated the man's confidence and arrogance. In the Jade State Eternal Alliance, Wen Yong was considered a Celestial Talent himself, yet he felt he lacked the self-assurance that Xu Yan exuded.

"If Brother Xu is confident, then let the battle commence! Show the Spirit Realm your might and suppress the true lineage of the Spirit Sect!" Wen Yong took a deep breath and voiced his support.

"That's the spirit! Since I, Xu Yan, dared to accept the challenge, it means I have confidence. I never do anything without assurance," Xu Yan replied with a smile.

"Brother Wen's arrival is quite timely. Take these pills; they will aid your cultivation." Xu Yan handed two bottles of pills to Wen Yong.

Just as Wen Yong had gifted him the Earth Spirit Jade Marrow to help him break through to the Divine Will realm, Xu Yan was now offering him pills to assist in his cultivation and hasten his progress toward the God Refining realm.

"Th-thank you, Brother Xu," Wen Yong said, accepting the pills with cupped hands.

After catching up, Wen Yong and Yu Gao bid farewell and departed to investigate the movements of the Jade God Sect and Lu Xinting.

Three days later, a piece of news spread throughout Jade State.

Lu Xinting, the true lineage of the Crimson Darkness, had initiated a clash of Celestial Talents, challenging Xu Yan, the rogue cultivator Celestial Talent of Jade State, to a battle of life and death.

It was an extremely arrogant and disdainful declaration, proclaiming that he would show the rogue cultivators of the Spirit Realm what a true Celestial Talent was. In his eyes, the so-called Celestial Talents of the rogue cultivators were nothing but chickens and dogs compared to the Spirit Sect's talents.

He even claimed that if Xu Yan dared not accept the challenge, he should admit his inferiority and, from then on, bow in reverence whenever he heard Lu Xinting's name. Only then would Lu Xinting spare him.

With the backing of the Jade God Sect and other Spirit Sect families in Jade State, they directly associated Xu Yan with all rogue cultivators. If he didn't dare to accept the challenge, all rogue cultivators in Jade State would be deemed spineless.

They even declared that if Xu Yan refused to fight, he should leave the martial arts world. If he continued to walk the path of martial arts and target the Spirit Sect and noble families, he would be ostracized.

All these moves were simply to ensure that Xu Yan wouldn't back down from the challenge.

And on that day, the news of Xu Yan's acceptance of the challenge spread.

He directly told Lu Xinting to choose the time and place, and he would be there!

The martial arts world of Jade State was shaken. After a long hiatus, the legendary clash of Celestial Talents had reappeared! The news spread far and wide, even attracting warriors from other states who came to witness this long-awaited battle.

In the capital city of Zhenguo, warriors from far and wide flocked, eager to witness the battle between the proud geniuses of the spirit realm.

To manage the influx, the city of Zhenguo established rules prohibiting the involvement of warriors below the Martial Heaven realm, barring their entry into the city.

Despite these measures, the capital remained bustling, with Refinement God warriors, a rare sight ordinarily, now sporadically appearing within its walls.

"Yet another battle between proud geniuses. I wonder when the last one took place in the Spirit Realm?"

On the road to the capital, an elderly man walking with the aid of a cane reminisced aloud.

Beside him, a young girl excitedly tugged at the corners of her dress, her eyes sparkling as she asked, "Grandfather, were you a proud genius too? Did you ever participate in a battle between geniuses?"

"Your grandfather? Oh, I wasn't a proud genius, not at all."

The elderly man fondly ruffled the girl's hair.

"But Grandfather, if you weren't a proud genius, how come you know so many of the past geniuses? Didn't you tell me how formidable they were and how they shone during their battles?"

The girl, Yue'er, blinked her eyes inquisitively.

"Your grandfather was just a tag-along to those geniuses."

The elderly man chuckled.

"I don't believe you, Grandfather. You must have been a very formidable proud genius, or how could I also be one? "

Yue'er pouted, her tone insistent.

"You, my dear, are a genius, but your grandfather here is not."

The elderly man smiled gently.

"Grandfather, is Lu Xinting very powerful? Can I fight him? Can I challenge him to a duel?"

Yue'er's eyes shone with anticipation.

"There's no rush, no rush at all. You're still young, Yue'er. Stay out of these battles between geniuses for now. Moreover, the Lingzong families are unpredictable and untrustworthy, always scheming."

The elderly man ruffled Yue'er's hair affectionately.

"Hmph, when I become stronger, I'll be even more cunning than them!"

Yue'er raised her tiny pink fist, her eyes determined.

"Let's just watch this battle between geniuses and see what happens. Who knows, they might just be luring people into a trap."

A cold glint flashed in the elderly man's eyes.

The two, grandfather and granddaughter, continued their leisurely journey toward the capital city of Zhenguo.

At the border between Yuzhou and Luozhou, a spirit bird soared through the skies, its wings spanning a vast distance. It was a sixth-rank spirit beast, its power unconcealed.

Riding on the back of this spirit bird was a small palace, its windows covered with pink sheer curtains. From within, the crisp sound of singing could be heard.

Inside the pink palace, lying on a soft couch, was a young man dressed in a colorful feathered robe. His complexion was pale, and a red mole adorned his chin. Leaning against him on either side were two breathtakingly beautiful women. The woman on his left was singing softly, while the one on his right blushed, her breath quickening.

"Have we arrived in Zhenguo yet?"

The young man asked lazily.

The spirit bird, flying through the clouds, turned its head and replied with a wave of its spiritual power, "Not yet, but we have entered Yuzhou."

"Hmm, just make sure we don't miss the excitement."

The young man responded lazily, his head tilting to the side as he snuggled into the embrace of the beautiful woman, seemingly falling asleep.

Not far away, a Refinement God warrior traveling alone suddenly looked up at the spirit bird and the palace on its back, his expression changing.

"That's... the Qingzhou Spirit Palace! What are they doing in Yuzhou?"

His face paled as he quickly lowered his altitude and veered away from the spirit bird's flight path.

The Qingzhou Spirit Palace, one of the transcendent spirit sects, had sent someone to Yuzhou. Could it be because of the upcoming battle between geniuses? Were they here for Xu Yan?

In the capital city of Zhenguo, warriors gathered, including the most powerful Refinement God cultivators from the various spirit sects and noble families.

The Su family's Refinement God cultivators had already arrived and were now discussing something with the other spirit sect and noble family cultivators.

"If Xu Yan shows up, Meng Chong will definitely appear as well, and we might even be able to catch the people behind him this time!"

Su Zheng said in a low voice.

"Yuzhou belongs to us, the spirit sects and noble families. Everyone must understand that if the other party establishes a foothold here, it means we will have less access to resources."

The other spirit sect and noble family cultivators nodded in agreement, united in their stance.

Their interests were aligned, and this unity was what kept the Spirit Realm firmly in the grasp of the spirit sects and noble families.

In the imperial palace of Zhenguo, the expression on Emperor Zheng's face changed, and he quickly led the royal family's powerful cultivators to stand solemnly in the palace square, awaiting something.

Suddenly, a giant spirit bird descended from the sky.

Riding on its back was a small palace, which now detached itself from the bird and landed on the ground.

"Greetings to the esteemed Upper Sect Master!"

Emperor Zheng and the others bowed respectfully.

The arrival of a spirit bird at the imperial palace of Zhenguo could not be hidden from the powerful cultivators present, and they all wondered about the purpose of this unexpected visitor.

"Grandfather, is that a Cloud-Piercing Eagle? A sixth-rank Cloud-Piercing Eagle?"

Yue'er asked, her eyes wide with curiosity.

The elderly man beside her frowned, his expression turning solemn. "Yes, it's a Cloud-Piercing Eagle. It belongs to the Qingzhou Spirit Palace!"

The Qingzhou Spirit Palace, one of the transcendent spirit sects, had sent someone to Yuzhou. This battle between geniuses seemed to be attracting a lot of attention.

"I want a spirit beast too, Grandfather."

Yue'er's eyes sparkled with anticipation.

But the elderly man remained deep in thought, his expression grave, and he did not respond.

The young man in the colorful feathered robe stepped out of the palace, his appearance belying his strength. He seemed delicate and weak, needing to be supported by the two beautiful women on either side as he walked.

When Emperor Zheng and the others saw the young man, their hearts skipped a beat, and they quickly lowered their heads even further, their nervousness evident. They were cautious, afraid that a single misstep might displease the young man, who was known for his unpredictable temper.

This was none other than Cui Huayu, one of the true disciples of the Qingzhou Spirit Palace, infamous for his capriciousness and peculiar temperament.

Despite his young age, not yet thirty, he had already reached the Refinement God realm.

The spirit bird he commanded was also a sixth-rank spirit beast!

"Greetings, Young Master Cui."

Emperor Zheng bowed respectfully.

"Hmm, you've worked hard, Old Zheng."

Cui Huayu's voice was soft and weak.

"It's nothing, nothing at all. It's my duty to serve you, Young Master Cui."

Emperor Zheng's forehead was beaded with sweat as he hurriedly replied.

"You don't have to be nervous. I, Cui Huayu, don't eat people."

Cui Huayu stretched out his hand and patted Emperor Zheng's shoulder.

Emperor Zheng was so scared that he almost died on the spot. This young master was known for speaking in paradoxes, so who knew if he really did want to eat people? All he could do was force a sycophantic smile and say, "I'm not nervous, not nervous at all!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end