Chapter 384: The Holy King's Way of Protecting the Path

Chapter 384: The Holy King’s Way of Protecting the Path

A tall and graceful figure flew uncontrollably out of the azure temple.

"Don’t lose your mind."

Ji Jingqiu’s voice echoed from inside the temple, devoid of any tenderness, causing Cang You, who was nearby, to shake his head in disapproval.

Chijin, regaining her composure, let out a cold snort. She had underestimated this new Supreme Master.

Just as she was about to strike again, Ji Jingqiu’s voice reached her:

"If you want to fight, wait until we both reach the Celestial King realm. We can then have a proper duel. This battle wouldn’t be satisfying now."

Hearing this, Chijin’s figure paused mid-air.

She scrutinized this young man, who was once several realms below her. No, in human terms, he was already a man.

Ji Jingqiu sat down on the spot, exuding the aura of a grand master, and said calmly:

"Let’s handle the important matters first."

"I hope your talent lives up to your arrogance, and that you can grasp the essence of ‘Guarding the Void and Stillness’ before opening the Celestial King path."

Chijin, hearing this provocation, let out a cold snort: "My realm is already close to your ‘Seated Oblivion.’ Today, I will see what wonders your path can bring."

Ji Jingqiu gestured for Chijin to take a seat.

Not far away, Cang You withdrew his gaze, shaking his head with a sigh before turning to leave.

...

In the starry sky not far from the Donghuang Continent.

"Daoist Tian Liang, Daoist Luo Shu, have you both completed your sect missions?"

A woman with an ethereal aura greeted the two, who had already been waiting for her.

The man in a white robe, exuding a scholarly aura with Dao Rhythms flowing around him, smiled as he saw the woman approach:

"Daoist An, everyone has been waiting for you."

The last to arrive was Xuran An, who had once visited the Federation and met Ji Anquan. She claimed to be from the Fleeting Palace.

The other two, a man and a woman, were Tian Liang and Luo Shu, respectively, and they had similar backgrounds, belonging to different factions.

"This domain is filled with secrets waiting to be unearthed. Aside from the two Transcendent Rivers, the Sea of Burial, the Dharma Realm, and the Sea of Suffering..."

Tian Liang recounted the information they had gathered and explored in recent days, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

He was originally handsome, and now his entire being radiated a profound light as he said sincerely:

"It’s like an unmined treasure trove, every bit of which is worth a heavy investment from the forces we represent. The Dao Palaces haven’t found such a treasure land in a long time."

The boundary sea was vast and boundless, with realms being born and destroyed every moment.

But a realm as special as this one was unheard of.

"No wonder even the four demons, who have been rampant in the boundary sea for countless years, have gathered here, even suffering setbacks." Tian Liang mused, then laughed, "Is this the classic case of the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind?"

"The Sea of Suffering and the Misty Sea converging here is not a good sign", Xuran An warned. "If we’re not careful, this place will no longer be a treasure land but a death trap!"

Tian Liang dismissed her concern with a wave of his hand: "Throughout history, opportunities have always required risking one’s life. The mortality rate of the ‘pioneering teams’ sent by various sects is over forty percent every ten thousand years, yet there are always too few spots and countless strong individuals vying for them."

Xuran An shook her head: "This place is different. Even if it’s not a death trap, the natives of this realm are not to be underestimated. Their overall strength is extremely formidable."

"This is indeed a problem", Tian Liang agreed, his expression turning serious. "I never thought a realm without a Transcendent guardian, and under the erosion of the Misty Sea, could still produce so many new sages and old deities!"

Xuran An added softly: "The biggest trouble comes from this realm’s Five Pillars and the ancient ones."

Luo Shu, who had been silent, suddenly spoke up:

"Despite the erosion by the Misty Sea, this realm has the Five Pillars in the front and the anomalies of the Yanhuang Federation in the back. The Misty Sea and the four demons have had little chance to act."

"I predict there won’t be a full-scale invasion for now. Even with the Transcendent Ancestors’ Dao Artifacts, the holy ones in the palace would suffer catastrophic losses to completely conquer this realm."

Tian Liang disagreed: "You underestimate the value of those two rivers. They are Transcendent seats, enough to drive the True Emperors of various sects mad!"

He added: "The many holy ones in my Zhenxian Temple are already aware of this. The temple is having intense discussions, and it will take some time to reach a decision."

Luo Shu looked into the distant starry sky: "This involves the Great Dao wars between the holy ones. It’s not something we can interfere with. It’s a matter for the higher-ups to consider."

Xuran An and Tian Liang followed her gaze, realizing she was referring to the Donghuang Continent.

Tian Liang, with a half-smile, said: "I hear your journey, Daoist Luo Shu, wasn’t smooth?"

Xuran An sighed: "Neither was mine. I failed to meet Ji Jingqiu."

Tian Liang’s eyes sparkled: "Daoist An, you represent the new member of your palace, don’t you?"

Xuran An nodded slightly: "Yes, Senior Ji asked me to deliver something to Ji Jingqiu."

Luo Shu, with her beautiful face now cold, glanced at Xuran An but remained silent.

Her senior, Zhang, had a poor relationship with Ji Linyuan of the Fleeting Palace, even to the point of enmity.

She had been ordered by Zhang to contact his people within the Federation, but found that most of them had been purged internally, leaving only a few stragglers.

Initially, she had hoped to interfere with the Federation’s internal operations, such as finding out where the Death Demon’s true body was imprisoned...

But it was a complete failure, and the Federation even became wary, placing her on an unwelcome list.

Even Zhang himself had been listed as a suspect by the Federation.

Xuran An smiled at Luo Shu, the air between them tense.

Both women were exceptionally talented and beautiful, and in Tian Liang’s eyes, it seemed like two tigers couldn’t coexist on the same mountain.

Tian Liang cleared his throat to break the tension, joking: "The one from the Fleeting Palace and Ji Jingqiu share the same surname. Perhaps they are from the same clan?"

Xuran An laughed: "I haven’t heard my senior mention that."

Luo Shu suddenly said: "Not long ago, I visited Ji Jingqiu’s seclusion place and found that he seems to have the ambition to open a Heavenly Path."

Tian Liang was taken aback, then laughed: "You’re quite humorous, Daoist. Ambition and capability are two different things."

Xuran An agreed.

In the past, the Fleeting Palace had a “Young Ancestor” who, in his youth, matched all the achievements of the palace’s master, aspiring to open a Heavenly Path and reach the Celestial King realm.

He spent tens of thousands of years at the Heavenly Man Perfection stage, and as his lifespan neared its end, he failed to achieve his goal.

Instead of choosing the easy path to the Celestial King realm to extend his life, he chose to dissolve his body and enter the cycle of rebirth.

Since he hadn’t achieved the Celestial King realm in his previous life, his true spirit remained oblivious in his reincarnation, and he was lost.

Luo Shu didn’t argue, but looked at Tian Liang and said: "If your Zhenxian Temple decides to act on this realm, we of the Jietian Sect can be counted in. We are very interested in the four demons’ true bodies."

Tian Liang’s eyes flickered: "That’s not something either of us should say."

"It’s the will of the Dao lineage I represent."

Luo Shu stated bluntly, "Senior Zhang has guarded the Tian Road for the Federation for thousands of years. Instead of gratitude, they removed his disciples and followers from their positions, or killed or imprisoned them. This is a debt we, the Jietian Sect, will settle."

Xuran An sneered: "What a big mouth. When did the Yanhuang Federation have the standing to speak for Zhang Tiancheng?"

Tian Liang, watching the two women clash again, remained silent.

At the root of the matter, it wasn’t just a conflict between the two women or between Zhang Tiancheng and Ji Linyuan, but a situation where the Yanhuang Federation was targeted for its treasures.

Just the presence of the four demons’ true bodies would be enough to make even a Transcendent Dao Palace covet.

The Fleeting Palace and the Jietian Sect were merely seeking a legitimate reason to join the competition.

Tian Liang said: "Ladies, the Holy King pantheon of this realm has invited us to a ceremony. We should set out soon."

Hearing this, the two women stopped their cold remarks, as if they had found a common enemy.

"Chijin?" Luo Shu said expressionlessly. "A Celestial King’s enlightenment, making the entire realm aware, is truly meaningless."

Tian Liang sighed: "Be careful, Daoist. That Holy King is not to be trifled with."

"What’s there to fear?" Luo Shu sneered. "The Five Pillars boasted so much. I thought they could rival the half-Transcendent ones of our sects. But when the Azure Sovereign returned, they couldn’t even defeat a saint like Jiushan, who barely made it into the ancient ones."

"He is a dual-bodied saint", Tian Liang pointed out.

"But in that battle, he only showed his true body, which barely made it into the ancient ones in terms of combat power", Luo Shu said calmly.

Tian Liang didn’t try to dissuade her further.

If she were to die because of her words, and the Jietian Sect were to clash with the Holy King lineage, it would be...

A good outcome, one that the Zhenxian Temple would be happy to see.

...

...

Tian Sheng Lake.

For Tian Sheng Lake, the bloody battle had just ended. Although they had won a great victory, there were still losses on the Celestial King and Heavenly Venerable battlefields.

As Shou Zhen Zushi put it, the Great Kings had been too comfortable for too long, and this battle would help them regain their fighting spirit.

This battle had put many forces outside Tian Sheng Lake on high alert, creating a tense and serious atmosphere.

On this day, Shou Zhen Zushi suddenly contacted Wutian.

"Your true self is about to break through?"

The latter, who had not yet received the message, tried to establish contact with his true body upon hearing this.

Without waiting for Wutian's response, Shou Zhen said to himself, "Even if a Celestial King breaks through, it's unlikely that the Holy King's daughter would invite the True Self to attend. There must be another motive."

Meanwhile, Wutian received the message and replied, "Indeed, I have already met with the Azure Sovereign."

Hearing this, Shou Zhen fell silent.

Not with the Holy King?

Could it be that the Azure Sovereign and the Holy King have formed an alliance?

If his guess is correct, then the situation isn't as bad as it could be. The Five Pillars are still willing to lead the way for everyone, just as they did in the past.

At this thought, Shou Zhen frowned slightly. This should be a good thing, but his heart was unsettled, as if something was about to happen.

Thinking about this, Shou Zhen contacted the Unreachable True Emperor at the bottom of Tian Sheng Lake.

The man, who seemed to bear the weight of the entire Tian Sheng Lake, slowly opened his eyes.

"I will go to Daluotian. Please take care of the Dao Field here. I have a strange feeling of unease", Shou Zhen instructed.

The man did not respond, simply closing his eyes again.

Shou Zhen then set out, heading to the Holy King's invitation.

On the way, Kong Xuan and the Yin-Yang Dao Zun both contacted him.

They had also received the invitation.

It seemed that the Holy King had invited all the True Emperors.

...

A figure, like a divine being, stood tall. With a wave of her sleeve, countless miniature moons, scattered throughout the world, were gathered into her sleeve, circling around her, like stars surrounding the moon.

"The 'Saint' personally sent an invitation?"

The goddess suddenly whispered.

"Just for Chijin to break through to Celestial King?"

This moon goddess, once as famous as Chiyang Wan, had a graceful and elegant presence, her brows slightly furrowed.

After a long moment, the moon goddess contacted the Jishan True Emperor.

"Did you receive the invitation too?"

Jishan paused, then replied, "Something feels off, but I will still go. Since the 'Saint' returned, he hasn't made a public appearance. Even when I probed Cang Qing, he remained cautious, never making a move."

"Be careful. This ceremony may not be as simple as it seems."

...

Yanhuang Federation.

"Is Master Brother going to Daluotian again?" Ji Anquan frowned. "Why does he keep coming and going? Shouldn't he consider buying a house there and settling down?"

Hearing his senior master's teasing, Mo Naihe replied helplessly, "This time, it's a personal invitation from the Holy King. The Ancestor said we must give him this face."

Ji Anquan nodded. "What about the person who contacted the remnants of the Wanwu Assembly? Is he still under control?"

"This person has left the Federation's territory. A Celestial King from the Nine Palaces followed but was easily shaken off."

Ji Anquan nodded, then suddenly looked up, his gaze filled with surprise and uncertainty.

Mo Naihe, standing beside him, also sensed something, exclaiming, "Is this...?"

Ji Anquan took a deep breath. "It's finally starting."

He stood up and said, "Notify the Nine Palaces and the Sun God Dynasty... Brother Ji is about to break through."

...

Daluotian.

The Holy Temple.

As more and more of the saints took their seats, Cang You looked speechless, his expression strange.

The Holy King had been back for some time now, but he hadn't made a move. Even when the saints gathered at Daluotian and the Jishan True Emperor challenged Cang Qing, he didn't show up.

As a result, many had forgotten that this Divine Lord, known as the Holy King, was notorious for his domineering ways.

Even she had almost forgotten.

So, this was his way of protecting Ji Jingqiu—gathering all the True Emperors in one place and suppressing anyone who dared to interfere?

"Saint, Chijin is breaking through again?"

The moon goddess entered the temple she hadn't visited in years, feeling a sense of nostalgia.

Seeing the moon goddess arrive, many ancient gods and former saints nodded at her. After greeting them, she noticed Chijin, who was standing alone, preparing for her breakthrough at the highest point of Daluotian, looking ethereal and serene.

She asked in surprise, "Chijin, who once inherited the 'Saint's' bad temper, now seems to have undergone a complete transformation."

"Is this your daughter? Did you have twins back then?"

A powerful being suddenly appeared in the middle of the scene, drawing everyone's attention. It was the Void Emperor, the first void giant to emerge in this realm, a member of the Five Pillars' Void lineage.

Hearing this, many True Emperors who had seen Chijin before nodded in agreement.

Standing on the divine platform of the Holy King's lineage, Chijin stood alone at the highest point of Daluotian, her appearance flawless and her demeanor serene, almost otherworldly.

The outstanding disciples accompanying the various saints were awestruck, many of them staring in admiration. If they were to choose a partner, Chijin would be the perfect choice in terms of talent, strength, and background.

Even the saints couldn't help but give her a second look, nodding in approval.

One must admit, the Holy King's genes were indeed powerful. In terms of appearance and demeanor, Chijin could rival the innate goddesses like the moon goddess.

A True Emperor nodded and commented, "Her mind is as still as the earth and sky, most precious is her pure heart, like a mirror, surpassing even Seated Oblivion."

Nearby, Tian Liang and his companions returned to their respective camps and paid respects to their leaders.

Following his junior brother's instructions, Tian Liang looked into the distance, where a woman stood alone, like a delicate orchid in the mountains, making everyone feel inferior.

"Is that Chijin?" Tian Liang asked, his eyes fixed on her.

The old man behind him chuckled, "This girl is indeed exceptional, but you three are exaggerating. Do you want me to find out if she's available and ask the Holy King?"

Tian Liang muttered, "Even as a son-in-law, I'd be fine..."

The old man gave him a sidelong glance and slapped him on the back of the head. "What ambition! How did the mission go?"

Tian Liang snapped back to reality. "Grandmaster, the report has been sent."

The old man nodded. "Good, sit down."

...

On the other side, Luo Shu returned to the Jietian Sect's camp and paid respects to the True Emperor leading the mission.

After hearing Luo Shu's detailed report, the True Emperor said gravely, "This is not urgent. We need to carefully consider our next steps. Even the Jietian Sect alone can't handle this."

With a gesture, the True Emperor directed Luo Shu to look at the gathered saints. He whispered, "There are over twenty True Emperors here in this realm!"

Luo Shu was shocked. "How is that possible? How can this realm accommodate so many True Emperors?!"

As the strongest beings before transcension, True Emperors are supreme beings, and each realm can only support a fixed number of True Emperor positions. Once the limit is reached, no matter how powerful the newcomer, they cannot break through without a True Emperor stepping down.

This realm, however, had far more True Emperors than any ordinary realm, even surpassing the number held by the transcendent sects.

"It must be related to the two transcendent rivers", the True Emperor said with a heated tone. "Fortunately, these people are not united. If we can persuade some of them, we still have a chance."

Hearing this, Luo Shu quickly shared her thoughts.

"The Yanhuang Federation?" the True Emperor pondered. "The sect is already preparing for this. The Sect Leader is personally crafting a powerful artifact, aiming to relocate the entire star domain of the Yanhuang Federation."

Luo Shu was invigorated. "The Sect Leader is personally doing this?!"

The True Emperor nodded. "Given the involvement of the Four Demons, the Sect Leader won't take this lightly. Zhang Tiancheng has also contributed significantly to this mission."

"Is it Master Brother Zhang Tiancheng?" Luo Shu asked tentatively.

"When you return, you should address him as Master Uncle", the True Emperor said with a faint smile. "Zhang Tiancheng has been greatly rewarded by the Ancestor for his efforts."

Luo Shu wanted to say more, but suddenly, a change in the heavens caught everyone's attention.

"The breakthrough is starting", the True Emperor waved, signaling everyone to return to their positions.

After returning to her place, Luo Shu looked at Chijin, her eyes widening in shock. It wasn't just her appearance and demeanor; the grandeur of the scene was also overwhelming!

Breaking through to the Heavenly Sovereign Path, with over twenty True Emperors present to witness it, was unprecedented!

As Chijin took the crucial step, the saints' expressions changed, and they looked up.

In the temple, a supreme array suddenly activated, isolating the area from the outside world.

The saints frowned but did not rush to act, as this was a protective array.

The Void Emperor, standing in the chaos, looked at the approaching Holy King and narrowed his eyes. "What's this, Saint? Are you planning to capture us all?"

The Holy King walked slowly, hands behind his back, his gaze fixed on his daughter, and said calmly, "I need your help. Please stay here and do not interfere today."

Cang You took a deep breath. This was exactly what he had in mind!

Ji Jingqiu's Heaven-Opening Path might attract interference from a saint. To protect him, the Holy King had gathered all the saints in one place, ready to suppress anyone who dared to act!

Cang You couldn't help but think that if Hedong Huang were still alive, he would have found much to discuss with the Holy King.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end