Chapter 432: The Cultivation Holy Land! The Culprit

Chapter 432: The Cultivation Holy Land! The Culprit



Huff! Huff!

Li Yuan followed Crimson Sun Divine away from the Grand Tour Heavenly Deity's residence.

As soon as they entered the high sky, Li Yuan successfully refined the Sacred Son Token and instantly felt a flood of information surge into his mind.

It was all about the various privileges of the 'Skysoarer Sacred Son' and a detailed introduction to the entire Perception Star City.

Vibrations rippled through the heavens and earth, instantly enveloping Li Yuan, causing the aura he emitted to change subtly.

"You've refined the Sacred Son Token?" Crimson Sun Divine revealed a smile, sensing the subtle change in Li Yuan's aura.

This wasn't a change in soul aura but rather—a change in authority level.

"Mhm." Li Yuan nodded involuntarily and couldn't help but ask, "Lord, are you at the ninth level?"

According to the information Li Yuan received, members of Star City had a total of eleven authority levels, with the first being the lowest and the tenth being the highest.

The first level was the lowest, and all half-god-level stewards under Perception Star City belonged to this level.

Ethereal Deities like the Void Deity Guardians were generally at the second or third authority levels, while leaders were at the fourth level.

Ordinary members at the Ethereal Deity level were typically at the fourth, fifth, or sixth authority levels based on their strength and contributions.

All reserve members below the level of Divine Beings were at the fourth authority level, while Sacred Sons were at the sixth level.

Members at the True Deity level were at least at the seventh level.

Li Yuan, despite being only a Skysoarer Sacred Son, was at the seventh authority level due to the privileges granted by the Sacred Son Token.

"Within Perception Star City, you will sense the authority levels of lower-ranked powerhouses."

"If you encounter a higher-ranked powerhouse, you can only sense that their authority level is higher than yours. Whether they reveal their authority level... well, that's up to them. I, for example, have a public authority level." Crimson Sun Divine smiled and said, "Authority level, in a sense, also reflects one's strength."

"Like the True God Jiang Yuan from your country, he's at the tenth authority level, and there are only a handful of such individuals in all of Perception Star City."

"Heavenly Deities are at the eleventh authority level, the highest."

"You've just reached the Skysoarer level and already have the seventh authority level. I wonder how many people will envy you." Crimson Sun Divine smiled and said, "At the very least, you now have the privilege to freely enter most areas of Perception Star City."

Li Yuan listened attentively.

He already knew that Perception Star City was divided into two main regions: the outer city and the inner city... Only those at the sixth authority level or higher could enter the inner city, and some secret forbidden areas required the seventh authority level or even higher.

The Divine Flame Palace, as a gathering place for numerous reserve members, was located in the outer city.

On the other hand, the Ten Thousand Dharma Temple was within the inner city.

"According to the rules, you can be assigned a Son of Heaven Manor in the Divine Flame Palace and cultivate there." Crimson Sun Divine said, "At the same time, you can also apply for a separate palace in the outer city... or cultivate independently on your own. It's up to you."

"Lord, let's go to the Divine Flame Palace first." Li Yuan suggested.

There was no need to rush to apply for an independent palace now; he could always do so later.

"Alright." Crimson Sun Divine agreed, "Then let's head to the Divine Flame Palace... I'll give you a detailed introduction."

Whoosh! Whoosh!

The two of them weaved through the clouds, and with Li Yuan's current privileges, he could now freely move through the skies above Perception Star City.

After a short while, Crimson Sun Divine and Li Yuan arrived at a mountain range spanning over a thousand kilometers, filled with numerous large palaces and small courtyards.

The entire mountain range was breathtakingly beautiful, shrouded in mist, and the air was thick with Source Energy.

"This is the Divine Flame Palace." Crimson Sun Divine explained.

"It's just a mountain range." Li Yuan thought to himself, but he didn't find it too strange.

Perception Star City spanned hundreds of thousands of kilometers, and after obtaining high-level privileges, Li Yuan sensed that many of the mansions in the outer city had mountains within them.

The entire ancient city could be likened to a vast land.

"The Divine Flame Palace, including the newly joined Skysoarers, has less than two hundred members," Crimson Sun Divine said, "But there are many more at the half-god level, nearly ten thousand, all residing in various parts of the mountain range... This mountain range is also known as the Divine Flame Mountain Range."

"Nearly ten thousand?" Li Yuan was momentarily stunned.

"Each trial battle recruits over a thousand half-god reserve members, plus those promoted from the Skysoarer level... and a small number directly recommended by True Deities." Crimson Sun Divine smiled and explained, "After hundreds of years of accumulation, people continuously join, and some fall or break through to become Ethereal Deities."

"In the end, the number of half-gods in the Divine Flame Palace remains at around eight or nine thousand, occasionally exceeding ten thousand."

Li Yuan understood.

With a thousand recruits every twenty years, theoretically, there would be ten thousand members after two hundred years.

"Those who can enter the Divine Flame Palace, like Jiang Shan and the others, have almost reached the initial stage of the Ethereal Deity level." Li Yuan sighed inwardly, "In other words, the nearly ten thousand half-gods in the Divine Flame Palace... each one of them has strength comparable to the principal?"

Just thinking about it made Li Yuan feel quite emotional.

They were incredibly powerful.

Of course, Li Yuan wasn't too surprised... After all, Perception Star City was already a powerful force in the Divine Realm, comparable to the Sky Serpent Clan.

Huff! Huff!

Li Yuan followed Crimson Sun Divine and arrived at a palace in the center of the mountain range, where thousands of figures had gathered. Most of them were half-gods, with a minority being Skysoarers.

At the end of the palace, on a high platform, stood six figures exuding terrifying auras—they were all True Deities.

"The six deputy lords?" Li Yuan wondered to himself. With so many reserve members in the Divine Flame Palace, it was impossible for Crimson Sun Divine to manage them all alone.

"The Lord has arrived."

"The Lord has returned." As soon as Crimson Sun Divine stepped into the palace, everyone's attention turned to him.

Immediately after, almost everyone noticed Li Yuan standing behind Crimson Sun Divine.

"It's Xu Yuan."

"Is he the first Skysoarer Sacred Son, Xu Yuan?"

Inside the palace, thousands of Demi-Gods gazed at Li Yuan with curiosity.

They were all long-standing members of the Divine Flame Pavilion, yet within a short time, they had all come to know Li Yuan's name and deeds.

Huff!

Li Yuan flew down and landed at the forefront of a hundred Skysoarer teams. Qi Xia, Ji Yan, and others who were originally standing in the first row unconsciously took a step back.

"Today..."

"Our Divine Flame Pavilion welcomes over a thousand new members." Crimson Sun Divine had arrived on the high platform, and his terrifying aura spread out like a destructive sun, suppressing everyone present.

Even the six True Deities who had been standing beside him had their auras dimmed.

"There's less than twelve years until the Ancestral Realm War," Crimson Sun Divine slowly spoke. "I hope you all seize the time and diligently cultivate... In the last Ancestral Realm War, our Perception Star City only occupied three seats in the top ten and only thirty-six in the top hundred. I hope you can surpass the previous generation this time."

Li Yuan was secretly astonished.

Occupying about a third of the seats wasn't enough? It's worth noting that the entire world has three Star Cities, six Holy Lands, and some powerful factions on the continent and beyond.

This also shows the strength of Perception Star City.

"Following the old rules..."

"Today, we announce the new rankings." Crimson Sun Divine waved his hand, and instantly, two large and small projection screens appeared in the void of the temple.

On the small screen, there were only a few hundred names:

Skysoarer Rank:

1st: Xu Yuan (Demigod Peak Powerhouse, Son of Heaven)



2nd: Qi Xia (Demigod Peak Powerhouse, Son of Heaven)



3rd...

...

11th: Ji Yan (Demigod Peak Powerhouse)



...

61st: Jin Zhen (Demigod Intermediate Powerhouse)



...

192nd: Yue Kong (Demigod Intermediate Powerhouse)



...

Skysoarer Rank Reserve Members, less than two hundred in total, and Li Yuan was undoubtedly the undisputed first.

On the large screen, there were nearly ten thousand names, with an incredibly detailed ranking.

Demigod Rank:

1st: Jing Kui (Void Deity Intermediate, Son of Heaven)



2nd: He Feng (Void Deity Intermediate, Son of Heaven)



3rd: Dong Pan (Void Deity Intermediate, Son of Heaven)



...

8th: Yue Shan (Void Deity Intermediate, Son of Heaven)



...

16th: Yan Dong (Void Deity Intermediate, Son of Heaven)



17th: Wu Jiang (Void Deity Intermediate)



...

367th: Yang Di (Void Deity Intermediate)



368th: Jin Bi (Void Deity Initial Stage)



...

9,000th: Jiang Shan (Void Deity Initial Stage)



...

9,320th: Chou Qian (Void Deity Initial Stage)



...

Through the Divine Flame Pavilion's Demigod rankings, Li Yuan quickly understood the strength of the top-tier Demigods on the Star Perception Continent.

"Sixteen Demigod Sons of Heaven, with Jing Kui at the top," Li Yuan thought to himself. "Although he and the other three hundred people are all noted as Void Deity Intermediate, the difference in their actual combat abilities might be significant."

Li Yuan was well aware.

Level 50 and 51 are both considered Void Deity Initial Stage.

Levels 52 to 54 are all considered Void Deity Intermediate.

Levels 55 to 56 are considered Void Deity Peak.

To reach level 57, one must awaken the Seven Star Vein and have Source Energy reach this level, along with a high understanding of the Law and powerful artifacts, to be considered 'Demigod Peak' in the Void Deity realm.

The Void Deity Intermediate stage is the level with the widest range of strength.

"Jing Kui's strength is probably very close to the Void Deity Peak, while those ranked in the three hundred range are probably just entering the Void Deity Intermediate stage," Li Yuan silently pondered.

True Void Deity Intermediate experts surpass those in the initial stage in terms of Source Energy cultivation, understanding of the Law, Star Techniques, and many other aspects...

Demigods, on the other hand, are far weaker in their foundation compared to Void Deities, and their Source Energy cultivation and Star Techniques cannot be further improved. As a result, it becomes increasingly difficult for them to enhance their strength once they reach a certain level.

Generally, they can only rely on the intricacies of their techniques to improve.

"A Demigod with a Seven Star Vein, like Jiang Shan, has a Law understanding at the eighth stage (Void Deity Initial Stage), and his combat power can rival that of a Void Deity Initial Stage expert," Li Yuan thought. "For his combat power to reach the bottom line of the Void Deity Intermediate stage, his Law understanding must reach the ninth stage."

The deeper one's understanding of the Law, the slower the progress becomes.

Many Void Deities find it challenging to advance their understanding of a Law from the eighth stage to the ninth stage, even after cultivating for thousands of years.

Therefore, even for a Demigod with a Seven Star Vein, it is extremely difficult to reach the Void Deity Intermediate stage within a few hundred years.

"If Jiang Shan wants to reach the Void Deity Peak in terms of combat power, his Law understanding must reach the ninth stage to have any hope," Li Yuan couldn't help but think of the Eastern Alliance Leader.

With less than two hundred years of cultivation, he had unleashed the strength of a Void Deity Peak with an Eight Star Vein, thanks to the clever use of his Origin Divine Armament... This also proved the terrifying strength and talent of the Eastern Alliance Leader.

"If the Alliance Leader had grown up on the Star Perception Continent, he might have become the top genius of this generation," Li Yuan thought to himself. "If I were to cultivate my Source Energy to level 48.9 and improve my Star Techniques to the fourth stage, my strength might be comparable to a 52nd-level Void Deity, reaching the bottom line of the Void Deity Intermediate stage."

With such strength, the hope of obtaining the Ancestral Realm Token is non-existent.

"On one hand, I must strive to awaken the Life Star," Li Yuan contemplated. "On the other hand, I must diligently comprehend the Law and improve my understanding of it."

Although Li Yuan had not yet awakened the Nine Star Vein, he didn't know when he would break through to the Demigod realm.

But on the path of cultivation, one must have long-term planning.

Crimson Sun Divine didn't speak for long before ordering the ten thousand Demigod Skysoarers to disperse.

Li Yuan had barely arrived when he was swiftly surrounded by a group of Demi-Gods.

Jiang Shan, Bai Li Teng, and Wu Beihong were among them, their presence unmistakable.

Many Demi-Gods who had intended to befriend Li Yuan noticed this and tactfully withdrew.

"Xu Yuan, let me introduce you," Jiang Shan said with a smile. "This is Brother Yue Shan, and this is Brother Yang Di. You've probably seen their names on the rankings. They are both powerful figures in Yuan Kingdom."

A hint of surprise flashed in Li Yuan's eyes.

Yue Shan? Ranked eighth on the Demi-God list, he was a Holy Son.

Yang Di, though only ranked in the 300s, was noted to possess mid-level Ethereal Deity strength.

"Brother Xu Yuan, I am Yue Shan," said the Demi-God Yue Shan, a burly man with a hearty laugh. "I received a Communication Treasure from Sha Xi Ethereal Deity, and Jiang Shan also spoke highly of you. It's truly remarkable that a peerless genius like you has emerged in Yuan Kingdom."

"I am Yang Di," said the Demi-God Yang Di, who was less talkative.

"Brother Yue Shan, Brother Yang Di," Li Yuan greeted them both.

Even in the Chaos Divine Court, Demi-Gods with mid-level Ethereal Deity strength were considered core members, and their power was not to be underestimated.

"And the others?" Li Yuan scanned the group, most of whom were Demi-Gods, with several Skysoarers among them, all unfamiliar faces.

"They are also geniuses of Yuan Kingdom," Yue Shan explained with a smile. "Perception Star City attracts geniuses from various Divine Kingdoms and regions, and the competition is fierce. We are all from Yuan Kingdom, and when we become True Gods, we will either join the Enforcement Divine Temple led by the Sovereign, or return directly to Yuan Kingdom. So, it's natural for us to help each other."

Li Yuan nodded in agreement.

Most official members of Perception Star City didn't stay there for long. Although the chances of these geniuses becoming True Gods were slim, many of them could reach the peak of Ethereal Deity, and some even had the potential to become peak powerhouses.

One genius was already formidable, but a group of them banding together would become a formidable force in Yuan Kingdom after hundreds or thousands of years.

It could be said that a significant portion of Yuan Kingdom's future high-ranking officials were among these geniuses.

This was how the generations of Divine Being families in Divine Kingdoms were replaced.

Undoubtedly, the leader of this group of geniuses was Yue Shan. As a Demi-God Holy Son, his chances of becoming a True God were excellent.

"Haha, we in Yuan Kingdom only knew of Jiang Shan and Beihong before," Yue Shan laughed. "We never expected a brother like you, Xu Yuan, to appear out of nowhere."

"In your first battle, you faced the Skysoarer First Holy Son."

"In the future, you might even rival the Sovereign," Yue Shan said solemnly.

The other geniuses from Yuan Kingdom looked at Li Yuan with fervent admiration.

When they first heard about Li Yuan, they were all astounded by his exceptional talent.

Naturally, they all wanted to befriend him.

"Xu Yuan," Yue Shan said with a hearty laugh. "Today is your first day here, so I'll host a welcoming feast for you. Everyone, come to my palace for a grand gathering."

"Sure," Li Yuan agreed without hesitation.

Yue Shan, ranked eighth on the Perception Star City Demi-God list, was likely among the top-tier Demi-Gods in the entire world.

In the future Ancestral Realm War, he might even become an ally.

"Great, let's go then," Yue Shan laughed. "Come, brothers and sisters."

...

"A Skysoarer Reserve Member's residence is 300 meters long and wide?"

"A Demi-God Reserve Member's residence is 1 kilometer long and wide?" Li Yuan observed Yue Shan's abode, a palace complex, "Are all Holy Sons' palaces 5 kilometers long and wide?"

The living quarters reflected the status of their occupants.

Half an hour later, inside Yue Shan's palace, numerous servants and maids had already served a lavish feast, with delicious dishes and performers entertaining the guests in the central hall.

"Perception Star Points?" Li Yuan asked, seated below Yue Shan.

It was clear that within Yuan Kingdom's genius clique, Li Yuan's status was considered on par with Yue Shan's.

Even though Li Yuan was only a Skysoarer, his strength was inferior to any of these Demi-Gods.

But the status of a Holy Son was undeniable.

"Yes," Yue Shan confirmed with a smile. "In Perception Star City, Divine Crystals are not as valuable as Perception Star Points. Perception Star Points can be exchanged for Divine Crystals, but not the other way around. Brother Xu Yuan, although you're only a Skysoarer, your exceptional strength will allow you to quickly complete more trial tasks and earn more Perception Star Points."

"Many rare treasures can only be obtained with Perception Star Points."

"Otherwise, once you break through to the Demi-God realm, the task difficulty will skyrocket, and earning Perception Star Points will become much harder," Yue Shan explained.

Li Yuan nodded in agreement.

These were valuable experiences... After spending time with Yue Shan, he felt that this Demi-God was genuinely sincere towards him.

At least for now, as Li Yuan looked around the hall, the Skysoarer and Demi-God geniuses seemed to be genuinely warm and sincere towards him.

"How can I tell who is genuine and who is pretending?" Li Yuan thought calmly. "But as long as I continue to grow stronger, what difference does it make if they are pretending or sincere?"

Li Yuan was well aware that the status of a Holy Son was not the key factor.

Strength was the true determinant.

...

After the banquet, Li Yuan had initially integrated into this circle. He arrived at the palace prepared for him in the Divine Flame Pavilion.

In terms of scale, it was no less grand than Yue Shan's residence.

"We pay our respects to the master."

"We pay our respects to the master." Ten Demi-Gods led three hundred Skysoarer maids in a respectful bow in the courtyard.

Even the Skysoarer servants knelt down.

"Within my palace, there's no need to kneel." Li Yuan frowned, "Just a simple greeting will suffice."

Kneel? Li Yuan's heart sank at the thought.

In fact, Li Yuan didn't even like having too many servants, but this was the rule in Perception Star Ancient City... Li Yuan even knew that these servants didn't come from the outside world but from some of the smaller worlds within Perception Star Ancient City.

Every Star Perception Ancient City contained numerous small worlds within, and some of these small worlds were quite vast.

These small worlds also gave birth to countless lives.

"All of you, leave now. Everything will continue as usual," Li Yuan instructed, and he flew into the meditation chamber.

Inside, there was only a white jade platform, and in front of it was a green jade bottle.

"Pffft!" Li Yuan waved his hand, opening the jade bottle, and instantly a refreshing scent filled the air.

It was intoxicating.

"Crimson Spirit Flame Elixir? Truly a treatment fit for a Holy Son," Li Yuan couldn't help but smile.

The cultivation in Divine Flame Palace focused on three main aspects.

First, treasures—an endless supply of rare treasures specifically for nurturing the souls and bodies of Sky Soarer Demi-Gods.

Second, Dharma Gate inheritances—a collection of the ultimate teachings of True Gods and Heavenly Deities from this realm.

Third, master teachers—on the Star Perception Continent, it was extremely difficult to become a disciple of a True God in a Divine Kingdom, but in Divine Flame Palace, every month, True Gods would come to give special lectures.

As the Son of Heaven of Divine Flame Palace, Li Yuan had even more privileges and special resources.

"The Crimson Spirit Flame Elixir is exclusively for the Holy Sons. Each month, one bottle is bestowed to nourish the soul, improve comprehension, and enhance the efficiency of comprehending the Laws," Li Yuan thought to himself.

This treasure was far superior to what other reserve members received.

Of course.

Li Yuan was still refining the 'Green Jade Fruit of the Spirit Abyss,' an Origin Treasure, which was far beyond the comparison of the Crimson Spirit Flame Elixir... But Li Yuan wasn't one to pass up a free opportunity, so he wouldn't refuse.

"I can also choose three True Gods to guide me," Li Yuan thought. "Other reserve members can only listen to the regular lectures of True Gods, like attending a grand class... Other Holy Sons can choose one True God to guide their cultivation, receiving personal teachings in a one-on-one setting."

"But I can choose three, making it a three-on-one situation."

Having True Gods guide one's cultivation every month was an incredibly luxurious affair.

"I can comprehend up to a thousand ultimate teachings of True Gods and ten ultimate teachings of Heavenly Deities."

"For the Perception Star Divine Pill, I can request up to three thousand pills... If I need more, I'll have to provide additional reasons." Li Yuan's mind was filled with thoughts about the resources he could obtain.

It was too extravagant.

Compared to the Seventh Star Civilization, it was like heaven and earth.

"Descend upon the Star Perception Continent."

"Even without completing the trial task of the Eternal Palace, just cultivating in Perception Star Ancient City for several decades is a great opportunity and fortune." Li Yuan smiled, "My agreement with Senior Brother Jiang Yuan has paid off."

Li Yuan was well aware that without the protection of Senior Brother Jiang Yuan, a True God, becoming the top genius of Perception Star Ancient City would have been a dream.

Any major power, when selecting geniuses, the first criterion is always 'loyalty.'

If there's disloyalty, the more talented the genius, the more they must be eliminated early.

"Trial task?" Li Yuan's thoughts stirred, and a massive light screen appeared in the meditation chamber.

On the screen was a wealth of information about Li Yuan.

For example, the various resources he could request and the different Sky Soarer-level trial tasks he could undertake.

"This is quite easy," Li Yuan smiled, "I'll follow Half-God Yue Shan's suggestion and apply for some trial tasks during my free time."

...

As Li Yuan officially began his cultivation in Divine Flame Palace...

On the Star Perception Continent, in the capital of the Yuan Kingdom.

Inside the royal palace.

"Your Majesty, I've found out."

Nine Sounds True God appeared in the highest temple, bowing slightly, "As per Your Majesty's instructions, the first one I investigated was Black Blade True God... It can be confirmed that the assassin of Xu Yuan is 'Star Cicada Ethereal God,' a subordinate of Black Blade True God."

"Black Blade? That fool who hides in his lair and dares not come out!" True God Jiang Yuan sat on a high throne, his eyes cold, "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely certain."

"I secretly controlled various Ethereal Gods to compare and sense the soul's aura, and they have all encountered Star Cicada Ethereal God before, so there's no mistake," Nine Sounds True God said solemnly.

She had quite a bit of confidence in her achievements in the path of the soul.

"En, Nine Sounds, you've worked hard these days," True God Jiang Yuan said in a deep voice, "I've sent a message to Senior Brother Gou Mu... For the next period, you and Senior Brother Gou Mu will jointly guard the capital."

"Just the two of us?" Nine Sounds True God was startled and quickly said, "Your Majesty, what about you?"

"I'll make a trip to the old Eastern Sea."

"After so many years, I've never taken action, and the Divine Beings in this world may have forgotten my existence." True God Jiang Yuan slowly stood up, an intangible pressure spreading like a scorching sun that was hard to look at directly, "A Black Blade, I was too lazy to deal with him back then and didn't continue the pursuit... After so many years, they dare to send someone to assassinate my important genius in my own capital."

"If I don't punish them, how can I maintain authority?"

"Your Majesty, but we don't have solid evidence. The assassin didn't leave any trace of their identity," Nine Sounds True God couldn't help but say, "Black Blade True God belongs to the Eastern Shadow Holy Land. If you act rashly, won't it trigger a war?"

Although the Eastern Shadow Holy Land was far inferior to Perception Star Ancient City, it was still a major power.

It was hard to predict the consequences if True God Jiang Yuan took action and invaded their territory.

"Evidence?"

"My desire to kill is the evidence," True God Jiang Yuan's voice rumbled, and with a single step, he disappeared within the palace.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end