All the world came to know that the Basking Moon Sect was going to hold the Violet Palace Sublimation Ceremony.
Those fortunate cultivators who were invited would make an attempt at Violet Palace on that day under the protection of the Immortal Sovereign. Not only were their chances of success increased, they would survive even if they failed.
The news immediately set off an uproar.
There were countless peak Celestial Heart cultivators in the Rosecloud Domain who were stuck at the last step, not daring to take it.
And there were also many every year who died in the attempt.
But now, Tang Jie was going to protect them as they made their attempt.
While the boost to success was limited, just the guarantee of survival was a rare opportunity.
According to the rules Tang Jie had laid down, only those who had received an official invitation could receive this protection. Everyone else could only observe.
There were 36 invitations in total, so only 36 people could receive Tang Jie’s aid as they made the attempt at Violet Palace.
Er Hu wasn’t included for the exact opposite reason. Without Tang Jie’s help, he was already guaranteed to reach Violet Palace, so there was no need to waste a spot on him.
The worst off was Peng Yaolong. He was Meng Shixue’s husband, and Tang Jie found it hard to justify giving them two spots. Thus, Peng Yaolong had yielded and let his wife take the spot. The remaining six spots were left to the Basking Moon Sect to recommend so that Xiao Biehan and company had something to do.
In short, these twelve invitations were the easiest to handle.
The next twelve were distributed to the various sects.
Six were given to the Seven Absolutions Sect, the Thousand Passions Sect, and Horizon Ocean Pavilion, while the remaining six were left for the Basking Moon Sect’s subordinate sects, for those six that were the most reverent and obedient, one of these being the Wandering Palace. These invitations did not indicate any particular person, and the sect had the power to choose who would go.
Thus, various struggles occurred within the various sects for the twelve invitations, with plenty of faction-making and internal strife, as well as numerous tournaments to decide who in each sect would receive the invitation.
But this was relatively fine compared to what happened to the remaining twelve, which were let out into the wild for whoever was most capable to get.
These twelve invitations unleashed absolute mayhem.
A massive conflict for the sake of the invitations ensued.
Initially, the struggle for the invitations took place only on the financial stage.
The twelve invitations primarily flowed through the various large auction houses of the Rosecloud Domain. To get one of these invitations, cultivators from all around emptied their pockets, willing to offer up everything their sect had, even putting up divine treasures.
Even so, the vast majority of cultivators went back in failure, while the price of the invitations continued to rise. The Basking Moon Sect was easily able to reap a fortune, and this was when many strong cultivators had yet to take part in the bidding.
This opportunity to advance to Violet Palace was too rare, and all those cultivators naturally weren’t willing to give up. Thus, some people took the risk of resorting to banditry.
As the twelve invitations spread out, they stirred up storms across the Rosecloud Domain. For one invitation, cultivators fought in the open and in the shadows, using any means at their disposal. A gruesome treasure hunt played out over the land, a ceaseless vortex of slaughter.
In the past, Tang Jie had taken part in such a hunt, but at that time, he had been the main character, the center of the vortex. This time, he was the architect, coldly observing everything from his throne in the Freedom Palace.
A river valley in the northwest.
Ten-some cultivators had surrounded one, and while this cultivator was quite strong, he was gradually losing ground. Seeing that he could hold on no longer, he pulled out his invitation and roared, “You push me too far! I would rather destroy the invitation than hand it over!”
He poured his energy into the invitation, but to his shock, the invitation was unharmed.
The cultivators erupted in laughter. “This invitation was made by the supreme Immortal power of the Freedom Immortal Sovereign! One would have to be at Immortal Platform or have comprehended the Dao of Destruction to destroy it! It’s not something you’re capable of! Hurry up and die!” Ṝ
Countless attacks barraged the cultivator, and that cultivator was instantly torn to shreds, leaving only the invitation to float to the ground.
One person managed to grab the invitation, but before he could celebrate, a blade was stabbed into his back. Turning in shock, he saw his senior who had been fighting alongside him lunge at the invitation with a savage expression.
Another rain of blood ensued as the ten-some cultivators who had been working together now fought to the death.
Something like this would happen almost every day, brother against brother, husband against wife, master against disciple, one drama after another playing out in the Rosecloud Domain.
They were completely unaware that all of this was being observed by others.
Within the Freedom Palace, twelve mirrors circled in the air, projecting everything that the twelve invitations experienced.
Ling Xiao slightly frowned at the brutal battles taking place. “These twelve invitations are a source of chaos and disaster for the world. Tang Jie, what is the purpose behind this action?”
The Basking Moon Sect was the leader of Rosecloud, and safeguarding the world’s prosperity ensured its own. Thus, they didn’t support this sort of large-scale fighting. If Tang Jie hadn’t been behind all this, Ling Xiao would have already sent someone to pacify the unrest.
But in the end, Ling Xiao hadn’t been able to endure this and had come to question Tang Jie.
At the very least, Tang Jie had to offer a convincing explanation.
Tang Jie made some calculations on his fingers for a long while before finally saying, “I am ensuring that the Basking Moon Sect’s power endures for ten thousand years.”
“‘Ensuring the Basking Moon Sect’s power’?” Xiao Biehan’s eyes flashed. “Like you did for the Martial Ancestor?”
Tang Jie smiled. “Somewhat different.”
“How so?”
Tang Jie waved a finger, and countless ethereal threads flew out from its tip. “It’s quicker, stronger, and more efficient!”
A look of joy appeared in the eyes of Ling Xiao and Xiao Biehan.
Everyone knew that Tang Jie was an expert in Fate, and it was thanks to him that Yun Tianlan was able to become a True Immortal, which Tang Jie had spent more than a hundred years on.
Tang Jie was now saying that things would be even better than before. Ming Yekong realized what he was getting at and shouted, “A Fate Dao Art?”
Tang Jie replied, “I’m still figuring it out.”
This was tantamount to a confession.
A Dao Art was an extremely important matter, so once they learned about it, they stopped trying to interfere.
The result of the Basking Moon Sect completely washing its hands of this matter was that the conflicts over the twelve invitations grew even more intense.
Almost all the cultivators of the world were focused on these invitations, whether or not they had the strength or cultivation. Everyone knew that these invitations were supreme treasures. Almost everyone’s Fates were tied to these invitations, which became twelve giant vortices that spanned the Web of Fate.
From each vortex extended a thick primary thread that led back to Tang Jie. The twelve invitations became like twelve Fate relay stations that concentrated all the gathered Fate power on Tang Jie.
In the eyes of others, these invitations represented the Violet Palace, cultivation, slaughter, and robbery. But in the eyes of Tang Jie, they represented an endless number of Karmas and Fates.
Unlike what he had told the others, his plan didn’t merely involve his Fate Dao Art.
He also sought a breakthrough in the Dao of Karma.
As an Immortal, Tang Jie had entered eight of the Twelve Great Daos, and he had an ambition to achieve the complete set. The breakthrough in the Dao of Reincarnation rested on Mei Huaping’s remnant soul, while the Dao of Karma depended on this plan before him.
Karma and Fate were complementary, so Tang Jie was using this Violet Palace Sublimation Ceremony for a plan of unprecedented scale, with effects far more far-reaching than anyone could imagine.