The white-clothed youth shared the story of how Jun Shenxiao led an attack on the Southsky Sect, and even used the lives of three hundred thousand mortals. Autarch Qian was very patient throughout the white-clothed youth’s story and listened carefully. He even asked, “So how did they lose in the end?”
“The other party seemed to have rescued everyone all of a sudden, allowing Li Wudi to kill my father in the chaos,” said the white-clothed youth.
“You’re telling me they dealt with the heavyweight first?”
“That’s right.”
Autarch Qian wasn’t afraid the Decimo Dao Palace would use this tactic against him. That was the least of his concern.
“Father, this method isn’t viable. Even if the Decimo Dao Palace is unstable, you need to be a saint to enter. Even if we captured the commoners, there’s no way we can throw them in,” said Dongyang Ling.
“You don’t need them to be thrown in,” Dongyang Yun sneered.
“What do you mean?” Dongyang Ling was still confused.
Autarch Qian suddenly laughed. Patting Jun Niancang’s shoulder, he said, “Men, reward this child with an empyrean manna.”
Jun Niancang rejoiced and immediately dropped to his knees. He was so happy that his face became distorted. “Thank you, Your Majesty. It’s my honor that I can do my part to help!”
“Not bad. But it’s not considered helping.” Autarch Qian narrowed his eyes into slits.
“What?”
“I was just looking for someone who shares the same thoughts as me,” said Autarch Qian.
The white-clad youth understood what Autarch Qian meant. Autarch Qian was an odd person; he would never share what was in his mind, but he would listen to what others said.
“Back down,” he said.
“Yes!” The white-robed youth bowed and left. His face was distorted with excitement and pain. The hatred rooted deep in his heart had made him abandon his faith and will. It made him feel as though a sword was constantly stabbing his heart. But whenever he recalled what happened that day, he would be devoured by the demon in his heart.
After he left, Dongyang Ling asked, “Father, since we can’t throw them into the formation, what use does this method have?”
“Who says I’m going to throw them into the formation?” Autarch Qian glared. His smile was so amicable that it looked adorable.
“Then what are you going to do?”
“Ninth brother, I'll explain it to you,” Dongyang Yun said with a smug.
“Go ahead. Let me test your comprehension,” said Autarch Qian.
With confidence in his tone, Dongyang Yun explained, “Our objective is to lure them out of the formation. There’s no need for us to enter, we just have to bring them outside the Decimo Dao Palace and allow the Cyclic Mirror to absorb their fate souls for father to cultivate. Sooner or later, the dao palace will come out.”
“Don’t put it that way. I’ve had the Cyclic Mirror for four decades, and I’m feeling guilty about that toward my descendants. This time, I’ll have everyone from the Theocracy cultivate with the Cyclic Mirror. If the dao palace doesn’t come out, we’ll just carry on cultivating,” Autarch Qian interrupted.
His words excited Dongyang Yun. It had been over four decades since he had last touched the Cyclic Mirror.
Even Dongyang Ling was smiling. He replied, “That’s a good idea. The ancestors didn’t do it because it wasn’t good for our reputation. But our reputation doesn’t matter now. We have no other options, and we can only recoup our losses by eradicating the dao palace. Worse comes to worst, we’ll just change a batch of our citizens. Anyhow, they’re merely ants, and we don’t have to be concerned about what they think.”
“You’re partly right. There was another reason why the ancestors didn’t do it. There’s nothing we can do about the Evil Suppression Formation, even if we manage to draw them out. We won’t be able to shake their foundation with them hiding within the formation. But the moment they suffer greatly in their strength, the Evil Suppression Formation won’t be able to stop me anymore!” Autarch Qian smiled.
“Father, that’s wise! This is our only opportunity to turn the tables around!” Dongyang Yun exclaimed.
“Then let’s start. Fifteenth is still in the Grand-Orient Realm, get him to contact the Dazzling Pavilion and capture some ants from there,” Autarch Qian instructed.
“Father, how many are we going to capture? A million?” Dongyang Ling asked.
“Only one million? How is that enough?” Autarch Qian glared and continued, “At least ten million! Furthermore, we’ll carry on as long as the dao palace continues to hole themselves up.”
Dongyang Ling and Dongyang Yun trembled when they heard that.
“What’s the matter?” Autarch Qian asked.
“Father’s courage is unparalleled!” The two brothers emotionally fell to their knees.
“That’s enough. Stop flattering me. The Grand-Orient Realm might be a little far, but they have a huge population. Using those fish to feed the Cyclic Mirror, there’s no way the dao palace can stay inside.” Autarch Qian drank a cup of wine and laid on the ground.
He continued, “Go away. I’ll be taking my rest now. Prepare the kitchenware tomorrow, I’ll let you guys have a taste of my culinary skills. You guys should nourish your bodies. It’s too tiring to fight every day.”
“Understood!” Both Dongyang Yun and Dongyang Ling were emotional from the goodwill they felt from their father.
……
In the Astral General Manor, Tianming’s upper clothes were open and Feiling was seated before him, staring at his chest. She sounded curious as she mentioned, “So your chest hair is also white.”
“What the hell are you talking about? Take a look at it!” Tianming smiled bitterly.
“Wow, you have muscles!”
“Focus here.…”
“Hehe, you’re feeling shy?” Feiling laughed.
“No messing around.”
“Fine.”
She was now the fusion between innate and acquired godchild. Her gaze was on the nine red dots left on Tianming’s chest by the soul servants.
“Are the soul servants somehow related to the sovereigns? Or are they related to Perpetia?” Tianming asked curiously.
“I have no idea. Let me ponder about it.” Feiling’s god physique was unique. Her cultivation had reached the Heavenly Will stage and she could now protect herself, not to mention that she had tons of unusual means. Suddenly, she started tapping the red dots on Tianming’s chest.
“It doesn’t seem to be working.” Feiling smiled innocently.
“Then why the hell are you tapping my chest?”
“I’m messing with you. Hahaha!”
“You’re becoming more naughty. Here, take my claws!” Tianming pinned Feiling and started tickling her.
“I was wrong! Big Brother, please let me off!” Feiling’s hair was in a mess and she was breathing heavily.
“No way! I can bear teasing. You must be punished for provoking me,” Tianming said in a heavy tone. But just when he was about to resume the tickle torture, he felt a warm surge rising from his chest.
“What’s going on?” He lowered his head and saw one of the red dots starting to disappear. Shortly after, it seemed to have burrowed into his body, moving toward his consciousness and appearing beside the Imperial Will.
“What’s this?” Tianming discovered that the red dot started to change, transforming into a smaller Grand-Orient Sword before merging into his Imperial Will.
His body suddenly trembled. In that instant, many pictures started flashing before his eyes. Among them, he saw the Primordial God-Emperor. Tianming bypassed that thousand-meter-tall figure and saw nine others standing before trillions of lifeforms. Those nine figures came in different forms, and Tianming was suddenly reminded of the nine soul servants.
Suddenly, one of them stepped forth and flew toward Tianming, who heard a voice echoing in his mind, “Primordial God Race’s soul servant pays respects to the new sovereign!” But shortly after, that figure disappeared.
“Where are you?” Tianming asked, but there wasn’t any reply. Suddenly, Tianming could sense his Imperial Will growing after the miniature Grand-Orient Sword merged into it. The Imperial Will had the shape of a Grand-Orient Sword to begin with. So when the two Grand-Orient Swords merged, his Imperial Will suddenly rose to a whole new level. When Tianming sensed the changes, his eyes lit up.
“The soul servant seems to have been released, but where the hell is he? Speaking of which, his appearance boosted the growth of my Imperial Will?” That was a piece of good news to him. After all, he still had eight more red dots. But right now, the most important thing to do was to cultivate and make a breakthrough.
“Cultivating just like that?” Feiling was dumbfounded. She leaned over and plucked a hair from Tianming’s chest, then ran off. “Hmph! How dare you bully me!”
“Holy shit!” Tianming grimaced from the pain. But he was at a crucial moment and could only let her off. “Ling’er, just you wait!”
Taking the opportunity, he cultivated for the next three days. After absorbing enough saint crystals, he made a breakthrough to the third level of the sky saint stage.
The breakthrough this time around was unexpected. There’s still eight dots remaining. It would be terrifying if they could assist me in making a breakthrough in my cultivation. Now that he was done with his cultivation, he immediately ran out and caught Feiling.
“What’re you trying to do?” Feiling panicked.
“Press them for me. That’s not it, do it harder!” In the end, Feiling could only comply with his manly request and start tapping on the eight remaining dots.
“Eeny, meeny, miny, moe, whoever I stop on will be the bastard Li Tianming,” Feiling muttered in a low voice.
In the blink of an eye, half an hour had passed. By now, Tianming was certain that the soul servant’s appearance had had nothing to do with Feiling. What happened previously was just a coincidence.
“Now you’re finished!” Tianming chuckled. But right before he could make a move, the door suddenly opened. Li Qingyu was standing by the door, looking at the two.
“Y-y-y-you guys.…”
“Don’t you know how to knock?” Tianming raged.
“Big Brother, there’s something urgent. Master has come from the Grand-Orient Realm, and there’s trouble!” Li Qingyu replied.