While the geniuses of the various organizations were fighting hard in the Land of Soul Springs, a powerful aura of breakthrough suddenly soared out of the Cloud Margin Pavilion. The aura enveloped the entirety of the Cloud Margin Pavilion, absorbing all spiritual energy in the radius of 1,000 kilometers. Additionally, strands of astral energy rained down from the sky above, presenting an enchanting sight.
The entire Cloud Margin Pavilion was shaken by that, including those elders who were in secluded cultivation. Everyone wanted to know who was breaking through. Finally, all gazes converged at a certain important location of the Cloud Margin Pavilion.
"This aura...it feels like it belongs to the vice pavilion master, the Lightning King. Has he broken through into the Emperor Realm?"
"That must be it. He has been in secluded cultivation since two years ago, and he had vowed to not leave before breaking through. Looks like he has succeeded. Our Cloud Margin Pavilion has obtained yet another Emperor. We are one step closer to becoming a tier-4 organization. This is worthy of celebration!"
"Haha, the Lightning King has become the Lightning Emperor. This is really an enviable feat. With the prowess of lightning energy, even other Emperors need to be careful around him."
"Let's go wait for the Lightning Emperor to come out of seclusion. This is a joyous occasion!"
...
Those in the Lightning King faction were all overjoyed, while those with a bad relationship with them were all envious, but they hid their envy well. Numerous factions of differing sizes existed within the Cloud Margin Pavilion, presenting a complicated political landscape. It was normal that inner struggles existed.
A few hidden auras could be sensed standing guard in several directions. They were guarding the Lightning King in his final moments of breakthrough. These people were the Emperors of the pavilion, and they did not mind doing the Lightning King an easy favor while he was breaking through.
When all the spiritual energy had been absorbed, lightning bolts started appearing from the sky above. The lightning bolts descended to the world below, but they had not formed naturally. Rather, they were being forcefully drawn down by someone.
Rumble! Rumble!
Everyone could feel their hearts thumping along with the thunderclaps, as if the lightning bolts were striking their hearts. By the time the lightning bolts stopped appearing, a purple figure soared to the sky. Laughter rang in the air as the figure shouted, "HAHA...I, Lightning King, have finally become an Emperor...HAHAHA!"
Lightning Emperor's laughter filled the entire Cloud Margin Pavilion, and even some experts in the Cloud Margin City could hear his voice as well. His strength was evident for all to see.
"Congratulations, vice pavilion master, for becoming an Emperor," numerous voices rang out to congratulate him.
An Emperor was an existence far beyond many others. Each Emperor had a strength to overturn seas and rivers, capable of miraculous feats. This was a realm many Kings longed to reach.
Lightning Emperor's breakthrough was an event the entire Cloud Margin City had to pay attention to. Even the experts from the many nearby cities would come to congratulate him. This was a glory brought by strength.
"Haha, you are all too kind," said Lightning Emperor, overlooking everyone from high up in the sky.
The Lightning Emperor looked like he was about 40 years old. He had a square face, short hair, a pair of sharp eyes, and a sturdy body. Electric currents were swirling all over him, and his entire person seemed filled with power with a clear overbearing aura about him.
The moment he had broken through, he had reached late first-stage Skysoar Realm, skipping the early and middle first stage. This was quite an impressive feat. Right at this moment, a group of people appeared from a distance. They were heading toward the Cloud Margin Pavilion. Moving at an extremely fast speed, they arrived in front of the Cloud Margin Pavilion shortly after they were seen.
The Lightning Emperor had just become an Emperor and was extremely high-spirited. When he saw someone having the galls to directly fly toward the Cloud Margin Pavilion, which was a sign of provocation, he decided to use these newcomers as a target to establish his dominance and showcase his new strength as an Emperor.
But before he could even do anything, a voice filled with contempt rang out from someone among the newcomers. "Oh look, a country bumpkin. He's so happy after a tiny breakthrough. Truly a frog in a well."
"Where is this trash from? You dare challenge the Cloud Margin Pavilion and speak presumptuously? Today, this Emperor shall teach you a lesson. You shall witness this Emperor's might," said Lightning Emperor with a cruel light in his eyes.
He then flew toward the group of newcomers before slamming a lightning palm toward them. The lightning palm was the size of a hill and contained the destructive might of lightning capable of destroying mountains. This was the power of a Dragon Ascension Realm expert.
The Cloud Margin Pavilion people all raised their head to look at the palm. They could sense a mighty pressure coming from it, and many of them nearly knelt down from the pressure alone. However, this attack, which was so very dreadful and powerful, was nothing for the group of newcomers. One person flew out from among them and sent a translucent fist toward the palm.
Bang!
Lightning Emperor's palm attack was directly shattered by the punch without hurting even one person. On the contrary, he was forced to retreat from the terrifying punch.
He was overwhelmed with shock as he cried out, "A Dragon Ascension Realm expert! How is this possible?"
"You actually dared to provoke us? Get out of my face!" the person sneered coldly before sending a palm at Lightning Emperor. The palm was much more powerful than the palm Lightning Emperor sent earlier. In a flash, it arrived before Lightning Emperor.
"Lightning Emperor, retreat!" someone from the Cloud Margin Pavilion warned.
Unfortunately, the warning came too late as the palm struck before Lightning Emperor could do anything. With a wail, he was sent flying into the Cloud Margin Pavilion's grounds like a fly that had been swatted.
He ultimately crashed into a mountain, creating a massive crater. The entire mountain shook from the impact. All of Cloud Margin Pavilion were dumbfounded. They had not expected that so soon after breakthrough, before the Lightning Emperor could even enjoy the prestige and glory his breakthrough brought him, he would be swatted away like a bug. It was now evident that the newcomers were much more terrifying than Lightning Emperor.
At this time, four figures flew out of the Cloud Margin Pavilion. They were the pavilion's four greatest Emperors, consisting of Hua Cheng the Zither Empress; Murong Qing, the previous generation's pavilion master; Yue Yuze, the current pavilion master; and Luo Zihan, a previous generation elder.
Of the four, the strongest was Hua Cheng the Zither Empress. She was already a fourth-stage Dragon Ascension Realm expert. As for Murong Qing, he was also at the fourth-stage whereas Yue Yuze was at the third-stage and Luo Zihan was at the first-stage. One could say that these four were the pillars of the Cloud Margin Pavilion, the pavilion's strongest combatants.
"Who dares to create trouble at our Cloud Margin Pavilion?" bellowed Yue Yuze the current pavilion master.
"Oh wow, there's actually such a beauty here in this tiny city? Not bad, not bad at all." Instead of answering Yue Yuze, one of them actually looked at Hua Cheng with a lusty look in his eyes.