Aside from Jiang Chen who had never paid any attention to Sheng Huang, everyone else from Shun Long's faction instantly recognized this spiky-haired prince from the Shengtian dynasty and the chubby, silver-haired young lord of the 'Mercenaries' Association' who was standing next to him, along with the blue-haired young man who was also standing by their side.
Shun Long was slightly surprised when he noticed that the aura coming from Sheng Huang's body had actually reached the peak of rank 4 in the Nascent Soul!
As for Zhong Fang's aura, it was still at the middle of rank 4, while the young lord's of the Golden Exchange firm from the Night star continent, Hu Liu's aura, it was the same since the last time that Shun Long had met him in front of the Giant Crane forest 3 months ago, still at the early rank 4 of the Nascent Soul.
Shun Long narrowed his eyes when he saw that Sheng Huang was still looking at him with a cold look in his eyes that didn't hide his killing intent, but a moment later, Sheng Huang actually snorted and turned his attention away from Shun Long, looking at Xie Xingyi and Bai Longtian who were standing right behind him.
Staring at Xie Xingyi and Bai Longtian with a serious look, Sheng Huang pointed at an empty spot next to the arena's entrance and said in a commanding tone
''The 2 of you, come with me! There is something we need to discuss!''
''Scram!'' Before Xingyi or Bai Longtian could even answer, Jiang Chen was the first one to speak, as he took another step forward and appeared right in front of Sheng Huang.
His cold, black eyes, looked down on Sheng Huang, while his aura that was at the peak of rank 5 of the Nascent Soul made Sheng Huang involuntarily take a few steps back, before Sheng Huang looked at Jiang Chen with a disbelieving look on his face!
Although Jiang Chen may not have given a shit about Sheng Huang, how could Sheng Huang not know about the existence of this monster who had shown his immortal-grade bloodline during the fourth test of the Holy sect?
Jiang Chen and that red-robed young man named Jun Ren who had entered the Holy sect along with him, were the 2 people that Sheng Huang didn't want to clash against at all.
Even with his Dao of Destruction, Sheng Huang knew that the chances of him beating Jiang Chen were practically zero if he used his immortal-grade bloodline!
''Sheng Huang, what do you want?'' Xie Xingyi's voice didn't hold the slightest hint of politeness as she addressed this former number 1 genius of the Night star continent.
Just the fact that Sheng Huang had been staring at Shun Long with a look of killing intent in his eyes and had even 'ordered' her to follow him, made Xingyi furious in her heart.
Bai Longtian nodded his head towards Sheng Huang, but he didn't move a step from his spot either, as his eyes simply stared at Sheng Huang and Zhong Fang without saying a word, almost as if he was waiting for him to speak. Although he was someone who wouldn't refuse to give others face, Bai Longtian wouldn't insult his own friends just to be polite to his enemies.
He already knew that Shun Long and Sheng Huang were considered enemies, but Bai Longtian didn't really care about Sheng Huang, and he knew that Shun Long didn't care too much about him either.
The truth was, that if he wanted to, Bai Longtian could have simply revealed his 'Golden Buddha unique physique' along with his 'Dao of the Buddha', and be hailed as the number 1 genius of the Night star continent instead of Sheng Huang, but Bai Longtian wasn't someone who cared about fame either.
But to have someone like Sheng Huang order him around wasn't something that he was willing to accept.
At the same time, after sensing the 4 auras coming from Liu Mei, Xie Xingyi, Jiang Chen, and Bai Longtian, Sheng Huang and Zhong Fang were unable to hide their jealousy!
This was even more so for Liu Mei, whom they had both met 4 months ago in front of the inner court's entrance.
Back then, when Sheng Huang and Zhong Fang had blocked Shun Long and Liu Mei, they clearly remembered that Liu Mei's aura was still below theirs, but now she had actually reached the early rank 5 of the Nascent Soul!
As for Xie Xingyi and Bai Longtian, when they had entered the sect, they were all peak rank 3 Nascent Soul stage cultivators, but now, Xingyi and Bai Longtian had already reached the middle of rank 5 in the Nascent Soul as well.
Of course, Sheng Huang had already heard that the 4 of them had been accepted by inner court Elders as personal disciples, so he had already heard that they had been bestowed a 'Barrier-piercing pill' from their masters.
''How can the Elders accept them as personal disciples but ignore me? HOW AM I INFERIOR TO THEM? HOW??''
When Sheng Huang had learned about this, he had actually gone in a violent fit of rage, destroying everything inside his own room.
The truth was, that Sheng Huang himself desperately wanted to purchase a 'Barrier-piercing pill' for himself, but every pill was sold for 5.000 sect points in the Golden Treasures hall.
Putting aside the fact that he didn't have enough sect points, since every personal D-rank mission only gave up to 200 sect points, even if he sold almost every single treasure of his, the 'Barrier-piercing pills' were still extremely rare to appear in the Golden Treasures hall as well!
Staring at Xie Xingyi and Bai Longtian, the prince of the Shengtian dynasty suppressed his frustration, while the look in his eyes turned solemn as he said
''Since the both of you come from the Night star continent as well, I know that you understand the true problem of the continent, so I will get to the point.
In less than 3 years, the Demon Emperor palace will invade the continent.
Don't tell me that you don't understand what those vampires will do to our continent once they arrive there. Are you willing to see innocent people die?
Since you have been accepted by the Elders of the inner court as their personal disciples, I want you to talk to your masters and ask them to interfere.
Of course, I am not asking you to do this for free. As long as you agree, our Shengtian dynasty will give you 5 million middle-grade spirit stones.''
Shun Long's lips arched upwards as a mocking smile appeared on his face when he heard this. However, he didn't interfere, as he simply waited to hear what Bai Longtian and Xingyi would say.
Although Shun Long and Liu Mei didn't come from a powerful family of the Night star continent and didn't know too many things about the secrets of the continent or the Demon Emperor palace, Xie Xingyi and Bai Longtian who came from the Xie and the Bai families already knew about this issue and they had already told everything to Shun Long.
Bai Longtian shook his head and cupped his hands in an apologetic manner as he said
''Brother Sheng, I'm afraid I won't be able to help you. I have already talked to my master about this matter, but he said that I shouldn't interfere unless I have the strength to fight against the Demon Emperor palace by myself.
The Holy sect isn't willing to interfere in this.
Master said that the Night star continent needs a Dao Emperor to preside over it, and since the Demon Emperor palace is willing to do so, the Elders of the Holy sect won't fight them unless the Demon Emperor palace kills millions of innocent people.
However, brother Sheng, you don't have to worry about this issue too much. Master said that the Demon Emperor palace won't harm the continent, and instead, they may allow it to flourish even further in the future.
Additionally, as long as your Shengtian dynasty is willing to submit to the Demon Emperor palace, you will still be fine.''
Bai Longtian didn't seem to even care about Sheng Huang's offer of 5 million middle-grade spirit stones from his Shengtian dynasty, as he rejected this in a heartbeat.
''BULLSHIT! BAI LONGTIAN, YOU FUCKER!
Are you really willing to see the peak powers of the Night star continent get replaced by those blood-sucking monsters? Do you really expect us to bend the knee and submit to them? My Shengtian dynasty has ruled the continent for tens of thousands of years!''
''Bai Longtian, think about this again! Your Bai family will also be affected by something like this.'' said Zhong Fang as he looked at Bai Longtian with a serious look in his eyes.
At that moment, a cold smile appeared on Xingyi's face as she looked at Sheng Huang and the silver-haired Zhong Fang, before she added in
''Your Shengtian dynasty has ruled the continent for tens of thousands of years? This is precisely the reason why you don't want the Demon Emperor palace to invade the Night star continent!
It's not because you are afraid of the people who will die once the Demon Emperor palace conquers the continent, but instead, it's because you know that the peak powers in Heaven's Dome city will crumble!
It's because your Shengtian dynasty is monopolizing all the resources in the continent that you are unwilling to lose this advantage of yours, and the same goes for Zhong Fang's 'Mercenaries' Association'!
You know that the Demon Emperor palace will force you to bend the knee that you are forced to ask for help from the Holy sect.
However, both the Bai family and my Xie family wouldn't be affected too much by this to begin with.
The ones who will be affected the most, are those who monopolize the resources of the continent like your Shengtian dynasty!''
Hearing Xie Xingyi lay out the truth about his Shengtian dynasty like that made Sheng Huang furious, but he also knew that she was correct.
This was the reason why his Shengtian dynasty was willing to pay 5 million spirit stones to Xingyi and Bai Longtian to help them with this issue.
Actually, Sheng Huang could even offer a higher price, but from Xingyi's and Bai Longtian's tone, he understood that neither they nor the Holy sect was interested in meddling in this matter.
Indeed, it would be his Shengtian dynasty and the other peak powers in the Heaven's Dome city who would be affected by this the most, while powers like the Xie family and Bai Longtian's Bai family would barely be affected if the Demon Emperor palace conquered the continent.
But how could his Shengtian dynasty who was used to ruling the continent for tens of thousands of years, suddenly bend the knee and submit to the Demon Emperor palace?
This was why Sheng Huang was feeling depressed that he wasn't accepted by an Elder of the Holy sect as a personal disciple like Xie Xingyi and Bai Longtian.
''Now scram! Stop blocking the way!''
Jiang Chen stared at Sheng Huang coldly as he spoke, not caring at all about Sheng Huang's plight or the fact that his Shengtian dynasty would have to either bend the knee or disappear from the face of the Night star continent.
Sheng Huang had a look of disbelief on his face as he stared at Xie Xingyi and Bai Longtian who completely ignored him, as they followed after Shun Long and entered the arena.
...
After walking past the arena's entrance and entering inside, Shun Long, Liu Mei, and the rest, all saw a huge hallway that led directly to the audience seats and a small corridor that led to the center of the arena, as well as 3 different counters placed not too far away from each other.
Shun Long then walked directly towards the counter for the faction wars.
According to the young man behind the counter, there was less than one hour until their match started.
Although the arena itself was enormous, barely 500 outer court disciples were present today, making the place look desolate.
Finally, an hour later, a white-robed Elder who was standing in the center of the arena took out a black-colored token from his spatial ring and raised it in the air above him, before he said in an uncaring, monotonous voice
''Shun Long's faction vs Lim Yu's faction. The match will now begin!''
