Inside the Buzhou Immortal Sect, within the room of Grand Elder Zhang.
Zhang Cuiying paused in her movements as she sensed something. She turned her eyes to the horizon, a place far too distant for her eyes to observe. But the fluctuation of her soul did not lie.
“What kind of treasure is born?” She asked with her brows furrowed. “That direction, it should be where Grand Elder Xi traveled to. Should I go too?”
She had sensed the nature of the treasure as something beneficial for the soul. Zhang Cuiying pressed her fingers together and calculated.
“Sovereign Nine Yin Lotus!?”
She was so surprised that she stood up in shock. If she had that, then the rebirth of her lost love would be infinitely closer. If before she had an abysmal chance with no hope at all, there was a clear path for her to travel to now.
Zhang Cuiying turned her head towards the Forbidden Grounds of the Buzhou Immortal Sect.
Buzhou Immortal Sect had three publically acclaimed Grand Elders at the level of Immortal Emperor. Sword Empress Xi, Immortal Empress Voidink, and the third and most ancient Immortal Emperor of the Huang Realm, the Concealed Emperor.
There were many rumors in the outside world that most ancient Immortal Emperor had long perished, and the Immortal Buzhou Sect was simply hiding this information. But as a Grand Elder of the Buzhou Immortal Sect, Zhang Cuiying was clear that the Concealed Emperor was still alive.
Between Sword Empress Xi, who boasted the strongest attack of the Huang Realm, and The Concealed Emperor, the most mysterious Emperor of the Huang Realm, she did not know who would win.
Zhang Cuiying was sure that the other Immortal Emperors and even Immortal Monarchs would have noticed the appearance of the Sovereign Nine Yin Lotus. She released her immortal sense and discovered that there was no change from the Forbidden Grounds.
“It seems like the Concealed Emperor won’t move even for this.” Zhang Cuiying stated.
She sent a message to Sect Master Xia before she waved her sleeves, and a painting of the northern regions appeared before her. With a step, Immortal Empress Voidink stepped into the painting.
In the Mortal Continent and the very core of the Saintly Scholar School, a middle-aged man sat in a lotus position and had his eyes closed. He wore black robes with a white outer coat. His skin was white and tender like a newborn child, but two streaks of white on his temples marred his black hair.
Suddenly, he opened his eyes and looked towards the direction of the Heaven Continent.
“Come in.” He said, his voice was soft and gentle, yet it reverberated in one’s very bones.
The person who entered was Headmaster Ren, the leader of the Mortal Continent’s delegation at the Three Heavens Connection Meeting. “Grand Founder, the Sovereign Nine Yin Lotus has appeared in the Heaven Continent, should we take action?”
The Grand Founder did not look at Headmaster Ren and continued to gaze into the distance. He was Lao Tzu, the founder of the Saintly Scholar School and the most reserved Immortal Emperor of the Huang Realm, although most referred to him as the Great Sage.
The cultivation manual he created, Daode Jing, was said to rival the Heavenly Scriptures. In fact, it was so esoteric that it had to split into eighty-one chapters for mortals to cultivate. It is said that only Lao Tzu was the only one to comprehend all eighty-one chapters.
“No, whoever we send will likely never be able to leave.” Lao Tzu said as he turned his gaze away.
“How could it be?” Headmaster Ren said. “As long as we are careful, the Buzhou Immortal Sect cannot claim our lives.”
Lao Tzu chuckled and gazed at Headmaster Ren like he was the young child who came to him for guidance all those years ago. “You underestimate the influence and power of the Buzhou Immortal Sect.”
Lao Tzu gave a wistful sigh. “The inheritors of the Immortal Court aren’t as simple as you think. Had they been given a few more thousand years, they would have conquered all Three Continents, had it not been the sudden appearance of me.”
Headmaster Ren also smiled. “The Buzhou Immortal Sect has ambitions of becoming the sole Hegemon of the Huang Realm, but although we have less Immortal Emperors and Monarchs, at least we have unified the whole Mortal Continent.”
Lao Tzu gave a mysterious smile towards Headmaster Ren. “Is that what you think?”
Headmaster Ren suddenly became unsure. He bowed. “Please enlighten me, Great Founder.”
“Within a thousand years, the Earth Continent will become the Buzhou Immortal Sects.”
Headmaster Ren showed a surprised expression. “But the Eight Pillars Sect has existed almost as long as the Buzhou Immortal Sect. I find it hard to believe that the Buzhou Immortal Sect would attack the Eight Pillar Sect within a thousand years. I’d find it more likely for them to assault us. Our forces have weakened due to the battle for supremacy against the Cultivators’ Alliance.”
“You’re wrong. It isn’t that our forces have weakened, but we weakened the forces of the Cultivators’ Alliance.” Lao Tzu said, his expression peaceful.
Headmaster Ren nodded. “Indeed, I did not expect the Cultivators’ Alliance to have so many Immortal Monarchs back then.”
Lao Tzu simply said. “Naive.”
Earth Continent, Eight Pillars Sect
“Master, what’s wrong?”
The Sect Master of the Eight Pillars Sect, Monarch Pathway, broke out of his stupor as he turned towards his disciple, Duan Muli.
“It’s nothing. It seemed that a rare treasure of Heaven and Earth has appeared in the Heaven Continent.”
Duan Muli frowned. He knew that it was out of his jurisdiction, but he couldn’t help but ask. “Are we not going to send anyone to compete for it?”
For his master to sense it all the way from the Earth Continent, the treasure couldn’t be anything ordinary in any way.
Monarch Pathway shooked his head. “Muli ah, Muli, it pains me to say this, but we cannot afford to send anyone out. The treasure appeared in the Buzhou Immortal Sect’s domain; they will send out an Immortal Emperor to retrieve it. One of our Immortal Emperor is away from the sect, and we cannot afford to have the Supreme Elder leave for a treasure. Once the Supreme Elder leaves, the hungry wolves will descend.”
Duan Muli furrowed his brows.
The hungry wolves naturally referred to the collation of hostile sects, the Anti-Earth Alliance. At the head was the Extremity Night Sect.
It was a sad situation, truly.
Out of the seven first-rate sects on the Earth Continent, six of them were in Alliance against the Eight Pillars Sect, while the seventh first-rate sect stayed neutral. The only Vassal Sects under the Eight Pillar Sect were second-rate sects. Numerically speaking, the Alliance had more second-rate sects under them.
It seemed as if the whole Earth Continent was against the Eight Pillars Sect.
Should the Eight Pillars Sect’s remaining Immortal Emperor leave the sect, then whether the Alliance would take the risk and launch a full-out assault would not be known. In essence, the perilous cold war of the Earth Continent prevented either side from leaving.
It would not be a lie to say the peace of the Earth Continent was being balanced atop the edge of the knife, the calm before the storm.
“Muli, you should let your thoughts wander to these unnecessary thoughts. Your biggest concern is advancing to the Unity Realm. I heard Yang Linyin has already entered the Spiritual Nascent Soul Realm. He is going to attempt to enter the Martial Nascent Soul Realm.” Immortal Pathway said.
Duan Muli frowned. “So soon? It is not like him to attempt such his Heavenly Tribulation so recklessly. I’d thought he would be calmer about this and prepare for another year at least.”
The only disciple that Duan Muli felt danger towards was Yang Linyin alone. Against the other disciples, Duan Muli was confident in keeping his Eldest Disciple position. But Yang Linyin was born with a special constitution and talent that allowed him to cultivate the Eight Pillars Sect’s premier art.
Yang Linyin’s speed also exceeded Duan Muli, causing him to feel immense pressure. If Yang Linyin was both a Spiritual and Martial Grandmaster, then he would be able to contend with Unity Realm Venerables.
Monarch Pathway smiled at Duan Muli as if saying, “I know something you don’t.” Duan Muli frowned and stared at Monarch Pathway.
“Alright, alright, I’ll tell you why. You don’t have to glare at me for it.” Monarch Pathway sulkily said. “It seems that someone in the Heaven Continent ascended into the Nascent Soul Realm before he was twenty.”
Duan Muli stood there, stunned. He, himself, had entered the Nascent Soul Realm when he was thirty-nine, so he was clear more than anyone how hard it was to achieve such a thing.
And Yang Linyin was now thirty-one, meaning that he had entered the Nascent Soul Realm eight years earlier than Duan Muli. So it was no wonder that Duan Muli felt pressure from Yang Linyin.
Duan Muli had always been proud of his talent in the Dao of Yin Yang. Even though Yang Linyin had been born with a special constitution that made light of all his efforts, he still believed in himself. He was confident that he would become an Immortal Monarch in the future.
He had not thought highly of the disciples from the Saintly Scholar School; in his eyes, they were just an upstart that managed to take over the Mortal Continent with only a single Immortal Emperor to protect them.
The same could be said for his view of the Cultivators’ Alliance. Despite having two Immortal Emperors, the Cultivators’ Alliance fell to the Saintly Scholar School.
The only hegemonic sect that Duan Muli took seriously was the Buzhou Immortal Sect. He had heard of Sword Empress Xi’s glorious legend from the Immortal Elders, but due to the battle against the Dragon Emperor, the Buzhou Immortal Sect was the one to suffer the greatest losses.
So Duan Muli thought that with no outstanding disciples to come out from the Buzhou Immortal Sect, the Eight Pillars Sect would become the strongest hegemonic sect in the future.
But reality struck him harshly.
During his era, the undercurrents of the Earth Continent erupted and caused the current political climate.
Still, Duan Muli believed that as long as he worked hard, the Eight Pillars Sect would one day rise to become the ruler of the Huang Realm.
Yet during the Three Heavens Connection Meeting, he met his match against Xia Yushan, Buzhou Immortal Sect’s current eldest senior brother. He was both younger and at a lower cultivation level than Duan Muli, but was able to match him. Duan Muli truly didn’t know who would have won should the match continue.
But now, he was informed that Sword Empress Xi’s son, who he didn’t place in his eyes before, reached the Nascent Soul Realm at half his age!
“Muli, don’t be discouraged. In this world, there are always heavens above heavens. Although Sword Empress Xi’s son has reached the Nascent Soul Realm, it could be that Sword Empress Xi’s poured many resources into him to achieve the results of today. It will not matter if he cannot even become an Immortal. You must remember, your greatest enemy is yourself and no one else. Strive to become an Immortal Monarch.” Monarch Pathway said, seeing Duan Muli’s sunken expression. But Duan Muli only nodded, as if he hadn’t taken in Monarch Pathway’s words.
Duan Muli clenched his fist and glared at the ground.