The Greendragon Lake, which stretched for over ten li in the Cloudhill Province, was where Qiong Sea King built his dwellings after the establishment of the Immortal Cultivators Alliance in the Middle Land.
Initially a small reservoir, the Qiong Sea King expanded it, connecting it to Cloud River through carefully constructed canals. This enabled the river to flow into the newly formed lake, which he named Greendragon Lake.
Although Qiong Sea King was a jiaolong, he had the heart of a true dragon. The lake was covered in dense white mist a majority of the time.
“This pond is too small,” Qiong Sea King murmured lazily as he rested at the bottom of the lake. “Compared to my majestic Crystal Palace, this is nothing.”
The Crystal Palace was located deep within the ocean and covered a vast expanse, its grandeur befitting the ruler of the South Ocean. Meanwhile, the ten-li lake was the maximum area that could be allocated to him within the vicinity of Cloudhill.
Once Master returns and defeats the wretched Jin Quan, I’ll finally be able to return to the South Ocean.
Qiong Sea King had seen Jin Quan’s strength firsthand and was shocked by the power of a lifebound flying sword wielded by a Golden Core cultivator.
As long as Jin Quan was still a threat, Qiong Sea King dared not leave Cloudhill. Jin Quan could easily slay him in one-on-one combat even if he were to flee deep into the ocean.
A familiar voice suddenly rang out in Qiong Sea King’s mind, “Qiong Sea, I have returned.'”
“Master?” The Qiong Sea King exclaimed joyfully.
Through Qiong Sea King’s spirit, he saw a person dressed in pristine white robes inside his upper dantian lobe. He stood facing the azure jiaolong’s own soul phantom.
“Master!” exclaimed Qiong Sea King again, this time his voice filled with surprise.
In the past, Wu Yuan could only exchange words with him when communicating via spiritual transmission. But now, Wu Yuan was able to condense his soul into an avatar.
“Are you surprised?” Wu Yuan smiled, a faint glimmer of amusement in his eyes.
With the advancement of his soul, Wu Yuan developed the ability to create a soul phantom during spiritual transmission, enabling easier communication with Qiong Sea King.
However, it was crucial to mention that Wu Yuan’s access was limited to his soul phantom, and he could not actually intrude into Qiong Sea King’s upper dantian lobe.
“Master, you’re back!” Qiong Sea King exclaimed, his soul phantom’s tail wagging ecstatically.
Wu Yuan chuckled, remarking, “Qiong Sea, I have never seen you this elated. Are you in the South Ocean now?”
After waking up, he swept the area with his Soul Force and confirmed that no other living beings were present. Hence, he knew that Fang Xia and the others had departed, unable to get close to him due to the residual waves of soul power.
Qiong Sea King quickly replied. “No, I dare not return to the South Ocean by myself. I’m seeking refuge in Cloudhill now, along with a majority of the Heavenly Rankers around the world.”
“Oh? What happened?” Wu Yuan asked, his curiosity aroused. “Why can’t you go back to the South Ocean?”
He knew very well that Qiong Sea King disliked the environment at Cloudhill and considered the ocean his true sanctuary.
“It’s Jin Quan! Master, Jin Quan has successfully broken through to the Golden Core phase. Following your instructions after the worm devil’s death, I teamed up with Fang Xia…” Qiong Sea King explained urgently.
Wu Yuan quickly learned the events that had occurred during his months of absence.
“So, the Middle Land is split into two main forces,” Wu Yuan said thoughtfully. “One is the Great Jin Empire led by Imperator Jin. They have a number of late-stage Qi Sea cultivators and over ten Heavenly Rankers in total.”
“The other force is the Middle Land Immortal Cultivators Alliance, which includes factions like the Cloudstride Sect, Starcom Consortium, and Pleiades Guild. Fang Xia, the Arctic King, and you are at the helm of this alliance. It seems that more than 30 Heavenly Rankers have joined this force.”
The political landscape of the Middle Land had changed greatly. In the past, the Middle Land consisted of countless individual factions competing to dominate the land. The Great Jin Empire was unable to unify the entire Middle Land despite its powerful forces.
Now, Jin Quan had broken through, becoming the first Golden Core cultivator. This immediately compelled the factions to form an alliance and gather at Cloudhill. Even the core of the Middle Land Immortal Hall was shifted here.
“Indeed,” nodded Qiong Sea King. “Master, there’s no need to worry about those affiliated with the Great Jin Empire. Those Heavenly Rankers who have sided with them are simply loose cultivators, with no late-stage Qi Sea cultivators among them. The main forces supporting Jin Quan are the Jin royal family and the powerhouses from the Yuanxia Palace.”
Wu Yuan listened attentively. It was unsurprising to him that some Heavenly Rankers had also pledged their allegiance to the Great Jin Empire. Not everyone could be expected to possess unwavering ideals and righteousness.
Daoist Wan Xing, Dong Pan, Niu Hao, and the others had valiantly sacrificed their lives in the battle for the Middle Land. Meanwhile, Jin Quan and Jin Ji’s actions were truly despicable. But, considering Jin Quan’s current power, it was only natural that some would side with him, driven by the instinct to survive.
“The winner between the two sides will mainly be decided by the battles between the peak powerhouses,” commented Qiong Sea King.
“There is no denying Jin Quan’s incredible power. With Fang Xia leading one array, along with Wu Nonghan and Lei Meng controlling Septet Ignis Array, and myself, we are just able to fight Jin Quan to a stalemate.” Qiong Sea King waved his claw, and several memory projections appeared. “Master, these are projections of my memories of the battles.”
Rows of memory projections formed on either side of Wu Yuan’s soul phantom, showcasing the conflicts that took place in the sky above the Holy Capital or at Cloudhill.
Wu Yuan carefully observed every scene. He was familiar with the strength of Qiong Sea King, the six-legged golden mantis, and Mountain Devil King, allowing him to accurately assess Jin Quan’s power.
“Golden Core sword cultivator?” A glimmer of frost crept into Wu Yuan’s gaze as a hint of wariness arose. “Indeed, he’s powerful.”
Jin Quan established a sixth-degree immortal root and had yet to comprehend a Domain. If he were a ninth-stage Qi Sea cultivator, Wu Yuan was confident he could end him in a single strike.
However, this transition from the Qi Sea phase to the Golden Core phase signified a metamorphosis. The mere increase in mana exponentially multiplied one’s power.
Therefore, even if Wu Yuan employed both close combat and long-range techniques with his Yang Soul, he couldn’t be completely certain of defeating Jin Quan.
Furthermore, if Wu Yuan was planning to fight him in the Holy Capital, Jin Quan’s home turf? With a defense array supporting him, killing him would only get more challenging.
But Jin Quan must be eliminated. Wu Yuan’s gaze turned cold. As a Golden Core sword cultivator, if you only prioritize your own survival, then so be it.
But when the entire Middle Land faces a catastrophe, you cower behind others, unwilling to take risks.
You waited for the calamity to pass and for the powerful cultivators to fall, then emerged to reap the benefits? How repugnant!
Daoist Wan Xing, Emperor Dong Pan, Niu Hao, and the others might not be virtuous individuals, but they grasped the bigger picture and displayed courage when the situation called for it.
Wu Yuan genuinely admired such individuals from the bottom of his heart.
As for the Heavenly Rankers who refused to take risks and hid away, even though Wu Yuan looked down on them, he wouldn’t go out of his way to kill them.
However, someone like Jin Quan? Wu Yuan would kill every single one he encountered.
“Master, now that you have returned, let’s go kill Jin Quan together!” Qiong Sea King said excitedly.
“No, Golden Core sword cultivators cannot be underestimated. We must either refrain from taking action or achieve success in one fell swoop,” Wu Yuan shook his head. “Didn’t you say that Fang Xia has complete control over the Middle Land Immortal Hall?”
“Yes.” Qiong Sea King nodded. “Wu Nonghan voluntarily handed it over. He said that such a precious treasure couldn’t be protected by the Wu Sect alone.”
Wu Yuan nodded slightly. He didn’t care enough to ponder whether this was the truth.
“Qiong Sea, ask Fang Xia to enter the Middle Land Immortal Hall,” Wu Yuan said. “We will continue our conversation within the Middle Land Immortal Hall.”
“Understood,” King Qiong Sea nodded.
…
With numerous Heavenly Rankers gathered in one location, Cloudhill City underwent a remarkable transformation. New mountains emerged one after another all around Cloudhill, each one occupied by a Heavenly Ranker.
Cloudhill remained mostly unchanged, the only difference being that the defense arrays were fortified and now possessed even wider coverage and greater power than before.
In the underground jade chamber.
I never expected the Starcom Consortium to have such treasures. This saved me a good deal of effort and helped me reach the ninth-stage Qi Sea phase in one go. Fang Xia sat cross-legged on the jade platform, a smile on his face.
Thanks to this, I’m confident that I can reach the Golden Core phase in just six or seven years.
Fang Xia naturally yearned to reach the Golden Core phase.
Then, his eyes flickered with a hint of fury. Jin Quan, I will crush you once I reach the Golden Core phase.
As someone who comprehended a Domain, Fang Xia took great pride in his strength. He despised Jin Quan’s character, but he couldn’t ignore the man’s formidable strength.
One step at a time. As long as I accumulate sufficient mana, I’ll be able to break through to the Golden Core phase. Fang Xia cultivated quietly.
Two large clusters of light floated in front of him on the jade platform. One was a massive golden cluster, which was the core of the defense array. The other cluster was smaller, tinged with a purple hue.
“Warning, a powerful individual exceeding the upper limit of the immortal hall has entered the Middle Land Immortal Hall…”
Fang Xia was taken aback by the sudden warning. What? Exceeding the upper limit?
As the controller of the immortal hall’s core, Fang Xia was familiar with its various limitations. Naturally, he understood what it meant to exceed the upper limit – the Amethyst Cradle stage!
A Reverend had just entered the immortal hall?
“Hm?” Fang Xia looked up abruptly as a jiaolong, measuring over ten meters long, flew into the jade chamber. It was Qiong Sea King.
“Old Fang, hurry! The master is on his way back!” exclaimed Qiong Sea King. “Quick, let’s enter the immortal hall!”
Fang Xia immediately understood, “The young master has returned?”
His heart couldn’t help but quiver with astonishment. The young master’s soul reached the level of an Amethyst Cradle cultivator? Heavens!
The rate of his soul’s progression was far too frightening!
“Very well, I shall enter the immortal hall right away.” Fang Xia replied.
…
Nothing has changed. Wu Yuan stood in the center of the plaza within the Immortal Hall, looking around.
There wasn’t anyone else here, and three sides were still occupied by personal halls. However, there were noticeably fewer personal halls compared to the past, around 40.
Whoosh~ Gold and green lights converged, revealing one figure wearing a gold robe, and another one in the form of a jiaolong.
“Master,” Qiong Sea King greeted him.
“Young Master,” Fang Xia bowed. He felt his breath nearly taken away by Wu Yuan’s unfathomably strong aura.
Wu Yuan smiled faintly and said, “No need for formalities. Old Fang, could you please update me on the current situation?”
“Of course,” Fang Xia nodded quickly.
Fang Xia swiftly conveyed his insights, and Wu Yuan cross-referenced his words with Qiong Sea King’s, gaining a clearer understanding of the circumstances within the Middle Land.
“Young Master, Jin Quan’s actions have indeed roused fury, but they have also provided you with an opportunity to unify Middle Land.” Fang Xia stated.
“Oh?” Wu Yuan was slightly confused.
“You, Daoist Wan Xing, Emperor Dong Pan, and myself are recognized as the greatest contributors in the battle against the worm devil.”
“And as the one who ultimately vanquished the worm devil, you have earned the most merit.”
“It is truly regrettable that Daoist Wan Xing and Emperor Dong Pan fell in the battle. But Young Master, the whole of the Middle Land owes you a debt of gratitude, and your bravery has brought you tremendous renown,” Fang Xia declared.
Wu Yuan nodded slightly.
“Now, the whole world is aware of the massive clash between the two sides. This war has also made Jin Quan’s might known to all.”
“In the coming days, if Young Master successfully defeats Jin Quan, your fame will spread throughout the land, leaving an unforgettable impression and shaking the very foundation of society.”
“With the overwhelming gratitude of the public, and the support of myself, Qiong Sea King, the Starcom Consortium, and the Wu Sect, Young Master can go on to become the ruler of the Middle Land, and the alliance leader of the Middle Land Immortal Cultivators Alliance.”
“By then, who in their right mind wouldn’t submit to you?”
Qiong Sea King quickly chimed in, “Young Master, I wholeheartedly support this course of action.”