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Chapter 75: Zhou Erlian

The sound of thunder rumbled dangerously as Tianyi sat upon his throne. He rested his head on his hand as he looked at the figure standing next to the Sect Master of the Five Poison Sect.

That figure's presence was weak as if he was part of the world. Qi indistinguishable from the world's qi, that was the hallmark of a Unity Realm Venerable. Should a Venerable wish, those under the Unity Realm would not be able to sense them.

The figure's presence was a result of that. But, Tianyi was clearly able to sense the cultivator next to Sect Master Fivepoison! But that wasn't because Tianyi's sensing abilities were extraordinary, but the Unity Realm Venerable had a problem.

Tianyi observed the Unity Realm Venerable. He was of average height and wore a green robe artifact that was only at the Core Formation Realm. This, in itself, revealed a problem.

A revered Unity Venerable using Core Formation Artifacts? What a joke.

The Unity Venerable had sparse white hair, so thin that it could be ignored. His skin was full of dark blotches, and the numerous wrinkles nearly buried his eyes. The bloody aura and death qi surrounding him were also extremely familiar to Tianyi. It was akin to Lei Jingye from the other timeline who had forcibly raised his realm, only far worse.

Not just the Unity Realm Venerable, the other Nascent Soul Grandmasters, aside from Sect Master Fivepoison, also had bloody auras and death qi.

According to Tianyi's estimation, the Unity Realm Venerable had less than a year to live while the other Nascent Soul Venerable had at most five years.

Tianyi snorted. The Unity Realm Venerable was incomplete; otherwise, Tianyi would not be able to sense him. When one ascended to the Unity Realm, there was a qualitative difference far greater than when one ascended to the Core Formation Realm from the Foundation Establishment Realm or Nascent Soul Realm from the Core Formation Realm.

It was a unique characteristic known as Harmonization.

"Hmpf. Friend from the Buzhou Immortal Sect, I advised you to stay out of this. This is a matter between the Five Poison Sect and the Fleeting Mist Sect." Sect Master Fivepoison said.

Tianyi gave a mirthless chuckle. "Who was it who said that the Buzhou Immortal Sect could not do anything? Yet the moment I unleashed an attack, you cry for peace?"

Sect Master Fivepoison's facial expression darkened before an ingratiating smile appeared. "I have eyes and did not see Mount Tai. I only heard of the legends of the Buzhou Immortal Sect. Seeing the power of this hero, I can see that I was a frog at the bottom of the well. Do not concern yourself with a petty person like me. If I have offended you, I will apologize. But this is truly a matter between the Five Poison Sect and the Fleeting Mist Sect."

Tianyi felt his lips twitch at how quick Sect Master Fivepoison changed his stance and even lowered himself after all those words.

"It's true that I don't have much of a relationship to the Fleeting Mist Sect," Tianyi said, nonchalantly.

Sect Master Yun's face fell while Sect Master Fivepoison showed a joyful expression. "Friend from the Buzhou Immortal Sect-"

"But," Tianyi cut off Sect Master Fivepoison. "My elder, who has taken care of me since young, is friends with Sect Master Yun."

It was now Sect Master Fivepoison's turn to have an ugly expression while Sect Master Yun's expression brightened.

"Besides, those Nascent Soul Elders and even that incomplete Unity Venerable," Tianyi paused as he took in the three of them, ignoring the now dead Nascent Soul Grandmaster that he had struck earlier. "You guys refined mortals in order to forcibly increase your realms, didn't you?"

Sect Master Yun who heard Tianyi stared in shock at Sect Master Fivepoison and the three others. "Impossible, how come they don't have Karmic Sins then!?"

For a Core Formation Master to refine people and enter the Nascent Soul Realm, they would incur a huge amount of Karmic Sin. But Sect Master Yun did not detect much Karmic Sin from them and simply thought they were blood or slaughter cultivators.

As for Tianyi.

Tianyi never considered himself a moral person. At least to the moral stratum developed from modern Earth. But Tianyi had this thing called standards. He had no problem causing endless misery to people he didn't like or just kicking while they were down, but refining an unaccountable number of people for power?

How many people would it take to refine in order to raise a Foundation Establishment Disciple to a Core Formation Master? How many would it take to raise a Core Formation Master to a Nascent Soul Grandmaster? Ten thousand? A hundred thousand? Millions?

Tianyi didn't know, but the numbers would be unaccountable. A mere mortal could never compare to a cultivator, so they would have to make up the difference with quantity.

It wasn't as if Tianyi empathized with the victims used in the atrocity. But he felt that if he accepted it and let it be, he would no longer be human. He wasn't a righteous person; in fact, he was petty. But since they dared to do such a thing, then they should not blame him for taking action.

Not that he planned to watch on the sidelines when Fleeting Mist Sect was attacked, Tianyi just had even more reason to kill all of them now.

But just where did the Five Poison Sect sacrificed so many mortals? For them to have so many Nascent Soul Grandmasters and a Unity Venerable, it should be difficult to hide the existence of their actions.

As Tianyi raised his hand in preparation to attack, the Unity Venerable next to Sect Master Fivepoison spoke. "Evil Wind Flower Picker Zhou, do you know of him?"

Tianyi paused, sensing hostility. "I do." His lips twitched as he recalled the event. "I killed him. I am quite proud of that. I was only at the Foundation Establishment Realm back then, after all."

The sky was dyed red from the murderous aura the Unity Venerable emitted. The people in the vicinity felt chills up their spin from it, and Tianyi, as the target, felt it more clearly than anyone else.

"HE WAS MY PRECIOUS ELDER BROTHER!!!"

With a roar, a tornado formed from Zhou Erlian, Evil Wind Flower Picker Zhou's younger brother, hand, and shot towards Tianyi.

The murderous aura had caught off Tianyi. The killing intent was not something differentiated by ones' realm, but a person's thoughts. An Immortal might have a weaker killing intent than a mortal general who slaughtered countless armies.

Tianyi had never felt anything quite like it before and thus was blown away by Zhou Erlian's attack. But the tornado began to rumble as lightning streaked. Soon, the tornado dispersed, and Tianyi was revealed without a hint of injury.

"Evil Wind Flower Picker Zhou's younger brother, huh?" Tianyi lightly said. "He deserved to die. I'm sure his victims will thank me!"

Zhou Erlian roared in rage as he shot towards Tianyi with a punch. But the punch never reached Tianyi as a barrier of lightning appeared and blocked it.

His fist began to be burnt black as lightning continuously electrocuted it, but Zhou Erlian acted as if he never felt anything and unleashed a barrage of punches.

"WHAT DOES A BRAT LIKE YOU UNDERSTAND!!!" Zhou Erlian seemed to have lost his mind as his oppressive aura increased and the death qi that surrounded him became denser. "HE WAS MY LIFE!! I WOULD HAVE DIED HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR HIM!!!"

Tianyi said nothing. He frowned and made several hand seals. Numerous armaments, from swords to spears and even vajras composed of lightning, appeared around Tianyi's throne. With a flick of Tianyi's hand, they shot towards Zhou Erlian.

"That doesn't excuse him for all the sins he committed. Walking by the shoreline will eventually cause his shoes to get wet." Tianyi said.

Zhou Erlian laughed derisively. He formed several hand seals and formed a barrier of wind, which the lightning armament clashed against. Several lightning armaments exploded, but even more, survived and pierced towards Zhou Erlian.

Zhou Erlian was struck numerous times. His skin became burnt black, his clothes destroyed, and what little left of his hair burned away. But a maniac smile remained upon his face. "Sins? Then you should have more sins! Because of you! I refined numerous mortals just to reach this realm. You are the greatest sinner of all!"

Tianyi said nothing and just looked contemptuously at Zhou Erlian. But Zhou Erlian seemed to not have seen this and continued ranting. "HAhaha! This is all because of you! Had it not been for you, all those infants would not have died, had it not been for you, none of this hell would have EXISTED!!!!!"

Zhou Erlian charged towards Tianyi once more, his body seemingly having merged with black gales.

Thirteen lightning pillars descended from the heavens and enclosed Tianyi and the black gales inside a cage of lightning. From each pillar, bolts of lightning struck the black gales until Zhou Erlian was forced out. But he did not care as he recklessly charged towards Tianyi, his aura rising even higher.

Without care, he rammed his head into the lightning barrier and unleashed a barrage of punches. He didn't seem like a Unity Venerable, but a thug, using punches like a martial cultivator instead of a spiritual cultivator he is.

Tianyi frowned as the lightning barrier cracked, and Zhou Erlian entered his range. Just as Tianyi was about to stand up, he felt the hairs on his body rise.

Zhou Erlian gave a ghastly smile as his body began to become bloated. An enormous amount of energy was ignited within Zhou Erlian's body. The more bloated he became, the more power there was. The sense of crisis Tianyi felt was nearly the same as when Monarch Soulfish attacked him.

"You madman!" Tianyi finally yelled, his composure lost.

But Zhou Erlian could no longer appreciate as his thoughts began to blur. His last thoughts were of his gentle older brother smiling at him. Since young, he had been sick. His parents had long given up on him, but his older brother never did. He never abandoned him, even when he became a mighty immortal cultivator. What good things he had, he would share with Zhou Erlian.

"Senior brother!" Daoyi, who had been watching this beside Elder Shan, cried out.

The explosion was cataclysmic.

Zhou Erlian, even as an incomplete Unity Venerable, was, frankly speaking, underwhelming. His techniques were still that of a Core Formation Master's. Only his realm had increased, nothing else.

In addition, because he had refined numerous mortals in, Tianyi's attacks were especially effective against him, who was surrounded by Karmic Sin. Lightning already suppressed evil and yin attributed attacks and cultivators, but it was doubly so since Tianyi embued his attacks with his Tribulation Essence.

But Zhou Erlian had never planned to live. He had been planning revenge since the day he received news that his brother had died. A mysterious benefactor had given him the technique to refine mortals to increase his cultivation base. By the time he gathered the necessary amount of mortals, his brother's killer had long left.

It was only recently that the mysterious benefactor contacted him with news that his brother's killer had returned. Zhou Erlian had wanted to beat Tianyi and mock him with his Unity Realm cultivation, but alas, he was suppressed in both techniques and attributes.

Zhou Erlian unleashed the only method he could kill Tianyi with. He used his body and cultivation base as a bomb and ignited himself.

Sect Master Yun and Sect Master Fivepoison were knocked away by the wind created from a Unity Realm Venerable's self-destruction.

"No!" Sect Master Yun cried out. The blast radius of Zhou Erlian's suicide attack was nothing to laugh at, and he could see the explosion widening even further. At this rate, all the people in the Fleeting Mist Sect would be killed.

Even Sect Master Fivepoison had a nasty expression. His own sect members would be caught up within the radius as well.

Just as it seemed that the self-destruction would enlarge, the thirteen lightning pillars bent and caged the explosion. Under the disbelieving eyes of everyone, the explosion was locked within the cage. Slowly the light brought about by the explosion dimmed until it entirely disappeared with the lightning pillars.

Tianyi stood in the air with smoke was rising from his robes; his face was dark as he sent a glare towards Sect Master Fivepoison. His throne was nowhere to be seen, and parts of the landscape caught with the blast radius had turned to glass from the extreme heat.

He turned his gaze towards Sect Master Fivepoison.

Sect Master Fivepoison and the members of the Five Poison Sect all felt chills up their spines.

"RETREAT!!!" It was an action brought about by his intuition, but Sect Master Fivepoison ordered his sect to retreat immediately.

Tianyi said nothing and raised his hand in the air. Black clouds gathered above him, streaks of lightning were even absorbed into it from the Fleeting Mist Sect's lightning seas. Miles upon miles, black clouds could be seen, blotting the night sky once more.

Tianyi brought his hand down, and endless lightning bolts struck down upon the fleeing Five Poison Sect members.

Sect Master Fivepoison vomited blood after a bolt of lightning struck him, his body burnt black. The last two Nascent Soul Grandmasters attracted the most lightning with their massive amounts of blood aura and died under the onslaught of lightning.

Strangely, half Core Formation Masters and Foundation Establishment Disciples survived the lightning bolts that fatally injured Sect Master Fivepoison. But soon, half of them stopped as they descended into despair.

Core Formation and Nascent Soul Heavenly Tribulation descended upon those near the peak of their realms, sending the whole Five Poison Sect into a panic.

Sect Master Fivepoison could feel himself choking as he witnessed this scene, his eyes caught sight of Tianyi's emotionless eyes as if he was the ruler of lightning passing judgment.

The Sect Master quickly continued to flee. He didn't have the leisure to worry about his sect. But even as he ran, his heart bled profusely. After this, how many years would it take to rebuild the loss forces of the Five Poison Sect?

That was assuming Tianyi didn't chase after him.

Tianyi paid special attention to Sect Master Fivepoison and deliberately ordered several lightning bolts towards Sect Master Fivepoison. Sect Master Fivepoison in response, split into five versions of himself and fled in different directions.

In response, even more lightning bolts descended upon. A happy side effect was that the lightning falling upon the other Five Poison Sect members decreased in numbers and power. Not that Sect Master Fivepoison would be pleased if it was at his expense.

But before Tianyi could continue, an argent pillar of light erupted from within the lightning seas and destroyed the black clouds.

Tianyi frowned as he felt himself unable to summon the black clouds and even his true qi being suppressed. He sent one look at the fleeing Five Poison Sect members before he descended to the grown, his innate ability to step on air suppressed by the argent light.

As time passed, the fragrance of lotus enveloped the Fleeting Mist Sect and its surroundings. He could see a tiny figure next to the pillar of light. Even from a distance, Tianyi could see that it was his mother, Xi Mengfei.

Chapter 76: Thank You

The argent pillar of light was not only visible from the Fleeting Mist Sect and the northern region, but all of those who were on the Heaven Continent. Even Immortal Emperors of the other Continents were able to sense the pillar of light even if they could not see it.

And the reason for this was...

"Sovereign Nine Yin Lotus?"

Tianyi said, testing the words upon his lips.

Mengfei nodded. Currently, she was sitting inside the Fleeting Mist Sect's Main Hall. She was not alone as Elder Shan, Tianyi, Daoyi, Sect Master Yun, and several Fleeting Mist Sect Elders were there too.

The pillar of light interfered with the techniques of cultivators so that Tianyi couldn't kill the fleeing Five Poison Sect members. Mengfei had constructed a formation to temporarily protect the Fleeting Mist Sect against the pillar of light's abilities, or rather the Sovereign Nine Yin Lotus. And now they convened to discuss the matters at hand.

"It is a legendary material that was rarely seen even in the primordial era." Mengfei continued. "Just its mere presence distorts the qi, whether it be true qi or spiritual qi. It has many uses; the most prominent would be to form a new body or soul. It's not the only component, of course, but it is the most crucial one."

"Then shall I congratulate, Grand Elder Xi on her harvest?" Elder Shan said while stroking his beard."

Mengfei shook her head.

"Strictly speaking, the Sovereign Nine Yin Lotus is not mature yet. It can only be considered an Eight Yin Lotus now. There will be some time before it can be harvested."

"I have led the Fleeting Mist Sect for hundreds of years, yet I have not noticed such a thing." Sect Master Yun said with a sigh.

"There is no need to lament. The lightning seas were suppressing the Sovereign Nine Yin Lotus. Had I not come, it is highly possible that it would be culled before it ripened. Although it is a material of the highest rank, it is still fragile. I had been watching it, waiting for it to mature."

"Is the pillar of light part of the maturation process?" Tianyi asked.

Mengfei nodded. "I was initially suppressing it using a formation that controlled the lightning seas. But the balance was disrupted, and the light was released. The most powerful people in the Huang Realm would come to compete for it now."

"Ah!" Tianyi's voice leaked. He recalled when he summoned the black clouds and lightning bolts. He had drawn some of the lightning from the lightning seas to fuel his technique.

Elder Shan gave a look to Tianyi, but he looked away and dared not look at his mother. He kept his head down.

Sect Master Yun was worrying about something else. He had not seen the intricacies of Tianyi's technique, neither had Daoyi or the other members of the Fleeting Mist Sect, so he did not know all this trouble was caused by Tianyi.

What he worried about was what would happen to the Fleeting Mist Sect. In comparison to the people of Xi Mengfei's level, they were less than a flea. An insignificant bug.

If experts on the level of Immortal Emperors, no, even an ordinary immortal would be enough to decimate the Fleeting Mist Sect from the face of the Huang Realm. And that was only considering the stray attacks, just one unlucky shot, and they would be gone.

"Sword Empress, this... what should we do?" Sect Master Yun asked. He knew the logical thing was to move. Although the Fleeting Mist Sect occupied the land with the greatest concentration of spiritual qi, but it was not as important as their survival.

Although it was troublesome, they could move all their resources. Also, their guardian formation had just been destroyed, so there was no point in rebuilding it at all.

"You should leave." Mengfei bluntly said. "You should leave as far as possible. We would likely move the battle into the Vast Void, but before then, any attacks are still dangerous." The "We" Mengfei mentioned would were naturally the Immortal Emperors like her.

At the competition for a treasure at the Sovereign Nine Yin Lotus's level, ordinary Immortals were just like ants.

"After the battle, whether I claim the Sovereign Nine Yin Lotus or not, I will help you construct a guardian formation that will not lose to even a third-rate sect's," Mengfei said, her eyes were calm.

Sect Master Yun's face alighted with joy before he quickly suppressed. "No, no, no! That's too much. Our sect can't compare to third-rate sects. It might even bring jealously!"

Those were just words Sect Master Yun said on the surface. It was not even courtesy words of rejection. He was just afraid that open desire would only incite contempt from Mengfei. He very much wanted to accepted and shout a loud "YES!" for the world to hear. Although Mengfei seemed gentle and courteous, just one displeasure from an Immortal Empress like her was enough to spell disaster.

"I only have guardian formations at that level and above. Modifying them is too troublesome. If you want, I don't have to construct a guardian formation. You can ask for something else."

"..." Sect Master Yun had thought that Mengfei was generous. It turned out that she was just too lazy to modify the guardian formations to weaken them.

Modifying a Sect Guardian Formation to weaken it was easier than strengthening it. But guardian formations are large and complex, and the ones Mengfei knew were all top tier, so the effort to put into it would not be worth it.

"Then, I'll humbly accept this grace." Sect Master Yun stood up and bowed to Mengfei. While he bowed, his eyes connected with Elder Shan's.

Elder Shan's eyes were clearly stating, "Don't think I don't know how happy you are."

"Grand Elder, then what about us?" Elder Shan spoke. The "us" he spoke of naturally referred to himself, Tianyi, and Daoyi.

"I will send you back to the sect," Mengfei said. She could not compete for the Sovereign Nine Yin Lotus and protect the three of them at the same time. In addition, she was injured. Her right arm was gone, and this dropped her combat prowess by over thirty percent. And she also needed to suppress the sword casket next to her, dropping her combat prowess by another twenty percent.

It could be said that Xi Mengfei was going to compete against the other immortals with less than half her power.

Having settled that, the meeting was dispersed. Sect Master Yun had to discuss with his Elders on where to relocate while the battle of the immortals raged.

Tianyi and Mengfei were alone in a room. It wasn't like they would be immediately sent away.

"Sorry," Tianyi said, his eyes downcast. There was none of the usual calmness or young master act from Tianyi. He didn't know, but his voice had cracks in it.

"It's fine," Mengfei said. Her eyes were calm and clear as if Tianyi's action hadn't impeded her in any way.

"IT'S NOT FINE!" Tianyi suddenly shouted and locked gazes with Mengfei, his eyes glistening.

Mengfei never saw this side of Tianyi before and could only watch shock. None of her previous experiences had prepared her for Tianyi's sudden outburst.

"It's not fine," Tianyi shouted, his voice grating and hoarse. "I ruined your chance! If I had not foolishly used the lighting from the endless seas, you would have able to take the Sovereign Nine Yin Lotus without attracting any attention! You wouldn't have to fight other Immortal Emperors!"

Tianyi didn't know what was going on. It was as if a lock on his emotion had been shattered, and he had no control over them. Red hot tears streaked down his cheeks. For the first time in this life, Tianyi cried.

"Since I've been born, all I've done is take! Take! And TAKE from you! I've never done anything in this life! I've only taken and never gave back! At the very least, I should be able to not drag you down! But I can't even do that!"

As Tianyi shouted at Mengfei, his voice hoarse, he recalled a certain memory. It wasn't as Tianyi, but back on Earth.

He didn't remember the event exactly, but he asked his mother to buy something for him. He pleaded several times, but his mother refused. He had even thrown a fit at his mother, but it only lasted a day. He had thrown it into the back of his mind, but a week later, his mother had bought the thing he asked for.

Tianyi recalled he felt like this. Tears streaming down his face, his emotions unchecked, and an overwhelming sense of guilt eating away at him.

He knew it was selfish to ask his mother to purchase something for him. She had been divorced and had to work till late into the night to send him to a good school. She often said, "Study hard now, so you don't have to be like me."

He had comprehended why his mother rejected it logically, but he was just so driven by envy, envy at his friends who had it. And not him. But seeing his mother purchase it anyways after his outburst, it was like a knife had plunged into his heart. It would have been easier if she hadn't. If she hadn't, then Tianyi would have been able to continually release his dissatisfaction at life and blame it all on his mother.

I'm a terrible person for even thinking that.

And now, even as a weak Nascent Soul Grandmaster, he had even dragged his mother, an exalted Immortal Empress, down. Was there anymore wretched child than he?

Mengfei didn't know what to do. She saw Tianyi's reddening eyes, the clear liquid falling down his cheeks. She moved to wipe them off, but no matter how she wiped, more would come. Finally, she held Tianyi like when she returned from the Vast Void.

Her left arm wrapped around Tianyi's back, protectively as if to shield him from all the sadness of the world.

"When I was young," Mengfei said, her voice gentle and carrying none of the dignity it usually had. "Emperor-Father and Consort-Mother never heeded me. It was like I was an unneeded thing."

There was a trace of melancholy and hidden sadness that she, herself, failed to detect.

"I grew used to it. I eventually grew to think that I did not need it. I just lived my days as if I was dead. Then my master discovered me. She told me I was a promising seed. I was needed, by her, by the sect. That is my only value, my talent in the Dao. So I came to love the Dao that made master take me in. Every time I ascended or made a breakthrough, my heart palpitated whenever master gazed at me with her eyes and complimented me."

There was a faraway look in her eyes as Mengfei spoke. Her story couldn't be considered common, but neither was it rare. She was simply a child who had never come to understand her love.

"I poured all my effort into developing my Dao. I became happy or what I thought was happiness. Even with this "happiness," I could not forget the heartlessness of my Emperor-Father and Consort-Mother. They became my inner demons. Even when I passed my Inner Demon Tribulation, it still existed. After my master died, I began to look at things differently."

"Although I became needed by the sect, there was no one to compliment me or stroke my head anymore. I started to become detached, I felt myself growing colder and colder. I began to see everything in a logical stating, from man to man, from earth to earth, from heaven to heaven, and eventually, I became an Immortal Monarch after completing my Dao of Heaven, Earth, Man. I don't know how those days came to pass. I live my life like a golem, only focusing on becoming stronger and perfecting my Dao. Just like my master wanted."

"Something things happened, and an accident occurred. Eventually, you were born. When you were born, I didn't know what to do. I still don't. But you were smart and brilliant, unlike me. Did you know? Every time you talked about me to others, I heard you? Whenever you said I was strong, my heart beat faster; when you said that you were proud to have me as a mother, tears streamed down my cheek? Every time you spoke of me, I was happy. Happier than when master compliment, happier than any day of my life."

Mengfei hugged Tianyi even stronger.

"Yi'er, I'm happy that you were born to me. I am a worthless mother... but thank you... for being my son."

Chapter 77: Departure

Through circumstances out of his control, Yan Nie found himself being grouped with the Fleeting Mist Sect. After gaining victory, Yan Nie didn't expect the Fleeting Mist Sect to be assaulted by an enemy sect.

Had the Fleeting Mist Sect reneged on their promise and attempt to silence him, Yan Nie would have found the attack helpful in his escape. But now, he just found it annoying since he was implicated in the invasion.

He felt very out of place among the sea of Fleeting Mist Sect disciples. Although none of them showed him hostility as a result of the invasion and the subsequent eruption of the pillar of light, they did not mingle with him either. Yan Nie could leave, but it would definitely be seen as rude or possibly hostile if he just so left without talking to Pan Lanyue. At the very least, he was given a nice room to stay in, and the density of spiritual qi was very abundant.

"Disciple."

Yan Nie bolted upright from his bed at the sound of his master's voice. "Master, you've finally responded! I tried to contact you, but you didn't respond."

The ghostly image of Immortal Pillrabbit helplessly shrugged. "If I responded, my existence would have likely been discovered by her."

"Who?" Yan Nie asked, curious as to who would be able to sense his master's presence. Although his master was only a soul at the moment, his master was still an Immortal.

"Sword Empress Xi, never in my dreams had I imagine that she would appear here." Immortal Pillrabbit muttered.

"Sword Empress Xi?" Yan Nie asked, having never heard of her.

"You probably never heard of her, having lived in this remote region. Sword Empress Xi is the Grand Elder of the Buzhou Immortal Sect and publicly acclaimed number one Immortal in the Huang Realm. All those in the Immortal Realm should have heard of her. She is fearsome, able to strike anywhere in the Huang Realm at a notice." As Immortal Pillrabbit spoke, there was a sense of admiration in his voice.

"Hehe, master, you seem to know about Sword Empress Xi." Yan Nie teased.

"Of course, she is the publically acclaimed number one beauty after all." Immortal Pillrabbit shamelessly said. "But, I didn't expect Sword Empress Xi to have a child."

"How would you know?" Yan Nie asked. "And why would Sword Empress Xi even come here?"

Immortal Pillrabbit shook his head. "I suspected that she came for that pillar of light, the Sovereign Nine Yin Lotus."

"Sovereign Nine Yin Lotus?" Yan Nie repeated, never having heard of it.

"Indeed," Immortal Pillrabbit said, a sense of excitement jolting throughout his body. "One of the top ten lotuses of the universe! You can use it to concoct a pill that can directly make a mortal ascend to immortality!"

Yan Nie felt his breath hitch. The goal of all cultivators was to reach that distant realm, but how many cultivators would be able to reach that realm? But just by using a pill, a mortal could accomplish what so many cultivators dreamed of.

Immortal Pillrabbit chuckled. "Of course, using the Sovereign Nine Lotus as an ingredient to concoct an Immortality Ascension Pill is just sheer extravagance."

"Hold on, Master said that Sword Empress Xi had a child. Who is he?" Yan Nie asked with excitement coloring his face.

Seeing his disciple's gossipy face, Immortal Pillrabbit chuckled while he stroked his long white beard. "You've met him before. We even discussed him before."

"We have?" Yan Nie looked down as he searched his thoughts. He suddenly snapped his head back up. Among the people they discussed related to Sword Empress Xi, there was only one. "Xi Tianyi!"

Immortal Pillrabbit nodded. "That does explain his talent. It'd be harder to be average even if you tried if you were born as Sword Empress Xi's son."

Yan Nie felt his breath hitched. The boy from ten years ago, now a young man, revealed his brilliance during the Five Poison Sect invasion. There was a sense of fiery competitiveness ignited within Yan Nie as if telling him not to fall behind.

"But Sword Empress Xi's son really exceeds one's expectations. In ten years, who would have thought that he would have reached the Nascent Soul Realm, although only at the early stage. A twenty-year old Nascent Soul Grandmaster, he has surpassed Sword Empress' record." Immortal Pillrabbit continued as he stroked his beard.

"When he unleashed his attack, I sensed something even more. It is amazing that one so young could comprehend the Dao of Lighting to such an extent, but for him to have control over Tribulation Essence. Not simple at all."

"Control of Tribulation Essence?" Yan Nie asked.

"What makes a Heavenly Tribulation a Heavenly Tribulation? It is because it is embued with the Tribulation Essence of the Heavenly Dao! For Sword Empress Xi's son, no, Xi Tianyi to usurp the power of the Heavenly Dao! What audacity!" Immortal Pillrabbit laughed carefreely. "Furthermore, he even used it to summon the Heavenly Tribulation of the invading sect! Although he is still young, the title of Junior Tribulation Lord is quite befitting."

Immortal Pillrabbit glanced at the quiet Yan Nie. "How does it feel? Knowing there is someone younger than you but has such amazing power and potential?"

"I'll just have to work harder." Yan Nie said. "My Myriad Flame Convergence Manual is not inferior to any Heavenly Spiritual Vein or peak cultivation manual. Once I merge enough flames, I don't believe I cannot surpass Xi Tianyi. Although I might not be his match when I become an Immortal, I will surpass him one day. Didn't you say it before, Master? Some geniuses are quick to reach the Immortal Realm, but they stagnate, not being able to surpass those that ascend later than them. Xi Tianyi may not be such a genius, but the more time I have, the greater my potential and power."

"Indeed. Once you reach the pinnacle of the Myriad Flame Convergence Manual and form the Divine Flame, not even Sword Empress Xi will be your opponent." Immortal Pillrabbit nodded his head, satisfied. He hadn't mentioned Xi Tianyi to deliver a shock to Yan Nie, but rather to motivate him. If Yan Nie had really sunk into shock, then he, Immortal Pillrabbit, would have really been disappointed in him.

"But it seems that you can no longer stay in the Northern Region." Immortal Pillrabbit said. Seeing Yan Nie's confusion, he elaborated. "The appearance of the Sovereign Nine Yin Lotus is both a blessing and a disaster. In the near future, the northern region and the surrounding land will become a battleground of Immortals. At this level, even at my level, I would not dare to intrude."

Yan Nie showed a shocked expression. "Then what should we do? My clan is still here!"

Immortal Pillrabbit deeply looked at him. "Leave, pack up and leave. The farther, the better."

Yan Nie furrowed his brows. To leave meant abandoning the roots of his clan. From the records of the Yan Clan, they should have existed in Jingyang City for over a thousand years. To just pack up and leave did not seem possible. But he trusted his Master's judgment, so Yan Nie would convince the family elders to leave.

But before Yan Nie could think anymore, a knock outside his room broke him out. Immortal Pillrabbit dissipated and returned inside his ring.

"Who is it?" Yan Nie called out.

"Guest Yan, I am a junior brother of senior sister Pan. I've come to inform you that senior sister Pan has awoken." The voice sounded older than Yan Nie's. Sure enough, the person outside looked older than Yan Nie but had a lower cultivation base than him.

Yan Nie followed the Fleeting Mist Sect disciple. When he saw Pan Lanyue once more, she was no longer wearing the pink dress during the battle but pale yellow clothing. Her spiritual had a hint of the all-encompassing heavens. If she had not entered the Spiritual Crucible Stage, then she would soon.

"You're up." Yan Nie said after a moment of silence between the two.

"Yes," Lanyue said. Suddenly she abruptly stood up, shocking Yan Nie, and gave a deep bow towards the shocked man. "I offer you my apologies. Ten years ago, I was deeply immature, and for my cheap pride, I committed a grave mistake against you."

Yan Nie finally had the apologies that he had been waiting ten years for, but hearing it rang hollow to his ears. Yan Nie shook his head. "You don't need to apologize. Back then, I also let my temper get the better of me. Let's just forget about it."

"I cannot just forget about it, I must make up for my mistake." Lanyue insisted.

Yan Nie frowned. "Look, back then, both of us were in the wrong. Let's pretend it never happened and go about our life."

"I cannot. As a princess of the Pan Family, I cannot just pretend it never happened." Lanyue said, standing upright with a frown.

"Look! Just forget it, I don't need your apologies anymore!" Yan Nie said.

"And I said, I have to apologize. Just accept my apologies already! I intend to keep my promise!" Lanyue rebutted.

When Tianyi walked in with Daoyi, he was met with the sight of the two arguing, much like ten years ago. Only this time, instead of a broken engagement, the topic was about accepting apologies. He felt the edge of his lips twitch at the scene.

"You know," Tianyi said, causing Lanyue and Yan Nie to stop and stare at Tianyi, who had arrived without their notice. "Usually, you demand people to apologize and not force them to accept your apology or telling them not to apologize."

Daoyi giggled at Tianyi, upon seeing the embarrassed face of Lanyue and Yan Nie.

Lanyue and Yan Nie's gazes intersected for a moment, and electricity seemed to have sparked between them before the two turned their head away from each other with a "hmpf."

Tianyi chuckled. "Sister Pan, I've come to say goodbye. Seems like I won't be able to stay any longer like before."

Lanyue nodded. She had already heard of the upcoming battle of Immortals. Not just Tianyi, but the whole Fleeting Mist Sect will also leave the Northern Regions for the time being. Thankfully, Mengfei had prepared a mobile Sect Guardian Formation for them. As long as Sect Master Yun carried the anchor for the formation and enough spirit stones, then they would not have to worry about being assaulted during their travels.

Both Yan Nie and Lanyue noticed that the corners of Tianyi's eyes were a little red. Despite their curiosity, the two ultimately decided not to ask.

For one, Tianyi was a Nascent Soul Grandmaster and would not appreciate them asking about his reddened eyes, which most likely came from crying.

Tianyi gave Yan Nie a deep look. "Sister Pan, Yan Nie, the battle between you two was magnificent. I don't think I ever saw such a battle in my life before."

Lanyue and Yan Nie both gave a surprised look. They were just Foundation Establishment Disciples, for a Nascent Soul Grandmaster like Tianyi, their battle must have looked like two children fighting one another.

"I have a feeling that one of you might ascend to immortality. But naturally, I'll become an immortal before the two of you. So I'll be waiting." Tianyi said.

For a Nascent Soul Grandmaster to predict the rise of a new immortal was laughable. But Tianyi was the son of Sword Empress Xi, and the confidence behind his voice could not be doubted.

As for the second part of his statement, neither Yan Nie nor Lanyue doubted the rise of a new Immortal, known as Tianyi. Should Tianyi not meet any pitfalls, then his ascension would be destiny.

After saying goodbye, Mengfei sent Elder Shan, Tianyi, and Daoyi back to the sect while she waited near the Sovereign Nine Yin Lotus for the arrival of her peers.

Chapter 78: Reactions from Three Continents

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.

Chapter 79: Immortals Gather

Within the Heaven Continent existed Ten Great Sects. The strongest was the hegemonic Buzhou Immortal Sect. The other nine sects were the first-rate sects of the continent.

As with the Earth Continent, not every sect was under the control of the local hegemonic sect. Six of nine first-rate sects were Vassal Sects of the Buzhou Immortal Sect. The last three: Cloud Goddess Cult, Drifting Feather Sect, and Five Element Sect were not under the control of the Buzhou Immortal Sect.

Despite the vast difference in power between the two forces, the Anti-Heaven Alliance managed to survive due to several conditions: the inner conflict between the six Vassal Sects, the Buzhou Immortal Sect's indifference towards the Anti-Heaven Alliance, and the power of the Cloud Goddess.

The Cloud Goddess, formerly the Soaring Cloud Monarch, ascended and became a Divinity through special means.

Mortals cultivate to become Immortals, and Immortals cultivate to become Divinities. The mortal stage had six realms, while the Immortal stages had four realms. Immortal Emperors were immortals in the third realm.

However, despite becoming a Divinity, the Cloud Goddess's power was only equal to that of an Immortal Emperor's. Still, that strength allowed the Cloud Goddess to become one of the peak experts of the Huang Realm, although her power was laughably weak for a Divinity.

It was said that the Soaring Cloud Monarch had used a shortcut or loophole in order to become a Divinity, and that was the price she paid.

Within the Cloud Goddess Cult and in the Sacred Hall, atop a wooden couch lay the Cloud Goddess. Skin that shone like moonlight with a single blemish, dazzling eyes that contained the very skies and curves brought out by her white dress, should she walk the streets, no one would doubt her as a goddess based on beauty alone.

The Sacred Hall was constructed out of white marble and gilded in gold designs with murals depicting the Cloud Goddess. The whole room seemed to glow with a golden light that seemed similar to the light Karmic Virtue yet intrinsically different.

Her eyes were staring out into the distance, seeing through the solid structure surrounding her.

Footsteps rang, and a man wearing white robes entered the Sacred Hall and bowed before the Cloud Goddess. "Your holiness, we have received word from the Drifting Feather Sect and the Five Element Sect concerning the information relating to the birth of a treasure in the Northern Region. They are asking for directions."

The Cloud Goddess' long eyelashes trembled as she sank deep into thought. Throughout this time, the stately man below her kept his rigid bow without a change in posture.

He exuded the aura of an Immortal, but there was something different about him from other Immortals on a fundamental level.

Finally, the Cloud Goddess opened her eyes once more. "Inform the Drifting Feather Sect and the Five Element Sect that they should not interfere. I sense Sword Empress Xi and Empress Voidink already at the location. Even as I speak, more and more Immortal Monarchs and even an Immortal Emperor are arriving. It is no longer something we can contest for."

"Understood!" The man said as he retreated but was stopped by the Cloud Goddess.

"Wait, inform them not to send any Immortal Monarchs as we cannot afford to weaken ourselves at this juncture. The Buzhou Immortal Sect may be indifferent, but the other Vassal Sects aren't. I will go and, if possible, claim the treasure. Even if I can't, I will not let the others from the Heaven Continent claim the Sovereign Nine Yin Lotus. Now go."

After the man left, the Cloud Goddess closed her eyes as if drifting away into sleep.

In the Northern Region near the location of the pillar of light, clouds began to conglomerate. Clouds that resemble feather, cotton-like clouds, mist-like clouds, all sorts of clouds started to gather at a single point. It was as if all the clouds within thousands of miles had all gathered into a single point.

Slowly at first, the sphere of clouds began to change until it became humanoid and formed a near-exact copy of the Cloud Goddess.

The Cloud Goddess opened her eyes and looked around. She could sense several Immortal Monarchs and a few Immortal Emperor. A few also detected her presence due to the considerable commotion she caused.

As a Divinity, her presence was different. Unless you had special means, Immortals were generally unable to sense her presence, much like how a mortal would not be able to sense an Immortal with their spiritual sense.

The Cloud Goddess looked away from the probes and raised her hand. Clouds started to form above her and created a literal castle atop the clouds. Its walls were like marble, and it exuded a holy aura. When the Cloud Goddess was about to enter the castle, she paused and looked back.

The space in front of the cloud castle began to twist and distort, and a spiral unraveled. From within the hole formed walked out an elderly looking man. The Cloud Goddess towered over the man, being three times his size.

"Monarch Yonderheart," The Cloud Goddess greeted. "I thought I told the Five Element Sect to stay back." There was neither anger nor disappointment in her voice as if Monarch Yonderheart was not someone of the Anti-Heaven Alliance.

Monarch Yonderheart smiled and cupped his hands towards the Cloud Goddess. "My apologies. But as one of the two Grand Elders of the Five Element Sect, I had to try my chances. Nothing more than testing my luck, if things go south, I will retreat."

The Drifting Feather Sect had one Grand Elder, a single Immortal Monarch, while the Five Element Sect had two. Since they had two, the Five Element Sect was able to be more liberal in deploying their Immortal Monarchs.

In addition, Monarch Yonderheart was one of the rare Immortal Monarchs who completed his ascension using the Dao of Space.

It was said that when Monarch Yonderheart was young, he traveled throughout the Heaven Continent and even the Earth and Mortal Continents. He was deeply moved by his experience and wanted to travel to the places he traveled before and those that he never visited. This pursuit led him to master the Dao of Space. Before he knew it, he became an Immortal Monarch.

The Dao of Space was skilled in evasion; this undoubtedly played a large role in why Monarch Yonderheart came.

"Just be careful. You are one of the four Monarchs of the Alliance. You should prioritize your survival above all else."

Monarch Yonderheart nodded. "I will heed the Cloud Goddess's words."

Mengfei rested her head on her left hand; beneath her floated a couch. The Fleeting Mist Sect had long departed from their former headquarters. Now all that was left was an empty mountain with uninhibited structures.

Her right sleeve still concealed her missing arm while the white sword casket floated next to her. Mengfei opened her eyes until it was half-lidded as if she was still half asleep.

In front of her, the painting of a beautiful woman wearing white with snow-like hair appeared. As if by miracle, the mesmerizing woman stepped out of the painting and became a reality.

"Grand Elder Zhang." Mengfei nodded, her movement sluggish.

Zhang Cuiying stopped and observed Xi Mengfei. Previously from her perspective, Mengfei was like an unsheathed sword without a sheathe. It was always attacking with no rest. Although such a sword was sharp and the perfect weapon, that sharpness made it incredibly brittle.

Just as it seemed that the sword known as Xi Mengfei would begin to crack and shatter, she suddenly came back to the sect one day with a new life in her womb.

It was subtle, but it was as if the treasured sword had found its sheath. No longer was it always bare, ready to draw blood. But compared to before, Mengfei was in a unique state.

Zhang Cuiying couldn't observe any of the usual sharpness from Mengfei, as if she had lost it all. But that was impossible; her edge could not be so easily lost. Although Mengfei exuded no aura and seemed to be an ordinary mortal, if devastatingly beautiful, there was no doubt something had changed.

Zhang Cuiying turned her eyes towards the sword casket beside Mengfei. That was the largest proof. The murderous aura she sensed within it had diminished, not because it disappeared, but Mengfei was even more capable of sealing it away now.

"Grand Elder Xi." Zhang Cuiying replied. She waved her hand, and a painting of a floating boat appeared. Like before, the boat emerged from the painting and became real.

Zhang Cuiying stepped onto the deck, where a table rested. Pouring the tea into the cups, she looked towards the indolent Mengfei. "Grand Elder Xi, care for some tea?"

Mengfei didn't reply for a good while as her head nodded off. Only after a while did she speak. "No, thank you, I quite like the view here now."

Zhang Cuiying became stunned at the informal and lazy words of Mengfei. She almost wanted to ask, who are you, and what have you done with Xi Mengfei?

The days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. Mengfei continued to laze around indolently as if months hadn't passed, and she was only resting mere moments. Zhang Cuiying sat in her Immortal Boat, tasting tea while drawing when the whims visited her. Sometimes she would even write down a few poems when the mood struck her.

Mengfei half-lidded eyes turned towards the distance at the same time as Zhang Cuiying. The clouds had gathered and formed the Cloud Goddess.

It was the first Immortal Emperor level expert not from the Buzhou Immortal Sect to arrive. But the two Grand Elders of the Buzhou Immortal Sect did nothing as if on unspoken agreements. Currently, any stray attacks could land on the blossoming Sovereign Nine Yin Lotus. While it was in this stage, the Sovereign Nine Yin Lotus was incredibly fragile to the point that a Unity Realm Venerable would be able to destroy under certain conditions.

The arrival of the Cloud Goddess seemed to have become an unspoken signal. The pittance of Immortal Monarchs began to appear in pairs or even groups.

Mengfei, Zhang Cuiying, and Cloud Goddess all turned towards the distance where the sound of thunder rang in the cloudless sky. A man walked in the air, each step seemed small, but he moved over thousands of miles with each step accompanied by the thunderclap.

His appearance was ordinary, and he wore linen robes. But his eyes were crackling blue and in each eye, lightning dragons swam within. He was Eternal Night Emperor, the founder of the Extremity Night Sect and leader of the Anti-Earth Alliance. The Immortal Emperor of the Eight Pillars Sect did not dare to appear, but the Extremity Night Emperor did. It was as if he was not afraid of the Eight Pillars Sect assaulting them while he was gone.

Like the three Immortal Emperor level experts who had arrived before him, Eternal Night Emperor quietly waited for the completion of the Sovereign Nine Yin Lotus.

Time started to pass once more. That was until a youth in a red robe and a horn on his forehead appeared.

Mengfei's eyes snapped open, her previous lazy appearance gone, and a murderous aura enveloped her. She lifted her head and, with her freed left hand, swiped down.

The skies above Monarch Soulfish distorted, and a sword as if formed by heaven itself descended. The sword did not seem out of place, but rather as if it had always existed, and there was nothing wrong with the scene.

None felt it more than Monarch Soulfish, himself. He felt as if his body was pulling itself to the tip of the heaven-born sword.

Even his own thoughts betrayed him. Everything in his mind told him that "I will get pierced by the sword no matter what I do."

"Graa...YAHHHHHHH"

With a yell, Monarch Soulfish's body ballooned into a giant red fish with a horn atop its head. His body became transparent, and the sword seemingly harmlessly passed through his body and into the ground below. The sword did not damage the earth and instead merged into the ground.

Once the sword passed, Monarch Soulfish returned to his original form. But his skin was pale and blood leaked from his lips. His aura was in disarray, and he stared at Mengfei in shock. But he didn't have any more time to think as he felt the sky above him once again begin to warp.

With an unresigned expression, he dissolved into space like a phantom disappearing.

"Monarch Soulfish, did you really think I would not attack just because the Sovereign Nine Yin Lotus is still incomplete?" Mengfei's voice could be heard as if heaven was announcing them. "You tried to steal my son's soul. This grudge will not be forgotten. Pray that you don't appear before me again."

Chapter 80: Sovereign Nine Yin Lotus Matures

Zhang Cuiying hid her surprise when she saw Xi Mengfei's second sword strike. Or rather, she sensed the ripples from the aftereffects. The Huang Realm was far too large for even an Immortal Empress like her to cover in her immortal sense.

Xi Mengfei's Dao of Heaven, Earth, and Man was infamous to the other Immortals of the Huang Realm. With her Dao as a foundation, as long as she could sense you, she could unleash an attack no matter the distance. Without Zhang Cuiying noticing, Mengfei's sensory abilities had already surpassed hers.

Xi Mengfei's title as the strongest expert Immortal of the Huang Realm wasn't officially recognized by other Immortal Emperors. At their level, Immortal Emperor ranked experts wouldn't care for a fleeting title such as the strongest of the realm.

The prestige came from the words of the Immortal Monarchs and True Immortals. And the most terrifying aspect of Sword Empress Xi was her ability to manipulate destiny. She wouldn't even need to attack personally, and her target would still die. Her targets would mysteriously suffer horrid luck or enter danger zones beyond their abilities. As long as you were weaker than her, the Sword Empress could kill you without even moving a finger.

At least that was the general consensus.

"Did you kill him?" Zhang Cuiying asked.

The number of cultivators that passed their immortal ascension was already few, barely one in a thousand years. In the lower realms, it was even worse. Perhaps, even after a million years, not even one would be able to become an Immortal and ascend to the Huang Realm.

And among those Immortals, the number capable of rising to become Immortal Monarchs were even fewer. Each Immortal Monarch was the result of a horrifying amount of resources and time. If one died, it would not be a lie to say that the power balance would change.

But Immortal Soulfish was a loose Immortal Monarch, so his death wouldn't bring too much impact with how low profile he was. It would have been another story if Begonia Tower had still existed.

Begonia Tower was a former first-rate sect that drifted in the endless seas. Terrifyingly, all of their cultivators were soul cultivators. Monarch Soulfish was the sole survivor of the Begonia Tower's demise, and it is said that the Immortal Emperor Ranked Artifact, the Soul Pagoda, he carried was refined from the former base of Begonia Tower.

"No," Mengfei's half-lidded eyes began to droop, and her breathing slowed. "He disappeared, I can no longer sense...him..."

Zhang Cuiying didn't know whether to laugh or cry, seeing the usually stoic and famed Sword Empress act so sleepy in such a situation. Her earlier attacks had agitated many Immortal Monarchs and True Immortals, causing them to heighten their guard. There was even a slight chance that the battle would start prematurely and disrupt the Sovereign Nine Yin Lotus's maturation.

She released a hidden sigh of relief after no battle erupted. Like this, the tension started to ease slowly but never did it entirely disappear.

As time passed, the pillar of light started to dim. The size of the pillar also began to decrease until it was as thin as a silk strand. Nevertheless, that single strand shone like liquified light.

All parties observing the phenomenon tensed. The moment the light disappeared, the Sovereign Nine Yin Lotus would be fully mature.

The fragrance of lotus began to disperse from the light. It stretched far and wide until it nearly fully enveloped the whole Heaven Continent. Then the light disappeared.

But from the ground where the light vanished, a blinding yet gentle light erupted. At the center of this light, a silver-white lotus resided. Each of its nine petals shone like the moon, giving off the feeling of etherealness.

At this instant, space around the flower began to distort, and a hole appeared in the fabric of reality. From within the hole, the aged face of Monarch Yonderheart appeared with his hand stretched out towards the Sovereign Nine Yin Lotus.

However midway, space fractured. An Immortal clad in bronze armor charged in towards Monarch Yonderheart with a punch. He was Monarch Warpath and someone who ascended cultivating the martial way.

His fist seemed ordinary as if it were just an ordinary punch. In fact, it was just a normal punch. But Monarch Warpath's body was cultivated to achieve the greatest physical strength, combined with his flawless technique; not even Immortal Emperors could boast a stronger martial prowess stronger than him.

Monarch Yonderheart frowned, and his body disappeared back into the hole. He wasn't disappointed. In the first place, he hadn't really expected to be able to snatch Sovereign Nine Yin Lotus under everyone's eyes. He just didn't expect a martial Immortal Monarch to be the one to stop him.

Monarch Warpath snorted before he quickly flew towards the Sovereign Nine Yin Lotus.

But before he could reach it, flames descended from the sky and formed a barrier that blocked Monarch Warpath's way. Monarch Warpath roared and punched the flame wall. The wall distorted for several moments before returning to normal.

"Hmpf, a bunch of weaklings banding together won't change anything!"

The three True Immortals who were closest to the Sovereign Nine Yin Lotus all frowned. They were from the same sect and were relatively well known. Although individually, they weren't an Immortal Monarch's match but together they could defeat an Immortal Monarch. The three were known as the Three Phoenix Brothers.

Monarch Warpath didn't care, and his body seemed to grow larger than life. But this was only an illusion felt by the spectators. He released a breath and a tornado formed from his exhaled air. He punched towards the three, his fist never reached them, but the force generated reached all the way towards the three Immortals.

The Three Phoenix Brothers felt as if a mountain had just crashed into them, not just any mountain but a mountain over ten million miles large. Their faces paled dramatically as they vomited large mouthfuls of blood.

Although it seemed as if they only vomited blood, but they knew the attack from Monarch Warpath had nearly pulverized all their internal organs.

When a cultivator became an Immortal, unless they had a unique method, injuries were even harder to heal than when they were a mortal.

But there was a reason the three of them were called the Three Phoenix Brothers. Gentle flames engulfed the trio, and when the flames disappeared, their injuries were all gone. But the fear never left their face as they retreated from the battle.

Monarch Warpath continued onto his way, the flame wall long gone.

But before he could continue, a hammer smashed towards him. He growled and directly punched the hammer and caused it to falter and fly back a little.

"Indeed known as the Monarch closest to becoming an Emperor." The speaker was a topless man with a body full of bulging muscles and countless scars.

"Monarch Hungerwolf." Monarch Warpath said.

"Today, let this Immortal taste your strength." Monarch Hungerwolf let go of the hammer and open his mouth. Immediately, an incredible suction force appeared.

Monarch Hungerwolf called himself this because of two reasons. First, he cultivated in the martial way using the blood of a Taotie, which granted him the ability to use the innate devouring ability of the Demon. The second was because he was a loose cultivator who hungered for battle. Rather than the Sovereign Nine Yin Lotus, Monarch Hungerwolf was more interested in fighting Monarch Warpath.

Monarch Warpath gritted his teeth as steam began to roll off his skin. His whole body became red, and the aura of bloodlust enveloped him, causing him to appear like a diety of slaughter.

On another side after Monarch Warpath repelled Monarch Yonderheart, three Immortal Monarchs and a single True Immortal were battling. Three of them were teaming up to attack a single Immortal Monarch.

Monarch Underheaven grunted as he carefully repelled the three Immortals' assault. He was a loose cultivator who would do anything to facilitate his path. Lying, murder, betrayal, he had no bottom line.

The three other Immortals were part of an orthodox sect, and seeing a cultivator of the demonic way, they wordlessly agreed to deal with him first.

It wasn't just these two battles, but numerous other battles were taking place simultaneously.

The strangest thing was that none of the Immortal Emperors or the Cloud Goddess acted. They should have been the first one to act. Of course, their first action would be to enter the Vast Void before fighting.

At their current realm, any attacks would bring countless changes to the Huang Realm, and thus it became an unspoken rule that whenever two Immortal Emperor ranked experts fought, they do so in the Vast Void.

But none of them acted. The reason was because of Xi Mengfei. When the Sovereign Nine Yin Lotus matured, she didn't react at all as if truly sleeping.

Seeing the Sword Empress not move, none of the Immortal Emperors moved either. What if while they were fighting in the Vast Void, she struck and took the Sovereign Nine Yin Lotus?

As time passed, the tension between the Immortal Emperors became heavy. Eternal Night Emperor and the Cloud Goddess shared a look before looking at Zhang Cuiying and Mengfei.

Zhang Cuiying felt their stares as if they were asking her why Mengfei wasn't moving. She wanted to say she didn't know either but could only close her mouth. To her, it was obvious that Mengfei had entered a strange state, as if in the process of enlightenment.

Finally, she couldn't wake any longer. She would compete with the Cloud Goddess and Eternal Night Emperor to determine who would snatch the Sovereign Nine Yin Lotus. As for Mengfei?

If she didn't move at all, Zhang Cuiying was sure that she could convince Mengfei to cede the Sovereign Nine Yin Lotus to her. She could even compensate her with the treasures she had gathered in her lifetime.

Having made up her mind, Zhang Cuiying stored her immortal boat away and started to ascend towards the Vast Void. The Cloud Goddess and Eternal Night Emperor shared a look before glancing at Mengfei, before they, too, ascended towards the Vast Void.

Hurricanes clashed against disastrous tornadoes. Volcanoes erupted hot magma into lightning storms. White and black seemed to have reversed at points while at other times, colors seemed to have stopped existing. Light and darkness reversed.

Rather than a fight between Immortals, it seemed more like living calamities clashing against one another.

This was the scene that Yan Nie bored witnessed to, even as he was fleeing from the Pan Kingdom and the Northern Region as a whole. He could not believe his eyes.

Yan Nie had bore witness to the techniques of Unity Realm Venerables, but compared to that, this level of battle was even more incomprehensible to him.

"Master, is this really the fight between Immortals?" Yan Nie couldn't help but question his master, his clear body floating in the air.

"Yes," Immortal Pillrabbit said, his voice quiet and strained. There was admiration within his eyes, but there was even more envy. "To be clear, what we're witnessing is a battle between many Immortal Monarchs."

"Immortal Monarchs? What about Immortal Emperors?" Yan Nie asked.

"Immortal Emperors have an iron-clad rule they follow. They will never fight within the realm itself; otherwise, their extraordinary powers will cause irrevocable changes and perhaps destroy the realm. We don't have the power to witness their power." But an Immortal Monarch did. Only Immortal Monarchs had the power to resist the Vast Void and witness such a legendary scene. Had he not been schemed against, he would have been able to participate.

Suddenly Immortal Pillrabbit's face scrunched and twisted.

"Master, what's wrong!" Yan Nie asked, sensing the agitation from him.

"Hehe, it seemed that my traitorous disciple is also participating in the battle. It'd be best he gets killed here. Otherwise, once I regain my power and become an Immortal Monarch, he will wish to have his soul dispersed!"

Chapter 81: Dao Debate

Zhang Cuiying, Eternal Night Emperor, and the Cloud Goddess all disappeared into the void. Upon seeing this, the fighting between the Immortals began to intensify.

Immortal Monarchs and True Immortals who had been watching from the sideline all started to take action. Even Monarch Yonderheart, who had retreated after being thwarted by Monarch Warpath, felt his hands grow itchy.

But at the instant, the area surrounding the Sovereign Nine Yin lotus became dark like it was night. The white clouds within created a stark contrast against the blackness. And all the Immortals within the area all froze as if they had become still figures in a painting.

From the clouds, lighting descended and struck all the Immortal within the area within the "night." Afterward, the night, the clouds, and the suffocating feeling disappeared as if it had never happened in the first place.

But the Immortals who had been struck by lightning all retreated. Their skin was charred and burned, their armor and clothing in rags, and blood continuously leaked from their mouth and wounds. No one dared to think that it was all an illusion.

But while the True Immortals left to treat their wounds. The Immortal Monarchs all had their own methods and immediately started to heal themselves. Although their injuries seemed serious, it was nothing to people of their rank as the attack was meant as a warning. They all stayed behind in the hope that while all the Immortal Emperor level experts fought, they may have a chance to snatch the prize.

A few Immortal Monarchs glanced over at the resting Mengfei. Her lack of movement and complete ease made her stand out against the chaotic battlefield, but no one dared to near her. The warning from earlier was still fresh in their minds.

Outside in the Vast Void, the three Immortal Emperor level experts stared at each other, and a tense silence descended.

A three-way standoff was occurring.

Logically speaking, Zhang Cuiying and the Cloud Goddess should team up against the Eternal Night Emperor since both of them originated from the Heaven Continent.

While this may hold true for those at the Immortal Monarch level and below, but for Immortal Emperor level experts, instead of considering which continent they originated from, they saw the whole Huang Realm as one place instead of being separated into three or four territories. So to have Immortal Emperors team up based on being from the same continent was foolhardy.

At the same time, the Cloud Goddess and Zhang Cuiying were even in a slightly hostile relationship according to the politics of the Heaven Continent. The Cloud Goddess should be more inclined to allow Eternal Night Emperor to attain the Sovereign Nine Yin Lotus than Zhang Cuiying.

At the same time, the Eternal Night Emperor and the Cloud Goddess should be wary of Mengfei, who was still in the Huang Realm doing nothing. If either one teamed up against the other with Zhang Cuiying, when Mengfei came, they would face a two against one situation.

"Allowing a limitless fight between us will benefit no one." Zhang Cuiying was the first to speak.

"Indeed, the Eight Pillars Sect will probably hope for such a thing to happen." Eternal Night Emperor said.

The Cloud Goddess said nothing but her silence was her consent.

"Then what do you propose we do? I hope you aren't suggesting we offer it up to you." Eternal Night Monarch said. He was smiling, but there was nothing in his smile that said he would assent to such an action.

"Of course not. We will not compete with our strength but with our Dao." Zhang Cuiying said as she sat in a lotus position. "Each of us will bring out a technique or treasure. Whoever can make the other two acknowledge their mastery will win."

"Instead of a fight, we conduct a Dao Debate instead." Eternal Night Monarch said. "Very well, I agree. It will be my honor to debate the Dao with a Grand Elder of the Immortal Buzhou Sect and the only Divinity of the Huang Realm."

The Cloud Goddess hesitated before sighing. She also agreed. Eternal Night Emperor followed Zhang Cuiying's example and sat in a lotus position while the Cloud Goddess lay on her side.

"Since I suggested this, I'll go first." Zhang Cuiying pulled out a scroll from her spatial ring. She unfurled it and revealed a painting of a mountain with great spirituality. "This is a treasure I recently forged; please advise."

Eternal Night Emperor caught the painting that Zhang Cuiying had thrown over and inspected. The two others stayed silent as they allowed Eternal Night Emperor to examine the mountain painting scroll.

"Impressive." Eternal Night Emperor said finally. "Empress Voidink, all Daos lead to the same path. This treasure forged by you exemplifies it. Although it is created from the Dao of Painting, the effects resembled the Dao of Spacetime and allowed you to forge a minor world. Not just spacetime, but other many Daos including the Five Elements."

Eternal Night Emperor then threw the mountain painting scroll towards the Cloud Goddess. She caught it and also began to examine the treasure.

After inspecting it, she also spoke. "Although it is a minor world and the space is greater than most, there is no Dao at its core. No life will originate from here, and no Heavenly Tribulations can occur here. But for the Dao of Painting to reach such a degree is impressive and eye-opening. My horizons have been expanded."

The mountain painting scroll returned to Zhang Cuiying.

Before the next person could show off their next technique or treasure, Eternal Night Emperor waved his hand, and a bubble created from the night surrounded and cut them off from the rest of the void.

There was no intent to attack from the technique, so Zhang Cuiying or the Cloud Goddess did not do anything to stop Eternal Night Emperor.

"My apologies," Eternal Night Emperor said. "I felt someone scrying us and moved to block them."

"The Night Shroud is impressive as always. If I had not seen it formed, I would not have been able to discern it so easily." Zhang Cuiying praised.

"Just a paltry trick, nothing that can be used to compete." Eternal Night Emperor said. "Cloud Goddess, how about you go next?"

The Cloud Goddess nodded and followed the Eternal Night Emperor's, the eldest among them, suggestion. From her sleeve, a dense purple cloud with a golden glow materialized.

"East Originating Purple Qi Auspicious Cloud." The cloud expanded, and until it enveloped both Zhang Cuiying and Eternal night Emperor.

"Just from being in touch with it, I can sense my Karmic Virtue increasing. This...?" As Zhang Cuiying spoke, she stopped as she realized the true effects of the cloud.

"Luck altering Fate." Eternal Night Emperor said. "The holder of this cloud can even fool the Heavenly Dao and cause the Heavenly Dao to favor them heavily. Increased chance of pill concoction, greater benefits from Heavenly Tribulation, and a general increase in lucky encounters. The benefits will even increase the longer the user holds onto this. Not just the user, but the people close will also be affected."

Zhang Cuiying gave the Cloud Goddess a deep look. She hadn't realized that the Cloud Goddess's had such a deep foundation in the Dao of Clouds. As one in the know of how the Cloud Goddess attained Divinity, Zhang Cuiying subconsciously lowered her opinion of the Cloud Goddess.

The two Immortal Emperors examined it some and more spoke, debating the pros and cons. Soon the Cloud Goddess retracted her East Originating Purple Qi Auspicious Clouds.

Next Eternal Night Emperor didn't take out a treasure and instead held out his hand. A piece of the void was separated into a sphere above his hand. Before the eyes of the other two, the space within the sphere began to change. Time began to revert until the Vast Void within the sphere was no longer the Vast Void but the Primordial Void.

"Eon Reversion Art." Eternal Night Emperor smiled and said. "My technique does not mimic the effect of the other Dao but goes to the extreme. It is even capable of reverting the time within an area back to the Primordial Era."

Within the Huang Realm in the Northern Region of the Heaven Continent, the battle continued to grow more chaotic. Weeks had already passed. The True Immortals had long retreated, and only Immortal Monarchs remained. Although the participants had lessened, the intensity had only increased.

Monarch Warpath still raged in the battle against another Immortal Monarch. His aura and immortal qi had decreased, but his ferocity had only increased. Just as he was charging up a killer move against his trapped opponent, he stopped and glared at where the Sovereign Nine Yin Lotus was.

"WHAT GALL!!!" He bellowed out in extreme rage and punched towards the area. An illusionary giant, the size of a mountain, appeared above him and punched.

This was the War Manifestation technique of Monarch Warpath.

At where the Sovereign Nine Yin Lotus was, an ordinary-looking Immortal Monarch had successfully evaded all detection from the other Immortal Monarchs and reached the Sovereign Nine Yin Lotus. He ignored the pressure from Monarch Warpath's War Manifestation and uprooted the Sovereign Nine Yin Lotus.