Chapter 838: Yan Hui

"Taichu Holy King, have you decided? If you accept Dazhen as a vassal, I, Zhong Shan, will keep my word. After this battle, I will follow you to the Taichu Holy Court as a hostage. If you do not accept, I will still be grateful to you," Zhong Shan said solemnly.

Zhong Shan was forcing the Taichu Holy King to make a statement. Despite being only at the Celestial level, Zhong Shan had not shown any weakness in front of the numerous Great Immortals. Instead, he remained strong, from killing the first Great Immortal to confronting twenty-two more, then facing over a hundred Great Immortals. He had even crushed the Chaos Pearl they all coveted, leaving them helpless. Zhong Shan had maintained a strong attitude throughout, even now.

Everything seemed to be within Zhong Shan's calculations. He had been calm and composed from start to finish. Regardless of whether the Taichu Holy King agreed or not, Zhong Shan had already considered the consequences.

Though the events of this period seemed straightforward, few could imagine Zhong Shan's brilliance. With one hundred and sixty-one Great Immortals at the Lingxiao Heavenly Court, any one of them could have destroyed it. Yet, Zhong Shan had managed to deal with them calmly, maneuvering among them skillfully. Even with one hundred and sixty-one Great Immortals present, the Lingxiao Heavenly Court remained steadfast.

The officials of Dazhen behind Zhong Shan all showed expressions of admiration.

Now, it was up to the Taichu Holy King to make a statement.

"I need a moment to think," the Taichu Holy King said calmly.

"Please, take your time," Zhong Shan nodded, leading his ministers to step back.

He left the area to the Taichu Holy King for careful consideration. After all, accepting would mean facing the Kong family, while refusing would be an obvious sign of reluctance.

"Holy King, you must not agree!"

"Dazhen has no reason to exist!"

The officials urged the Taichu Holy King, but he raised his hand slightly, and they stopped speaking.

The Taichu Holy King looked at a man in a green robe, who appeared to be about fifty years old, with green hair at his temples and a very serene expression.

This man had not expressed an opinion throughout, and he seemed to hold a significant position in the Taichu Holy Court.

"Mr. Li, you haven't spoken. What do you think?" the Taichu Holy King asked.

Mr. Li seemed to have a pivotal role in the Taichu Holy Court. Upon the Holy King's question, everyone else fell silent, looking at Mr. Li.

"It depends on what the Holy King wants. If the Holy King wishes, then accept. If not, then do not," Mr. Li said calmly.

"I am asking for your opinion," the Taichu Holy King said seriously.

After a moment of silence, Mr. Li replied, "Regardless of whether we accept or not, the Taichu Holy Court can bear the consequences. If the Holy King must have my suggestion, I would say...!"

While the Taichu Holy King and his ministers deliberated, Zhong Shan turned to Wang Jian.

"General Wang Jian, I heard you mention earlier that Ying has also become a Holy King? The Great Qin Holy Court?" Zhong Shan asked.

"Yes, over two hundred years ago, after we left, the Holy King established the Great Qin Holy Court. However, it is somewhat different from your situation," Wang Jian replied respectfully.

"Oh? Different? Did you encounter fewer forces surrounding you?"

"The attacking forces were fewer than here, but the Holy King repelled them all," Wang Jian said.

"What was different then?"

"While the ministers of Great Qin roamed the world, they discovered a unique territory. In that region, there were eight Small Thousand Worlds. The Holy King opened all eight Small Thousand Worlds at once, establishing dominance over that territory," Wang Jian explained.

"Eight heavens opened simultaneously?" Zhong Shan was stunned. Ying was truly extraordinary, opening eight Small Thousand Worlds simultaneously?

"The Holy King often praises you as well. Our Great Qin has an eight-thousand-year legacy, yet your Dazhen has achieved so much in less than a thousand years. This is unprecedented. The Holy King asked me to deliver a message to you," Wang Jian said.

"Oh?"

"The Holy King said, 'Zhong Shan, I know you can open the heavens and quell the difficulties from all sides. I will lend you ten generals for a hundred days, and in the future, we will hunt the world together!'"

Hunt the world together in the future? Such grand ambition!

"When you return to Great Qin in a hundred days, give Ying a message for me: 'What I wish for.'" Zhong Shan said solemnly.

"Yes!"

As everyone was conversing, Shui Jing suddenly raised an eyebrow.

"Holy King, they have arrived!" Shui Jing said seriously.

"Oh? How many people?"

"Forty in total, plus a fierce beast," Shui Jing replied.

"Hmm!" Zhong Shan nodded and looked in the direction Shui Jing indicated.

The Kong family, forty Great Immortals, and a fierce beast capable of breaking into the Immortal World. The Kong family truly went all out, showing they took Zhong Shan seriously.

Soon, a fierce wind blew through, darkening the sky. As the wind dissipated, it revealed a group of people high in the sky and a colossal beast measuring a thousand feet in size.

Zhong Shan didn't recognize any of the newcomers, so he focused on the beast.

A fierce beast? A Taotie?

Wasn't Sima Ce's pet beast a Taotie as well? But that one was still in its infancy, while this one was clearly fully grown. The Taotie ranked ninety-ninth among the divine beasts of the Great Thousand World. This Taotie was far stronger than the one Zhong Shan had encountered before.

The group stopped in the southern sky, coldly staring at Zhong Shan.

The leader wore a wide black scholar's robe, his hair tied up, with a square face exuding a powerful aura. His cold eyes seemed to want to pierce through Zhong Shan or tear him apart.

The forty individuals stood in the air, their massive aura radiating outwards, pressing down with a terrifying pressure that seemed to make it hard for everyone in the Lingxiao Heavenly Court to lift their heads.

"Yan Hui! It's Yan Hui!" Wang Jian frowned.

"One of Confucius' seventy-two disciples?" Zhong Shan frowned.

"Yes, Yan Hui isn't the strongest among the seventy-two, but he is the most beloved by Confucius. His individual strength is formidable!" Wang Jian said seriously.

"Zhong Shan!" Yan Hui shouted upon arrival.

"I am he. What brings you here uninvited?" Zhong Shan asked, feigning ignorance.

"News from home says you, Zhong Shan, are cunning. Indeed, you killed my beloved disciple, Kong Lietian. What do you think I am here for?"

"Kong Lietian was killed by me, but I did not destroy his soul. Whoever obtained the Primordial Banner is the true soul-killer of Kong Lietian!" Zhong Shan took a deep breath.

"At this point, you still slander my grand-disciple?"

"Grand-disciple? Sekong?"

"Kong Sekong, the direct descendant of Kong Lietian in the Small Thousand World!"

"Hahaha, Sekong is Kong Lietian's son?" Zhong Shan suddenly burst into laughter.

Everyone looked at Zhong Shan strangely. What was he doing? Seeking death?

After a bout of laughter, Zhong Shan stopped and a sharp light flashed in his eyes.

"Very well, even if Sekong is Kong Lietian's son."

Adding crimes to someone's charge is easy. Zhong Shan knew today wouldn't end peacefully, so he didn't expose Sekong's true identity. Having Sekong, an outsider, entangle the Kong family was better than anything else!

"Taichu Holy King, have you made up your mind?" Zhong Shan suddenly turned to the Taichu Holy King.

If it weren't for the early discovery of the Taichu Holy King and Wang Jian's group, Yan Hui and the other immortals would have already slapped Zhong Shan to death.

"Taichu Holy King, this is a matter between the Kong family and Zhong Shan. You'd best not interfere, or you know the consequences of offending the Kong family!" Yan Hui said coldly.

"Offend the Kong family? Hahaha, the Kong family has already extended its reach into the Fengzhong Domain, and we still have to worry about offending the Kong family?" the Taichu Holy King said coldly.

"What do you mean?" Yan Hui replied icily.

"What do I mean? You should know very well. Forty Great Immortals and above are here; don't tell me you just arrived. I believe you forty are here to support that so-called Kong Lietian in opening the heavens. Once he opens the heavens, you would establish a Holy Court here. The Kong family and the Fengzhong Domain are so far apart. You wouldn't be here just to establish a Holy Court, would you?" the Taichu Holy King said coldly.

Yan Hui glared at the Taichu Holy King.

Upon hearing the Taichu Holy King's words, Zhong Shan understood his choice.

With a faint smile, Zhong Shan said, "The Taichu Holy King is wise. Yan Hui just mentioned that the news of Kong Lietian's death came from the Kong family, which means they have been here for a long time. They were already here before Kong Lietian died, waiting. The Kong family is so far away from here, yet they came to establish a Holy Court. There must be something they seek. The steps in their plan are: first, to open the heavens; second, to unify the Fengzhong Domain!"

Zhong Shan's analysis was spot on. Unifying the Fengzhong Domain? Sending forty Great Immortals at once—were they here to play? They definitely had a mission.

"As for not appearing earlier, it was to avoid being besieged by the six major forces of the Fengzhong Domain and the eight forces that were with me earlier. Now, they think the time is ripe and no longer fear us!" Zhong Shan said with a cold smile.

Yan Hui looked coldly at Zhong Shan.

"I'm starting to believe that my disciple was indeed killed by you!" Yan Hui said coldly.

"Taichu Holy King, the safety of Dazhen is in your hands!" Zhong Shan said solemnly to the Taichu Holy King.

The Taichu Holy King nodded and stepped between Zhong Shan and Yan Hui.

"General Wang Jian, please coordinate with the Taichu Holy King to face the enemy!" Zhong Shan said seriously.

"Yes!"

"Taichu Holy King, do you really want to be my enemy?" Yan Hui asked coldly.

"Dazhen Holy Court is under the protection of the Taichu Holy Court. Either retreat now or defeat me!" the Taichu Holy King said firmly.

The Taichu Holy Court had seventeen people, and Wang Jian had ten, making a total of twenty-seven. Yan Hui's side had forty people.

The numbers were vastly different, but numbers didn't determine strength!

A stalemate re-emerged.

In a distant valley of the Lingxiao Heavenly Court, Yi Lanque and the Yi family watched the events unfold.

"Impressive, very impressive!" Yi Lanque said, tapping his folding fan.

"Indeed, and quite fortunate too!" the Yi family's ancestor said.

"Fortunate? What luck? Zhong Shan is incredible. The only true allies Zhong Shan has are Wang Jian and his ten men. The nearly two hundred other Great Immortals have their own agendas, with more than half wishing for Zhong Shan's death. Yet, Zhong Shan has maneuvered among these forces, playing with their minds and turning danger into safety!" Yi Lanque said seriously.

"Playing with Great Immortals?"

"Didn't you notice? From beginning to end, when Zhong Shan needed help, he only asked Wang Jian and his ten men. Did he mobilize any other forces? He couldn't even if he wanted to," Yi Lanque said with a deep breath.