Initiating Invasion

Initiating Invasion

On the path of the monuments, twelve silhouettes sat in deep concentration, each striving to unlock the profound power within the monuments they had chosen.

Among these twelve figures were the famed eight era-suppressing geniuses: Gu Liufeng, Ji Feixue from the Battle Sword Sect, Di Shi from the supreme Di Clan, Li Tian from the Heaven Punisher Clan, Dongyue Hanjiang, the crown prince of the Eastern Mountain ancient country, Chi Lian, a descendant of the supreme Chi Clan and a disciple of the Blood Devil Palace, Fan Miaoyu, a disciple from the Forgotten Immortal Tower, and the Holy Maiden of the reclusive Tianfan Sect located in the Western Domain. Lastly, there was Hua Taixu from the Great Emptiness (Taixu) Sect.

It was worth noting that Fan Miaoyu was the sole female among the eight era-suppressing geniuses. She held two titles, serving as both the Holy Maiden of the Tianfan Sect and a disciple of the Forgotten Immortal Tower.

In the Royal Sacred Region, it was common for geniuses from reclusive sects or powerful clans to join the Nine Great Sects, which offered superior resources for growth. Furthermore, if these individuals reached a level of strength beyond their current sect's capacity, the higher-tier powers were more than willing to embrace them, recognizing that some talents were destined for greater stages. This wasn't a short-sighted decision but a recognition that certain individuals were meant to shine on larger and more brilliant platforms.

Among the eight, Gu Liufeng was the most renowned, Fan Miaoyu possessed the highest cultivation level at the ninth level of Heavenly Dipper, and Hua Taixu was the newest and most mysterious addition to the group.

The reason all eight of these absolute era-suppressing geniuses had cultivation bases at the seventh level or higher was that even in their weaker days, they had been capable of achieving miraculous feats. Their outstanding records in battle had garnered attention throughout the Royal Sacred Region.

The remaining four individuals were Qin Wentian from the Battle Sword Sect, Lou Bingyu from the Battle Sword Sect, Nangong Shuang from the Nangong Aristocrat Clan, and Si Ling from the Violet Thunder Sect. Si Ling also hailed from the prestigious Si Clan of Grand Xia.

Among the twelve, the Battle Sword Sect claimed three positions—Ji Feixue, Lou Bingyu, and Qin Wentian. This fact drew admiration from many, as the individual combat prowess of the Battle Sword Sect members was undeniably formidable.

Lou Bingyu had always maintained a low profile, rarely appearing in public, but her status as the favored personal disciple of the Plum Mountain Sword Sovereigness had made her known to many. However, Qin Wentian emerged as a true dark horse. Even when confronted by Di Shi himself, he had refused to be defeated.

Now, these twelve individuals were diligently immersed in their comprehension, showing great caution and determination to elevate their strength.

This time, Qin Wentian had chosen the same stone monument that Di Shi had previously selected. The power emanating from this monument was palpable, with radiant astral light and a cascade of constellations illuminating the sky. A solitary figure stood proudly in the heavens, and in an instant, this figure multiplied into a million silhouettes, all simultaneously launching a devastating attack. The sheer scale of this technique was awe-inspiring, enough to shake one's very soul.

This attack mirrored the technique Di Shi had used to injure Qin Wentian, but Di Shi's grasp of it had merely scratched the surface. The million-incarnation technique was nothing short of overwhelming. As Qin Wentian gazed at the figure in the air, excitement gleamed in his eyes. The brilliance in his eyes resembled the starry expanse itself.

If he could combine the million-incarnation technique with the power of seizing the stars that he had previously comprehended from another stone monument, he could potentially plunder the entire celestial realm, shaking the very heavens. The prospect left Qin Wentian exhilarated, reinforcing his belief in his method of steady and thorough advancement, immersing himself fully in the comprehension of each stone monument.

On the floating bridges, Ouyang Kuangsheng's expression shifted when he heard Ye Lingshuang's words. He turned his gaze towards the person on the path of monuments and asked, "Did you say that person is named Hua Taixu?"

"Yes, Hua Taixu from the Great Emptiness Sect (Taixu Sect). He gained fame through two remarkable battles. First, he defeated an immensely powerful expert with a higher cultivation level. The second battle was against one of the proclaimed era-suppressing geniuses, Dongyue Hanjiang, where he fought to a draw. This catapulted him to become the eighth era-suppressing genius," Ye Lingshuang confirmed. Ouyang Kuangsheng stood there in disbelief.

Hua Taixu had been Ouyang Kuangsheng's childhood idol, and he had always aspired to surpass him. It was only natural that he had seen Hua Taixu before. However, the Hua Taixu before him now appeared slightly different from the one he remembered. Whether it was his appearance or his aura, both exuded an impenetrable and mysterious quality. With closer scrutiny, Ouyang Kuangsheng managed to recognize him, albeit belatedly.

"It's really him!" Ouyang Kuangsheng exclaimed, astonished. Although he had glimpsed Hua Taixu earlier, his changed aura and the presence of seven other equally dazzling figures had thrown him off. Now, Ouyang Kuangsheng couldn't help but feel surprised. Hua Taixu, once the brightest star among the younger generation in Grand Xia, had shone even brighter upon arriving in the Royal Sacred Region. He was akin to Qin Wentian in that regard. However, once the Immortal Martial Realm journey concluded, Qin Wentian's name would undoubtedly echo throughout the Royal Sacred Region as well.

"You know him?" Ye Lingshuang looked at Ouyang Kuangsheng with a puzzled expression. "Hua Taixu is incredibly enigmatic. The first time he gained recognition was when he became the personal disciple of the Great Emptiness Sect's sect leader."

"Yes, we're acquainted. He was my idol when I was younger. Many years ago, he was the number one in the Heavenly Fate Rankings of Grand Xia, and later, Wentian achieved the same feat."

"There's also a bit of history between them. Hua Taixu's younger brother once made inappropriate advances toward Mo Qingcheng and ended up being killed by Wentian." Ouyang Kuangsheng's revelation left Ye Lingshuang somewhat speechless. She hadn't expected such a history between Qin Wentian and Hua Taixu. It explained why Qin Wentian had such a close relationship with Mo Qingcheng; they had known each other for a long time.

"In that case, Qin Wentian should have recognized Hua Taixu as well," Ye Lingshuang remarked in a low voice. Qin Wentian had likely heard of the names of the eight era-suppressing geniuses and should have recognized Hua Taixu when he saw him today.

"Most likely. Both of them are so similar to each other—acting as if they don't know each other," Ouyang Kuangsheng chuckled.

"Of course, what do you expect? Should they have engaged in a full-blown battle the moment they met?" Ye Lingshuang laughed. "Let's see how it plays out; maybe they'll cross paths on the path of monuments."

"Si Ling seems to be making a move against Lou Bingyu. It looks like he's accumulating victories now; otherwise, it would be difficult to advance later. Lou Bingyu's strength is among the weakest there, which is probably why he chose her."

At that moment, Si Ling invaded Lou Bingyu's stone monument, and their battle was intense. Si Ling cultivated lightning-attributed arts, and thunder and lightning danced wildly in the air with overwhelming power. However, Lou Bingyu's defense was nearly impenetrable, and they appeared evenly matched. In the end, Si Ling from the Violet Thunder Sect had no choice but to concede.

Several peaceful days passed as the finalists immersed themselves in their contemplation. Those on the floating bridges also patiently waited, knowing that this was the calm before the storm. Once their comprehensions were complete, earth-shattering battles would surely follow.

Indeed, on the fifth day, Dongyue Hanjiang decided to make his move against Nangong Shuang. As the crown prince of the Eastern Mountain ancient country and one of the eight era-suppressing geniuses, he displayed crushing force, directly ousting the outstanding genius, Nangong Shuang. Nangong Shuang's monument dimmed, and now, only eleven contenders remained on the path of monuments.

The eagerly awaited moment for the top ten was drawing near. With just one more elimination, the top ten names would be confirmed.

Tension gripped the onlookers. Surprisingly, none of the eight era-suppressing geniuses had been eliminated yet. Except for the battle between Di Shi and Qin Wentian, which ended in a draw, the other seven had all emerged victorious against their chosen opponents. It remained uncertain whether Di Shi's defeat was due to his relative weakness among the eight or if it was a result of his choice to challenge Qin Wentian.

"Will all eight of them secure spots in the top eight?" Many silently pondered this question, their anxiety growing inexplicably.

With just one more elimination, the top ten would be revealed. Unfortunately, the most likely candidates for elimination were Qin Wentian, Lou Bingyu, or Si Ling.

Today, Qin Wentian stood in front of his chosen monument, momentarily halting his contemplation as he considered withdrawing his perception. However, he came to a realization. He had already defeated two opponents, allowing him to advance to the third row. If he wanted to proceed to the fourth row, he needed to eliminate one more opponent.

He had no choice but to initiate an invasion.

With determination, Qin Wentian's eyes gleamed with a fierce light. A radiant glow emanated from his stone monument, enshrouding the monument of his chosen target.

In the next moment, within the space of the stone monument where Di Shi resided, a chilling light flickered in his eyes. Someone had voluntarily initiated an invasion of his stone monument?

Turning around, Di Shi beheld Qin Wentian, bathed in golden light. An illusory image of a golden-winged primordial roc surrounded Qin Wentian, and his cold, lofty gaze locked directly onto Di Shi.

A collective gasp resounded from the onlookers on the floating bridges.

"Has he lost his mind? He's invading Di Shi's stone monument?"

Qin Wentian had not chosen Lou Bingyu or Si Ling; instead, he had selected Di Shi as his opponent.

Qin Wentian's first battle on the path of monuments had been against Di Shi. At that time, he had just finished comprehending a stone monument on the first row and had been challenged and suppressed by Di Shi. However, due to his advantage in speed, Di Shi couldn't defeat him. Now, it was Qin Wentian who initiated the invasion.

"Brilliant move! Take him down!" Fan Le wore an expression of excitement as he watched the image projection in the air. The members of the supreme Di Clan wore dark and sinister expressions as they muttered, "He's asking for death."

"Is he finally initiating an invasion? I wonder if he has a surprise in store." Lin Xian`er's bright eyes sparkled with anticipation. If Qin Wentian won this battle, it would mean that the top ten names were set, and Di Shi would be eliminated from the top ten.

If such an outcome came to pass, it would send shockwaves through all the Heavenly Dipper Sovereigns of this generation in the Royal Sacred Region.

"I can't believe this is happening," Ouyang Kuangsheng muttered as he stared at the image projection, his heart racing. He knew Qin Wentian inside and out. If Qin Wentian initiated this invasion, it meant he was supremely confident in his victory. There was no turning back now.

"You're really playing with fire," Di Shi muttered, his gaze fixed on Qin Wentian as if he were looking at a dead man. To challenge him like this? He was the first among the eight era-suppressing geniuses to face such humiliation.

But the determination in Qin Wentian's eyes never wavered. He turned and shot towards Di Shi like a golden lightning bolt.

Bzzz!

A fierce wind roared as Di Shi also charged towards Qin Wentian. They rushed at each other head-on, their eyes gleaming with cold determination and unwavering pride.

In an instant, astral light gathered in Qin Wentian's palms, transforming into radiant runic brilliance. His palm lashed out, heading straight for Di Shi.

Di Shi unleashed an attack as well, summoning an enormous talon resembling a predatory bird.

BANG!

The colossal bird's talon was shattered into nothingness by the force of Qin Wentian's palm imprint. It was as if this palm strike held the power to pluck stars from the heavens, and the residual energy surged toward Di Shi.

Di Shi pushed both palms forward simultaneously, conjuring a relentless onslaught of gigantic bird talons. Thunderous roars filled the air, but each talon manifestation was obliterated. Qin Wentian's palm attack conquered everything in its path.

Di Shi was forcibly driven backward!

"Damn!" The chubby man on the floating bridge couldn't contain his excitement. Di Shi, who had been so arrogant, was now being pushed off the path. Onlookers watched the descending golden silhouette, their hearts pounding. In that initial exchange, Qin Wentian had gained a clear advantage. Was he truly defying the natural order of the heavens?