Invincible Sweep
Invincible Sweep . . .
Amid the charged atmosphere of the immortal realm, Skymist Jiang couldn't help but find a wry amusement in the situation. It had always been rumored that the Evergreen Immortal Emperor doted immensely on his youngest daughter, Princess Qing'er. With her extraordinary talent, unparalleled beauty, and the fact that she was Matriarch Ji's disciple, it was only natural that her status had reached such lofty heights.
Princess Glaze, too, possessed her own exceptional qualities. As the daughter of the White Emperor, her contributions during the past internal conflicts had been immense, ultimately leading to the Evergreen Immortal Emperor's victory. It was clear that the Evergreen Immortal Empire would not easily relinquish these two exceptional princesses.
Skymist Jiang's gaze fixed on Evergreen Longhao as he spoke with a hint of levity, "If the Evergreen Immortal Empire chooses not to honor the agreement, then we shall proceed with the adjudication process."
Evergreen Longhao's response was swift and firm. He rejected the notion entirely, stating, "The ancient emperors are long gone; there's no place for an outdated process like adjudication in our modern immortal realm. My Evergreen Immortal Empire will never submit to such a farce."
Clearly, Evergreen Longhao perceived the situation with clarity. Activating the adjudication process would likely lead to a majority favoring the Skymist Immortal Empire's demands, a prospect he found entirely unacceptable. How could these foreign powers think they could meddle in the internal affairs of the Evergreen Immortal Empire, especially when it came to the marriage of their princesses? To him, it was nothing short of preposterous.
Skymist Jiang's response was a chilling one, underscoring the gravity of the situation. "It appears your Evergreen Immortal Empire is unwavering in its stance," he declared, his tone devoid of emotion. The atmosphere in the hall had grown decidedly heavy as both sides revealed their positions, with even the Paragon Sword Sect making its allegiances clear.
The Skymist Immortal Empire's deep-seated animosity toward the Evergreen Immortal Empire was no secret. They knew the inner workings of their rival all too well. After all, one of Skymist Jiang's consorts had once been a princess of the Evergreen Immortal Empire before the internal conflicts. Moreover, several princesses from the Evergreen Immortal Empire had married into the Skymist Immortal Empire, and their clan members had suffered greatly during the wars, either dying or being left crippled due to the Evergreen Immortal Emperor's actions.
Seeing no room for compromise, Skymist Jiang issued a stark warning, "From this point onward, during our sparring battles, I shall not be as merciful as before. We will fight without restraint, pushing our juniors to their limits, so that the Evergreen Immortal Empire may truly witness the strength of our royal clan's young talents. Perhaps this will prompt you to reconsider and willingly send your princesses to us."
The declaration sent ripples of apprehension through the onlookers. Although they were all present at the immortal banquet, it felt as though they were merely spectators, wary of entangling themselves in the escalating conflict.
Amid this tension, a subtle yet resounding sound shattered the fragile equilibrium. It was the crisp, unmistakable sound of a wine cup shattering into pieces, a sound that might have gone unnoticed among mortals but resonated sharply among the immortals.
All eyes turned to the source of the disruption, resting upon a man who stood in the midst of the Thousand Transformations Immortal Sect's camp. The remnants of wine flowed like crimson tears down his hand, splashing onto the table in a delicate rhythm.
This man was none other than Qin Wentian. His usually composed expression had transformed into one of profound gravity, his countenance marred by an unsightly heaviness.
As the weight of the immortal realm's adjudication bore down on the gathering, Qin Wentian found himself unable to remain passive. Though he had no strong ties to the Evergreen Immortal Empire, his heart couldn't help but stir with anger on Qing'er's behalf. What incensed him even more was Skymist Jiang's presumptuous mention of Qing'er's marriage to their Skymist Immortal Empire, as if her fate were already sealed by the impending adjudication.
Qin Wentian's voice rang out, cutting through the tension like a blade. His words were directed squarely at Skymist Jiang, and a palpable chill emanated from him, drawing the collective gaze of all present.
He seemed unusually incensed. But why was Qin Wentian, a seemingly uninvolved party, so furious?
Skymist Jiang's eyes flickered with irritation. How dare a mere second-level immortal-foundation expert from the Thousand Transformations Immortal Sect threaten him—a prince of the Skymist Immortal Empire? The audacity of this insolence!
"Who do you think you are to speak to me in such a manner? You are not qualified to interfere in the agreements between the Skymist and Evergreen Immortal Empires," Skymist Jiang retorted icily. He hadn't retaliated earlier when Qin Wentian challenged him, but now this mortal dared to confront him? It was pure insolence.
"Is that so?" Qin Wentian's unwavering gaze bore into Skymist Jiang. His audacious words hung in the air like a gauntlet thrown down, shattering the fragile silence of the banquet hall. Many pairs of eyes were fixed on him, astonished by the audacity of a second-level immortal-foundation expert daring to threaten Skymist Jiang, a prince of the Skymist Immortal Empire.
Did he truly believe he could humiliate the Skymist Immortal Empire and send them packing in disgrace?
"What insolence!" The Skymist Immortal Empire's experts glared at Qin Wentian in disbelief. This man had truly outdone himself with his arrogance.
No one had dared to seriously challenge Qin Wentian before, but now he had become increasingly brazen, seemingly unconcerned with the geniuses of the Skymist Immortal Empire. Did he truly believe that his overwhelming combat prowess could subdue all the experts of the Skymist Immortal Empire?
"I don't believe it," Skymist Jiang retorted, disdain flashing in his eyes. He was eager to see just how powerful Qin Wentian believed himself to be to utter such audacious words.
Being insulted in such a flagrant manner by a member of the Thousand Transformations Immortal Sect was a bitter pill for Skymist Jiang to swallow. Since it had come to this, he decided to temporarily set aside the Evergreen Immortal Empire matter and take the opportunity to teach the Thousand Transformations Immortal Sect a lesson.
"Qi Da," Qin Wentian called out, and the formidable Qi Da stepped forward, positioning himself beside Qin Wentian.
"Select eight upper-tier immortal-foundation experts and take the battle platform," Qin Wentian ordered.
"Understood," Qi Da replied, immediately scanning his surroundings and choosing eight individuals. With a sense of purpose, they made their way to the battle platform.
These nine experts exuded an extraordinary aura, their calm demeanor contrasting with the tension in the air. While their might wasn't overwhelming, their mere presence commanded respect.
Qin Wentian continued, "Skymist Immortal Empire, please provide us with guidance. You may select any nine experts at the immortal foundation level to face us."
In a daring challenge to the Skymist Immortal Empire, Qin Wentian had adopted the same method the Skymist Immortal Empire had used to challenge the Evergreen Immortal Empire. The tension in the hall reached a fever pitch as they awaited the response of the Skymist Immortal Empire.
Despite the previous clash where the Skymist Immortal Empire had dispatched nine formidable upper-tier immortal-foundation experts to dominate their counterparts from the Evergreen Immortal Empire, Qin Wentian remained undeterred. He opted for the same format of battle, revealing a staggering level of confidence in the nine experts he had chosen to represent his side.
The audacity was palpable. Despite the earlier showdown, Qin Wentian was now challenging the Skymist Immortal Empire on their terms. It was evident that he believed in the prowess of his selected nine.
Skymist Jiang responded with a dismissive wave of his hand, and in no time, the very same nine experts who had engaged the Evergreen Immortal Empire stood on the platform once more. Each of them exuded a powerful aura, with one of them, in particular, displaying proficiency in the intricate laws of surrealism. As they took their positions, a palpable wave of battle intent emanated from their beings.
These members of the Thousand Transformations Immortal Sect dared to issue a challenge to the mighty Skymist Immortal Empire, a display of brazen confidence that didn't go unnoticed. After all, the participants in this expedition were all elite figures in their respective empires.
Qin Wentian's voice resonated again, his words laced with unrestrained arrogance. He boldly stated that injuries and even deaths might occur during the spar, making it clear that they were ready to fight to the extreme.
Skymist Jiang's response was as ruthless as it was direct. "That's only natural," he coldly affirmed. Qin Wentian had ignited the spark by mentioning the potential for injuries and deaths in their spar, and Skymist Jiang had readily fanned the flames.
Qin Wentian addressed Qi Da, and in response, the nine chosen experts unleashed their full might. Their bodies radiated with an overwhelming, luminous aura, stemming from intricate battle runes. Adorned in Battle Saint Armor, they emanated an air of formidable strength. Behind them, the ethereal forms of divine apes loomed, further intensifying the sense of imminent battle.
Their simultaneous, thunderous roars shook the heavens, and instead of clustering together, they strategically spread out across the battle platform. Their unorthodox arrangement seemed insolent, challenging the Skymist Immortal Empire in every possible way.
As the unfolding events played out, a profound sense of unease swept through the crowd. These nine experts, displaying identical techniques and emanating an aura of mystery, clearly belonged to a powerful, enigmatic clan. The collective question on everyone's mind was whether these nine individuals possessed the same astonishing abilities and formidable combat prowess as the expert from the Thousand Transformations Immortal Sect who had previously taken the stage.
The Skymist Immortal Empire once again positioned their eighth-level immortal-foundation expert, skilled in the laws of surrealism, as their central figure, while the others focused on providing defensive support, leaving him free to unleash his attacks.
"DIE!" Qi Da's roar reverberated, signaling the onslaught to commence. The nine warriors of the Battle Saint Tribe immediately launched a torrent of ferocious attacks, their forms expanding dramatically, their divine ape-like bellows echoing through the sky. The unleashed power was so immense that it seemed capable of obliterating everything in its path. The experts from the Skymist Immortal Empire scrambled to manifest their immortal foundations and mount a desperate defense, as thunderous explosions resounded throughout the arena.
The entire battle platform became engulfed in the overwhelming and tyrannical force of these attacks. The Skymist Immortal Empire's experts, adorned with defensive runes, struggled valiantly, yet the resounding booms of the powerful assaults weighed heavily on the hearts of the onlookers.
Suddenly, an expert from the Skymist Immortal Empire coughed up blood, sent hurtling through the air by the unrelenting force of the onslaught. The sheer power behind these strikes overwhelmed his defenses, causing irreparable damage.
Enraged, the surrealism law energy expert summoned a majestic divine elephant, his countenance contorted with fury. With a sweeping gesture, motes of light began to gather, poised to annihilate everything in their path. His intent was clear—he intended to obliterate everyone present.
Qin Wentian scoffed dismissively at the unfolding scene. While the attack was undoubtedly formidable and had been more than sufficient to vanquish the nine experts from the Evergreen Immortal Empire, it was a grave miscalculation to assume that the nine warriors from the Battle Saint Tribe could be defeated by such means.
These nine were no ordinary fighters. They were elite members of the Battle Saint Tribe, bearers of the Sacred Luminance, and highly proficient in both offense and defense. When they combined their strengths, they became an unstoppable force.
True to form, the nine experts synchronized their movements, forming ancient seals that summoned nine divine apes to their aid. These colossal apes displayed impenetrable defenses, standing unscathed as the surrealism law energy of the divine elephant crashed against them, futilely attempting to inflict damage.
"BOOM!" Qi Da stepped forward, leading the charge, while the other eight followed suit. Their palm strikes unleashed a deluge of golden ape palm imprints, filling the sky and homing in on their adversaries. The strikes shattered the Skymist Immortal Empire experts' defenses, causing them to cough up blood and leading to the destruction of several immortal foundations.
The Skymist Immortal Empire's experts, in response, erupted with a formidable aura as they rose to their feet. Skymist Jiang's face underwent a dramatic transformation. He bellowed, "STOP!"
"You can't bear the consequences?" Qin Wentian's voice dripped with disdain. In a final act of desperation, the surrealism law energy expert expended his remaining immortal energy to launch his most potent attack. Rushing to the edge of the battle platform, he pulled his comrades along, their forms battered and broken. Upon reaching the platform's edge, they withdrew their auras, enabling them to step away from the combat zone. The entire group appeared in a pitiable state, and several princes among them had been rendered immobile, their immortal foundations utterly shattered.