The Courtyard Where Kunlun Realm’s Cultivators Reside.
Although the Red Dust Peerless Tower had only given Kunlun Realm twenty Red Dust Invitations, quite a few great saints from Kunlun Realm had still come to the Red Dust Archipelago. Even if they were not participating in the conference, they wanted to see the world and witness the splendour of the world’s strongest experts.
Sword Emperor, Stone Emperor, Grand Chancellor, Second Chancellor, Literary Emperor, Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden, Yan Liren, Sui Han, Xue Wuye… and so on, a group of powerhouses gathered together to discuss the matter of tonight’s challenges.
They set their target on the Blade God Realm.
The list of great saints from the Blade God Realm who had come to the Red Dust Archipelago circulated among the crowd as they searched for their challenge opponents.
Sword Emperor said, “The number one powerhouse of the Blade God Realm, Yu Ze, shall be left to this emperor to deal with.”
“Yu Ze ranks thirteenth on the Red Dust Peerless List, just one step away from the half-god peak. No one knows if he has already broken through to that level. Sword Emperor is the pillar of heaven in Kunlun Realm’s secular world. There must not be any mishaps. Challenging Yu Ze is still too risky,” Sui Han said.
Stone Emperor said, “In that case, this emperor shall make the move. Even if I cannot defeat Yu Ze, with this emperor’s defence, there is still some confidence in retreating unscathed.”
They all knew that tonight was not about fighting or winning, but about restraining as many great saint powerhouses from the Heavenly Court Faction as possible.
The more effort they put in, the easier it would be for the Qingli Garden side.
“Boom.”
A loud explosion came from the courtyard gate.
The great saint inscriptions throughout the garden trembled.
In the hall, the great saints of Kunlun Realm were all moved. Monk Lidi and Gai Tianjiao abruptly stood up, transforming into two rays of saint light as they rushed outside.
“Thud!”
“Thud!”
Two figures flew back from outside, crashing heavily into the hall. They were precisely the Monk Lidi and Gai Tianjiao who had just rushed out.
Both were injured, with blood at the corners of their mouths.
Heavy footsteps came from outside, shaking the ground with ripples. The entire building shook. A man in a black robe and hooded cloak walked in from outside, standing at the doorway.
Dark aura flowed around his body, giving off a sharp aura of slaughter.
Everyone present felt immense pressure, as if they had suddenly fallen into water and could not breathe.
“Swoosh!”
Sword Emperor was extremely decisive. His body transformed into a white seven-foot giant sword, shooting out like a stream of light straight towards the black-robed cultivator at the doorway.
This was the most correct choice!
Because the other party came with ill intent, forcefully breaking in and injuring people, it was clear that he was an enemy, not a friend.
At this time, they must act decisively.
Otherwise, if the other party was a suicide soldier sent by an enemy faction, or a great saint puppet, and self-detonated the saint source in the hall, Kunlun Realm would suffer heavy losses.
There had been similar painful lessons in history.
Sword Emperor’s cultivation was by no means weak. He was ranked on the Red Dust Volume of the Red Dust Peerless List, already one of the top powerhouses in the secular world of the entire universe.
This sword carried a piercing whistling sound, as if tearing space apart.
The black-robed cultivator stood motionless until the seven-foot giant sword flew right in front of him, then he extended a hand at an inconceivable speed and flicked his finger.
Thick dark power surged from his fingertip, colliding with the sword tip.
“Bang!”
The seven-foot giant sword flew back, reforming into Sword Emperor’s figure. He fell back onto his chair, shattering the chair made of exotic metal.
Such a powerhouse shocked everyone, and they all speculated that it might be a figure from the Peerless Volume who had arrived.
Such a figure would naturally not self-detonate his saint source.
Literary Emperor cupped his fists in salute, his gaze cold, and said, “I wonder who Your Excellency is. Why have you barged into the Hailin Courtyard and injured people?”
The great saints of Kunlun Realm all released their path domains.
The atmosphere in the hall turned solemn and murderous.
The black-robed cultivator removed his hood, revealing a handsome face with a straight nose bridge, clear brows and eyes. His long hair draped behind him, exuding an indescribable cold charm.
This face bore some resemblance to Empress Chi Yao.
The Saint Book Talented Woman was quite puzzled, and also somewhat incredulous, saying, “Kunlun?”
Most of the cultivators present had lived for over a thousand years and knew Chi Kunlun’s identity. They all revealed expressions of surprise.
The black-robed cultivator’s gaze turned towards Sword Emperor, Stone Emperor, Grand Chancellor, and Second Chancellor, saying, “I want to know where Zhang Ruochen is. I have come at his invitation.”
Countless great saints present did not know that Zhang Ruochen was still alive, nor did they know that Shu Qianchi was Zhang Ruochen. Hearing Chi Kunlun’s words, they were all shocked and pale for a moment. This included Wan Canglan and Immortal Consort Zi, whose memories of Zhang Ruochen had been erased.
“Zhang Ruochen? What’s the situation?”
“Didn’t Zhang Ruochen die a thousand years ago?”
“He came to the Heavenly Court at Zhang Ruochen’s invitation? Doesn’t that mean Zhang Ruochen is still alive, and right here on the Red Dust Archipelago?”
Apart from a few who knew the truth, the other great saints of Kunlun Realm were all in an uproar, as if hearing world-shaking secrets.
…
The Red Dust Peerless Tower floated above the Red Dust Archipelago, like an immortal palace of jade. Saint jade paved the ground, red walls and vermilion tiles. There were spiritual mountains with flying waterfalls, saint beasts flying in the clouds, and young male and female disciples in Confucian robes holding scrolls, hurrying along.
They continuously presented the scrolls to the Tower Master of the Red Dust Peerless Tower.
The Tower Master of the Red Dust Peerless Tower was named Zhuang Tai’a. He sat under a purple cherry tree radiating divine light, holding a brush as he wrote something.
Two divine generals stood on the left and right below, reporting in detail to the Tower Master about the shocking turmoil that was about to erupt on the Red Dust Archipelago. This matter involved the Heavenly Court Faction, the Temple of Truth, Pangu Realm, and Heavenly Dragon Realm. It was no longer something they could decide.
The Red Dust Peerless Tower had a total of ten false gods. The ones standing here were the Strange Case Divine General and the Tianbin Divine General.
Whether in the Heavenly Court Ten Thousand Realms or the Infernal Court, the number of false gods exceeded that of true gods. After all, from ancient times to the present, countless divine sources had been left behind. Even if some were destroyed, and even if becoming a false god was not easy, in fact, false gods remained the mainstream in the divine realm.
True gods were a rare minority after all.
Any powerful true god would cultivate one or a few false gods to find cultivation resources for them, guard territories, handle matters that true gods found inconvenient to do personally, or handle suicidal tasks, such as interfering in the secular world.
After all, true gods could not do everything personally.
Zhuang Tai’a finally put down his brush and said, “What you have said, I already knew.”
“Should the Red Dust Peerless Tower step in to mediate?” Strange Case Divine General said.
Zhuang Tai’a stood up, overlooking the faintly visible sea below the sea of clouds, and the islands on the sea, saying, “This is a chessboard. To move the pieces on the chessboard, one needs sufficiently powerful cultivation to have the qualifications.”
“The Tower Master does not have the qualifications to move the pieces?” Tianbin Divine General said in surprise.
Zhuang Tai’a did not answer his question, saying, “Those gambling on the chessboard are all terrifying existences. They wish to move the unchanging pattern of the Heavenly Court for ten thousand years. The Red Dust Archipelago is merely one corner of the chess game.”
Strange Case Divine General dared not ask any further, because the Tower Master’s words were already taboo.
Tianbin Divine General did not realise this. Though shocked, he asked the doubt in his heart again, saying, “Moving the unchanging pattern of ten thousand years, how easy is that? The pattern is set by the gods. On the Red Dust Archipelago, they are ultimately only saint realm cultivators. How great a role can they play?”
Zhuang Tai’a said, “Under the rules where gods cannot interfere in the secular world, these great saints on the Red Dust Archipelago hold the right to speak for the entire starry sky. In terms of influence on the secular world, even gods cannot compare to them. Or rather, gods must rely on them to exert influence on the secular world.”
“The divine realm decides everything, but the divine realm is too small! The secular world is the universe. The divine realm has its limitations.”
“I understand!” Tianbin Divine General immediately said again, “The great war between the Heavenly Court and the Infernal Court is imminent. Isn’t the current struggle on the Red Dust Archipelago a bit too much?”
Zhuang Tai’a said, “The Red Dust Conference is held precisely to make them fight. Without fighting, where do powerhouses come from? I have always believed that a powerhouse who rises by killing ten thousand people is far more important than those ten thousand dead. But I hope more that they kill the cultivators of the Infernal Court. Rest assured, this is not a battle of life and death. It will not get out of hand. The only variable…”
He only said half, then fell silent, instructing Tianbin Divine General, “You no longer need to concern yourself with the Red Dust Sea Market. Go to the Myriad Volumes Pavilion to read and cultivate your mind. Strive for a breakthrough in your spiritual power.”
Tianbin Divine General was stunned, revealing a puzzled expression.
…
The residences of the Heavenly Court Faction’s various realms were quite concentrated, located on the same island.
In the Lamp Tower, Shang Zian had already received the fifth letter of challenge from the Temple of Truth’s number one powerhouse “Yao Guang”. The wording was earnest, yet every word was like a blade, forcing him to accept the challenge.
Yao Guang was an existence who had entered the Peerless Volume, and also entered the Fate Divine Temple’s God Reserve Volume at the top grade. He was a true peerless figure in the Heavenly Court Ten Thousand Realms. Xiang Chunan and Qing Si Xue were small juniors compared to him.
Michael had also received four letters of challenge. He smiled and said, “One Heavenly Dragon Realm, one Temple of Truth, and they dare to challenge the Heavenly Court Faction. Do they not know at all how great the power of a realm that dominates the world is?”
“They want to share the pressure for Qingli Garden,” Lian Xi stood in an open space, her peerless figure emanating a soft holy light, though her gaze was very sharp and cold.
Michael said coldly, “If those cultivators in Qingli Garden truly dare to strike first and kill, then no matter if they are dragon clan nobles or the young hall master of the Temple of Truth, they will have to pay a heavy price. Those who kill must pay with their lives.”
A shadow stood by the window, saying, “If you underestimate Shu Qianchi, that is when you will truly pay a heavy price.”
In the Lamp Tower, there was not a single top powerhouse below the divine realm who did not notice when that shadow appeared. Naturally, they were all extremely shocked and turned their gazes over.
Shang Zian was very calm, saying, “How strong is he?”
“His depths have not yet been revealed. He is extremely mysterious. But it can be affirmed that he is not a Confucian cultivator, because his true strength lies in the sword path,” the shadow said.
The shadow had only an outline, a very handsome outline with flowing long hair, arousing endless desire to glimpse his true appearance.
Zhou Yu held a letter of challenge in his hand, his expression grave. He walked in quickly, saying, “Something bad has happened…”
Michael looked at his panicked and flustered appearance and said with disdain, “A dignified great saint should remain calm in the face of events. What great matter could there be to warrant such panic?”
“Pangu Realm has joined in. This is the letter of challenge sent by East Flower Emperor Monarch,” Zhou Yu handed the letter to Michael, indicating that this letter was for him.
