Chapter 399

Chapter 399: The Alliance of Five Men

Yan Mengqing felt that Zhang Yang was like a storm sweeping across the Western Desert, particularly disastrous for the Taixu Dynasty.

Ever since his arrival, the once-dominant Taixu Dynasty had suffered repeated setbacks, barely catching a breath between defeats.

Just three days ago, he had caused two major upheavals.

And now, here he was again.

What stood out even more was that this time, it was the Burial Land taking the initiative. She quickly deduced that when Yun Tianhuang had gone to retrieve the Ruyi Iron Heart, the suggestion had most likely come from the Lord of the Sacred Forest himself.

Her thoughts swiftly traced back to the long-standing conflict between the Burial Land and the Taixu Dynasty.

Among the forces in the Western Desert, the Burial Land was certainly one of the few capable of challenging the Taixu Dynasty. Although their overall strength was still inferior, they had risen rapidly in recent years. In response, the Taixu Dynasty had severely suppressed and oppressed them for over a century.

In terms of hostility, the Burial Land ranked second only to the Cold Moon Dynasty.

Her mind raced, processing a dozen insights in an instant, before she finally said, “The Crimson Flame Dynasty has always maintained fairness when dealing with all parties. As long as saints do not intervene, conflicts between others are not our concern.”

She didn’t declare direct involvement but carefully presented a neutral stance.

Zhang Yang sighed inwardly. This woman was perceptive, and exceedingly shrewd.

“Hahaha! With the princess’s words, Tianhuang thanks you dearly!” Yun Tianhuang laughed heartily. “Someone, go and notify Jin Poxu, Son of the Golden Crow; Lu Hengkong, Son of the Sunlit Sacred Land; and Xue Jianyi, Son of the Nine Nether Cave, that I have urgent matters to discuss with Brother Zhang of the Sacred Forest.”

The attendants of the Burial Land left immediately.

Zhang Yang found the development quite intriguing.

They were about to form an alliance among the Four Major Holy Lands. With Yan Mengqing representing the Crimson Flame Dynasty and Zhang Yang representing the Cold Moon Dynasty, the latter was now positioned on equal footing with the major powers in the Western Desert.

Before long, the three holy sons arrived.

Zhang Yang was already familiar with Lu Hengkong, having competed with him at Star Tiger Mountain.

He had a more distant acquaintance with Jin Poxu and Xue Jianyi, having only crossed paths at the Zi Tian Pavilion during the Black Cloaked Strategist incident, and again at the Treasure Gathering Night Banquet held by the Sword Pavilion.

After reintroducing themselves, they quickly grew more comfortable with one another.

Yan Mengqing watched silently, her gaze tinged with melancholy as it lingered on Zhang Yang.

But Zhang Yang didn’t notice at all.

And so, the five men gathered and conversed enthusiastically.

To Yan Mengqing, the scene felt almost surreal. Before meeting Zhang Yang, she could never have imagined that the holy sons of the Four Major Holy Lands in the Western Desert would one day unite against the Taixu Dynasty.

What did this signify?

It indicated that the Taixu Dynasty had suffered such crushing losses that they could no longer intimidate the other dynasties into silence as they once had.

Now, the great powers of the Western Desert had begun to move proactively.

How long had it been?

Yan Mengqing recalled that the last time something of this magnitude happened was likely before her ancestor Yan Donghuang had even been born.

It was a testament to how powerful and fearsome the Taixu Dynasty had once been.

The five men spoke with great harmony.

Their shared goal unified them, and Zhang Yang’s insistence on treating everyone as equals only strengthened that bond. Even more important was the fact that it had been the Lord of the Sacred Forest who had delivered such crushing blows to the Taixu Dynasty, giving them the courage to rise up.

Naturally, this earned their respect.

Thanks to that, many otherwise complicated issues were easily resolved, especially since Zhang Yang had already taken the lead with the first decisive move in this plan, providing a clear direction for what lay ahead.

In just over an hour, a simple yet effective plan had taken shape.

After reaching an agreement, Zhang Yang returned to make the necessary arrangements.

The other three holy sons also took their leave and departed.

Yan Mengqing followed closely behind Zhang Yang, her heart filled with a complex mix of emotions. This man was about to strike at the Taixu Dynasty, and with her keen instincts, she easily understood that after this event, Zhang Yang’s relationship with the Four Major Holy Lands of the Western Desert would undergo a dramatic shift, elevating him to a position of true influence in the region.

Upon returning to the Bi Tian Pavilion,

Zhang Yang summoned Demon Sword Yi to issue some instructions.

After handing over one-third of the Ruyi Iron Heart to the Moon-Returning Dragon, he calmly walked to a tavern situated diagonally across from the Zi Tian Pavilion and requested a private room by the window. As it wasn’t mealtime, he simply ordered some snacks and fruit.

Naturally, Yan Mengqing eagerly followed, accompanied by her two maidservants, Wumei and Yaotiao.

The two maids, having observed the grand princess’s behavior over the past few days, were troubled. They disapproved of Zhang Yang, believing he had a negative influence on her.

Zhang Yang, for his part, felt somewhat wronged; he certainly hadn’t intended to bring along a woman filled with such complicated thoughts.

Outside, the sun was shining brightly.

The streets were calm and had few people, which made sense considering the area’s proximity to the palace, mostly being home to the influential, creating an inherently tranquil atmosphere.

Feeling somewhat bored, Zhang Yang casually asked, “Where’s the prince?”

“In seclusion,” Yan Mengqing replied, her eyes lighting up. “Guess what the Lord of the Sacred Forest thinks he’s doing in there?”

Just as Zhang Yang shook his head, he paused mid-motion. “Could it be… he’s trying to achieve the Holy Body or something?”

“Correct! Here’s a reward, a Golden Fruit!” Yan Mengqing cheerfully handed one to him.

Zhang Yang accepted the fruit, though his thoughts had already begun to stir.

He didn’t consider achieving the Holy Body particularly extraordinary, especially since people like Lu Hengkong possessed natural Holy Bodies and holy bloodlines. Even Yue Longxiang from the Southern Region, whom he had killed, was the same. So while Holy Bodies seemed rare, it was more a matter of not having encountered enough high-level cultivators.

However, achieving a Holy Body postnatally was no simple feat. It required deep insight into the Path of a Saint.

Now, it appeared that an unusual number of postnatally achieved Holy Bodies were beginning to emerge.

Qiu Yinong, Bing Yuyan, Yaoruoxian, Jin Zhihong, the Moon-Returning Dragon, Yun Tianhuang, and even Yan Chihuo, if he were to join them, their numbers would be quite staggering.

Among them, Qiu Yinong and Bing Yuyan could be set aside, as they were already Great Boundless cultivators and could begin considering the path of sainthood. Their success in cultivating Holy Bodies was more expected.

The others were mainly newcomers.

This phenomenon was occurring in both the Southern Region and the Western Desert.

He had recently heard from Flower Phantom that Ye Kuanglan and the Phoenix Woman, Mu Lin’er, had also begun to grasp the mysteries of sainthood amid the clashes in the Daxia Imperial Capital. Ye Kuanglan aimed to pursue sainthood through the sword path, while Mu Lin’er aspired to directly transform into a Holy Body.

“A great era is approaching,” Zhang Yang thought with growing certainty.

To others, it might not have meant much, but Yan Mengqing immediately understood the weight behind his words. Her mind stirred with countless reflections.

A great era!

She recalled some of the materials she had recently studied from Zhang Yang and asked, “The Lord of the Sacred Forest once mentioned breaking the Eternal Night. How confident does he feel about that?”

Zhang Yang smiled and shook his head.

Who could say for sure?

The Eternal Night had accumulated power for thousands of years. He even suspected that figures like the Supreme Emperor and the Ghost King had already surpassed the Path of a Saint. Breaking the Eternal Night would be far more difficult than he had previously imagined.

Yan Mengqing, ever persistent, wanted to ask more.

But Zhang Yang interrupted, saying, “It’s started.”

She turned her gaze toward the window.

Demon Sword Yi had appeared outside the Zi Tian Pavilion.

Author’s Note:

Friendly reminder: This book is unrelated to Journey to the West, so please don’t associate it with that story, or you’ll be seriously misled! smirks*