Chapter 39
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Chapter 39: The Saint of Zhongzhou
A thought stirred within Ye Hongchen, and Mu Yunsheng and Mu Chenfeng were drawn into her Purple Palace.
She soared into the sky, her fingers dancing like butterflies as she condensed a divine sealing technique. The void around Ye Hongchen dissolved, shrouding ten miles in chaos.
Boom!
Lightning crashed into the chaos, triggering a colossal explosion reminiscent of the creation of the heavens. Endless marvels unfolded before them.
Ye Hongchen let out a muffled grunt as the chaos rapidly vaporized, dwindling to a mere mile in an instant.
Yang Xuanzhan’s heart hammered with anxiety, drenched in cold sweat for Ye Hongchen.
Should she perish here, all his efforts would be wasted.
"Is that all your capabilities, little girl?" sneered the Jade Sky Saint. "Where did you find the courage to challenge me?"
The tempestuous sea of lightning spanning miles trembled as a ten-thousand-foot divine dragon emerged from its depths.
Forged entirely of thunder, the fearsome creature extended a Dragon Claw that blotted out the sky. It seized the space Ye Hongchen occupied.
Crack!
With one gentle squeeze, the chaos imploded, shattering Ye Hongchen’s technique.
"Bullying the weak—is this Xuanfu Palace’s way?"
Abruptly, a voice both ancient and resonant echoed across the heavens. An old beggar emerged from the void, stepping directly into the storm. His bamboo staff tapped the head of the divine dragon.
Thud!
A mere tap splintered the colossal creature. Inch by inch, its body collapsed into oblivion.
Where the staff struck, ripples unfurled across the void.
Spreading like a black hole, the ripples devoured the lightning. Within moments, the sea of thunder vanished entirely.
The sudden shift elated Yang Xuanzhan, though he masked his relief.
Lu Fengming narrowed his shrewd eyes, unshaken.
All this lay within his expectations.
He’d sensed the old beggar’s approach, yet concealed his awareness to preserve his cover.
"Ah, Myriad Phenomena Senior Brother."
The Jade Sky Saint retracted his power, clasping his hands in polite greeting. "Centuries apart, and your edge remains undimmed. Truly commendable."
"I merely tested your disciple’s abilities earlier," he added, the hostility drained from his tone. "Young Ye Hongchen exemplifies your legacy."
A trace of apprehension tinted his words. After all, this was Myriad Phenomena Saint—the openly acknowledged strongest cultivator across the Southern Wilderness. An ancient existence who’d weathered ten thousand years.
"Master." Ye Hongchen’s tension eased as she bowed to the beggar.
Though certain of his arrival, any further delay risked her failure against the Jade Sky Saint’s onslaught.
And worse—Lu Fengming stood watch nearby, a perfected saint seething silently. That Venerable Lu remained passive proved his reluctance to unmask himself prematurely.
The beggar nodded, weariness lifting into a tender smile. "I sensed your presence across the hundred mountains. Then I knew—my disciple has ascended to sainthood."
"Disciple, you have finally lived up to my expectations."
Swish swish swish!
The next moment, one after another powerful aura appeared on Mount Taicang. Various major sects, and semi-saints who had been dormant underground, all rushed to the Mount Taicang area, wanting to share a piece of the pie.
But upon seeing Jade Sky Saint, Myriad Phenomena Saint, and Lu Fengming, everyone immediately put away their petty thoughts.
In the Southern Wilderness, the three top saints were all present. They probably could only get a small share.
"Myriad Phenomena Saint gripped his bamboo staff and gently pointed toward the void in the west." "Daoist Fire Phoenix, you should show yourself too."
The bamboo staff pointed in front, but ripples appeared in the void a thousand miles away.
Demon Sage Fire Phoenix wore a Daoist robe and had charming looks. She emerged from the void.
She had long arrived but had been hiding in the shadows, watching quietly.
"Hahaha… it really is lively."
At this moment, Ao Lie also arrived.
On the dragon ship, Ao Lie held two beauties in his arms, looking carefree and frivolous.
Jade Sky Saint’s expression slightly changed. His gaze fell on the dragon ship." "Is this someone from the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace?"
Jade Sky Saint’s expression slightly changed. His gaze fell on the dragon ship, where there was a mark of a five-clawed golden dragon with a thick tail, filled with a mystical aura.
In the Yuan Realm, only the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace uses the five-clawed golden dragon as their emblem.
"How come people from the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace are also in the Southern Wilderness?" frowned a semi-saint of the Qi Xian Sect.
Mu Yunsheng and Mu Chenfeng flew out of Ye Hongchen’s Purple Palace." "Ancestor, I’m here."
Mu Yunsheng and Mu Chenfeng flew out of Ye Hongchen’s Purple Palace. Mu Chenfeng saw the two semi-saint ancestors of the Tianxin Sect at once and was extremely excited.
"Why are you here too?" frowned a white-robed ancestor.
"Ancestor, this matter is a long story. I will tell you after the affair on Mount Taicang is resolved," said Mu Yunsheng after a moment of thought, not answering immediately.
Since the ancestors had emerged, they must visit the Heaven’s Secret Pavilion.
The white-robed ancestor nodded.
The other semi-saint of the Tianxin Sect was an old woman with a face full of wrinkles. Upon hearing Mu Yunsheng’s words, her eyes also revealed a look of confusion.
Ao Lie held his two beauties as he walked down from the dragon ship." "The place where a saint passed away is really a good spot." His gaze fell on the cave dwelling of the Ziwei Saint." "I wonder if there’s a share for me?"
"You must be joking."
Discontented, a semi-saint said, "This is in the Southern Wilderness. The holy relic must naturally be handled by us Southern Wilderness cultivators."
"How dare you!"
In Ao Lie’s embrace, a woman with light makeup and a fox-like, melon-seed-shaped face reproached sharply, "My master takes a fancy to this relic. It’s the saint’s good fortune."
"With all these saints present, how could a mere semi-saint dare to speak?"
That semi-saint was an ancestor of the Heavenly Corpse Dao, with a complexion that appeared deathly, as if on the verge of demise. Upon hearing the fox-like woman’s words, his face turned as dark as charcoal, but he dared not refute.
After all, they were people from the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace, not to be offended.
Myriad Phenomena Saint’s eyes moved toward Ao Lie." "So it’s a prince of the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace." "The Eastern Sea Dragon Palace has dozens of princes. I don’t know which one you are, young daoist friend?""
"Ninth Prince, Ao Lie," Ao Lie declared pridefully.
Before Ye Xu, he was an obedient child.
But facing cultivators of the Southern Wilderness, he stood as the Ninth Prince of the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace, radiating his natural arrogance.
"So it is Your Highness, the Ninth Prince."
Even Demon Sage Fire Phoenix looked moved. The Eastern Sea Dragon Palace wielded immense power, and these princes were all contenders for the position of Dragon King—none could be underestimated.
"Since the Ninth Prince expresses interest in exploring this holy relic, it honors the Saint who left it behind," Jade Sky Saint flattered him.
"Merely a Saint. This prince has little interest."
"Besides, someone has already taken the first place at this holy relic," Ao Lie said, his enthusiasm waning.
His presence here was only to observe the spectacle.
"Myriad Phenomena Senior Brother, Jade Sky Senior Brother, Senior Sister Fire Phoenix," one of the semi-saints addressed the three Saints. "You three are revered elders. We submit to your decision on distributing the items within this Saint’s relic."
"Let the three Saints decide!" the semi-saints echoed in unison.
Though Ye Hongchen had claimed the primary treasure within the Cave of the Ziwei Saint, a Saint’s remaining possessions were immensely valuable. Acquiring the right artifact could grant them the hope to Ascend to Sainthood.
"Myriad Phenomena Senior Brother," Jade Sky Saint fixed his gaze. "Your Red Dust Demon Sect has already taken the most important item. Surely you remain satisfied?"
Demon Sage Fire Phoenix chimed in with a light laugh, "Senior Brother Jade Sky speaks wisdom."
Myriad Phenomena Saint replied lightly, "This humble elder understands the Master of Xuanfu Palace also entered the holy relic."
"Does this not imply Xuanfu Palace should also be satisfied?"
Jade Sky Saint’s face turned cold. Had he possessed the capability, he’d have struck down Myriad Phenomena Saint right then.
According to Yang Xuanzhan, he was the original discoverer of this relic.
Yet Ye Hongchen had seized its opportunity, ascending to Sainthood in one stroke.
Myriad Phenomena Saint’s words stabbed squarely at Xuanfu Palace’s tenderest spot.
"Master," Ye Hongchen smiled. "It’s merely one relic. There’s no need to argue with them. Let them wrestle over it themselves. We withdraw."
"Then as you wish," Myriad Phenomena Saint smiled.
"Well then," Demon Sage Fire Phoenix glanced at Jade Sky Saint. "Leave it to us to distribute the spoils."
"Agreed," Jade Sky Saint nodded.
The semi-saints stirred, restless anticipation evident.
"From this moment,"
a cold, unyielding voice cut through the void, lingering across the mountain.
"this cave is mine."
"Disperse. All of you."
At that instant,
a young man in black walked ten thousand li in one step. The echo of his voice had barely faded when he descended upon Mount Taicang.
‘Hmm?’
‘Another Saint?’
Numerous semi-saints tensed upon hearing his words, their unease evident.
Lu Fengming’s pupils constricted sharply.
The aura radiating from this Black-robed Saint had actually reached saint level perfection.
Even Lu Fengming regarded him with deep apprehension.
"Why are so many foreign experts suddenly emerging in the Southern Wilderness?" Lu Fengming felt a stir of uneasiness.
Jade Sky Saint asked solemnly, "What do you mean by that, senior brother?"
Demon Sage Fire Phoenix also fixed her gaze upon the Black-robed Saint.
‘Three thousand years have passed,’ he murmured, his voice heavy. ‘Little did I expect that when we met again after you left the True Martial God Sect, you, Brother Ziwei, would already be gone.’
Infinite sorrow filled the Black-robed Saint’s eyes as he regarded the skeletal remains.
Both Zǐwēi Saint and the Black-robed Saint originated from the Central Continent’s True Martial God Sect. They were fellow disciples, brothers sharing the same lineage.
Over thirty thousand years ago, two factions within the Sect clashed fiercely, dragging the True Martial God Sect to its lowest point in history.
Unwilling to become embroiled in fratricidal conflict, Ziwei Saint left the Sect alone, venturing onto the lands of the Southern Wilderness. He aimed to establish a new lineage here.
Reality, however, proved harsh.
The Southern Wilderness Saints branded Ziwei Saint an invader.
United against him, they launched a joint assault. Though Zǐwēi Saint managed to escape their blockade, his spirit had already broken.
Ultimately, his Dao heart extinguished. He sat in eternal meditation atop Mount Taicang.
The Black-robed Saint had come today, drawn by Ziwei Saint’s lingering aura. His purpose? To return Brother Ziwei’s remains for a proper burial within the True Martial God Sect.
‘No wonder the master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion mentioned Ziwei Saint had an unusual background,’ Ye Hongchen thought. ‘So this was the hidden connection.’
Yang Xuanzhan had the same realization.
The True Martial God Sect, a behemoth of the Central Continent, was a titan powerful enough to compete on equal terms with the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace!
They could never have imagined Ziwei Saint being a disciple of such a colossus.
This thought struck both of them simultaneously.
Exchanging a silent glance, a shared concern weighed heavily: Would the Black-robed Saint seek to avenge Ziwei Saint on the entire Southern Wilderness should he discover that it was the actions of its Saints, driving Ziwei Saint out over thirty thousand years ago, that indirectly led to his desolate demise?
"Who obtained Brother Ziwei’s legacy?"
The Black-robed Saint turned his gaze directly upon Ye Hongchen.
"Was it you?"
Ye Hongchen’s heart skipped a beat.
"It truly was this humble one.”
His expression complex, the Black-robed Saint sighed. “Brother Ziwei spent a life of hardship and solitude, consumed entirely by his pursuit of the Dao. He took no disciples. Since you’ve inherited his teachings, you might as well be considered his half-disciple.”
"If an opportunity presents itself," the Black-robed Saint offered, his tone softening slightly, "feel free to visit the True Martial God Sect."
Envy and jealousy warred within the watching crowd.
Allying with the True Martial God Sect would elevate the Red Dust Demon Sect to unshakeable prominence.
"This humble one understands," Ye Hongchen answered with a respectful nod.
The Black-robed Saint acknowledged her with a slight inclination of his head.
He ignored the presence of Jade Sky Saint, Demon Sage Fire Phoenix, and the others entirely. Without another word, he strode into the sacred ground.
The many Southern Wilderness semi-saints, along with the three Saints, dared not intervene.
His formidable saint level perfection cultivation instilled fear, certainly. But his origin—the vast might of the True Martial God Sect looming behind him—deterred them even more decisively.
"What should we do?"
The semi-saints faces were bitter, filled with resigned frustration.
"What can we do? Scram, all of you!"
Jade Sky Saint flew into a rage, swinging his sleeve wide as he departed abruptly.
Lu Fengming and Yang Xuanzhan also took flight and withdrew.
Before leaving, Yang Xuanzhan spared Ye Hongchen an intensely scrutinizing final gaze.
The Ancestors of various sects gazed back longingly at Ziwei Saint’s sacred ground, their expressions sour, filled with frustration and resentment. Finally, their helplessness condensed into heavy sighs. They departed, one after another.
"Master, we should leave too."
Ye Hongchen suggested.
The Black-robed Saint’s intent was clear: solitude. Why else would he have dismissed the crowd?
Myriad Phenomena Saint nodded his agreement.
"I wish to call upon the master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion."
Myriad Phenomena Saint declared with a faint smile.
