Chapter 444: Twenty Four Heavenly Sovereigns – Xiao Tiance's Decision
"Tiance/ Lord Tiance/ Teacher!"
In Tiance Mansion's ninth level hall, the greetings and cheerful chatter among the gathered group made Xiao Tiance feel a sense of warmth and familiarity.
"Everyone, have a seat. It's been years since we've seen each other. Let's take today to catch up," Xiao Tiance said with a smile.
Hearing this, Xiao Xuan also smiled. Over the past five years, he had advanced from the early Spirit Grade Heavenly Sovereign realm to the late stage a testament to his remarkable talent.
Even among the others present, such as Huang Min, who was now at the mid stage Spirit Grade Heavenly Sovereign realm, Xiao Xuan's progress stood out as exceptional.
"Tiance, you've grown stronger and stronger," Xiao Xuan said with a sigh.
Originally, Xiao Xuan thought his talent wasn't far behind Xiao Tiance's. However, as time passed, the gap between them only widened.
Xiao Tiance chuckled from his seat of honor. "Strength doesn't matter. We're family. Whoever grows stronger, it's ultimately a benefit for Bai Yujing."
Xiao Xuan laughed wryly and nodded. "Fair enough. I thought I could still keep up with you, but comparing ourselves now is pointless. By the way, where's my niece? Why isn't she here?"
"Your sister in law took her to bed. That little one needs her naps," Xiao Tiance said with a smile.
Hearing this, the others perked up. Many of them hadn't met Xiao Baiying, the lively and mischievous little princess of Bai Yujing. Despite being physically close, they had been too busy with their responsibilities to interact with her.
Among the group, Xiao Tianming, the weakest, was still an upper Earth Grade Sovereign. Meanwhile, disciples like Zi Yan, Huaian, and Lingyun had reached the pinnacle of the Earth Grade Sovereign realm, poised to ascend to the Heavenly Sovereign realm at any moment.
Mu Ling remained an early Spirit Grade Heavenly Sovereign but was already nearing the mid stage threshold.
"That little girl is adorable. Is she still as mischievous as ever?" Xiao Xuan asked, chuckling.
Recalling how Xiao Baiying had once clung to him, refusing to let go, Xiao Xuan felt his heart melt. Though catching up with Xiao Tiance was one reason for his visit, seeing his niece was the main motivation.
"Still mischievous, of course. But Medusa has been raising her these past years. I only left seclusion when the demon clan sent powerful enemies. Most of the time, I've been cultivating. Lately, I've heard countless stories of her antics, and I've been tempted to spank her," Xiao Tiance said with a feigned tone of frustration, though the smile in his eyes betrayed his fondness.
The others laughed knowingly, aware of how much Xiao Tiance doted on his daughter.
The Gathering
As everyone shared updates about their lives and experiences over the past five years, Xiao Tiance listened intently, nodding with understanding at each account.
When the conversations wound down, Xiao Tiance instructed Shi Hao to prepare a banquet. The group ate, drank, and celebrated joyously.
Toward the end of the feast, Zi Yan approached Xiao Tiance. Sitting beside him, she hesitated before finally speaking.
"Teacher, I may need to leave Bai Yujing for a while."
"Why is that, Zi Yan?" Xiao Tiance asked, his expression turning serious.
Zi Yan had been glancing at him throughout the evening, clearly hesitant to speak. Now, she revealed her concerns.
"My father has been missing for a long time. No matter how hard I try to contact him, even using the spirit array locator he gave me, I can't find his whereabouts.
"I spoke to Xiao Yan, and he told me that Xun'er's father and mine went together to search for an ancient ruin called the Moon God Palace. They've been gone for over a year without any word."
Hearing this, Xiao Tiance sobered, using his spiritual power to dispel the effects of the wine. "The Moon God Palace? I've never heard of it. But surely you know roughly where they went?"
Zi Yan nodded. "I asked City Lord Tong Sihai, and he helped me investigate. A few days ago, he told me that the Moon God Palace is located on an oceanic continent in the far western region of the Great Thousand World.
"However, that region has been occupied by the extraterrestrial demon clan for tens of thousands of years. If it weren't for the fact that my father's soul jade is intact, I'd have assumed he was dead by now."
"You plan to go alone?" Xiao Tiance asked.
"Not alone. Xiao Yan and Xun'er will accompany me. They're also worried about Uncle Gu Yuan's safety. Now that we know the approximate location of the Moon God Palace, I can't ignore it. No matter how dangerous it is, I must try to find my father," Zi Yan said firmly.
Xiao Tiance was silent for a moment before nodding. "In that case, I'll go with you.
"Since advancing to the early Saint Grade Heavenly Sovereign realm, I've been wanting to visit the extraterrestrial demon clan's territory. They've caused significant damage to Bai Yujing, and it's time for some payback.
"We can't let them keep attacking us without retaliating. The losses Bai Yujing suffered at their hands aren't something I'll let go of.
"Besides, I've been undecided on where to go next. Since your father and Gu Yuan are trapped in the western oceanic continent, that's where we'll go.
"I'll use my Spirit Arrays to seal off the entire continent while you search for your father and the Dragon Emperor. Meanwhile, I'll take care of every last demon on that continent."
Zi Yan's eyes filled with gratitude as she bowed deeply. "Thank you, Teacher."
Xiao Tiance smiled and patted her head. "Silly girl. You're my disciple, and your father is an old acquaintance of mine. Though there were past misunderstandings, they're long behind us.
"I'll take care of some matters in Bai Yujing, and then we'll set out. Over the next two days, prepare supplies and confirm the information with City Lord Tong Sihai. We'll leave the day after tomorrow."
"Yes! Thank you, Teacher. I'll start preparing right away." Zi Yan bowed again before leaving to make arrangements.
A Brother's Concern
As Zi Yan left, Xiao Xuan approached. He had overheard their conversation but had chosen not to interrupt.
"Tiance, going to the demon clan's territory now isn't that too risky? Even the strongest of the Great Thousand Palace wouldn't dare invade their lands.
"If something happens to you, what will we do?" Xiao Xuan asked, his expression grave.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Tiance smiled and raised his wine cup, clinking it against Xiao Xuan's. After draining the cup, he said, "Brother Xuan, don't worry. I wouldn't set foot on the demon clan's territory without a solid plan in place.
"In fact, I've been preparing for this for five years. When the demon clan first invaded Zhu Xian City, we managed to repel them, but we lost many good people in the process. From that moment, I vowed that one day, I'd take the fight to their land and settle the score.
"As for Zi Yan's father and Brother Gu Yuan, their disappearance likely means they're either trapped in an ancient ruin or captured by the demon clan. If that's the case, now is the perfect time to act."
Seeing that Xiao Xuan still looked worried, Xiao Tiance chuckled and continued, "Relax, Brother Xuan. My strength isn't weak. With my trump cards, I can even hold my own against late stage Saint Grade Heavenly Sovereigns.
"Of course, I'm not foolish enough to challenge the likes of a Saint Demon Emperor just yet. But before we depart, I'll ask Senior Qin Tian to arrange for someone to keep the Saint Demon Emperor occupied."
Xiao Xuan still felt uneasy but knew his younger cousin well. Xiao Tiance might appear easygoing, but once he decided on something, no one could dissuade him.
"Well, if you've made up your mind, then I support you. Let me go with you. While my strength doesn't compare to yours, as a late stage Spirit Grade Heavenly Sovereign, I can at least hold off someone like a Profound Demon Emperor for a while," Xiao Xuan offered.
Xiao Tiance shook his head with a laugh. "I appreciate the thought, Brother Xuan, but I can't let you come. You're needed here to help guard Bai Yujing.
"Not just you. Huang Min, Tian Luo, Mu Ling, and the other Heavenly Sovereigns who've recently broken through will all stay behind. When I leave, I'll be taking all twelve of the Heavenly Demon Puppets with me. That alone will weaken Bai Yujing's combat strength by at least half.
"With me gone, no Heavenly Sovereign in Bai Yujing can leave their post. If the demon clan launches a full scale attack during this vulnerable period, Bai Yujing could be completely destroyed."
Although Xiao Xuan understood the logic, he still felt uneasy. "Tiance, are you sure you don't want to reconsider?"
Xiao Tiance sighed, seeing the worry etched on Xiao Xuan's face. "Brother Xuan, we've been brothers for years, and I know your personality. Back then, when you gathered most of the Xiao Clan's Dou Emperor bloodline to attempt the Dou Emperor realm, I couldn't stop you.
"You should understand me by now too. Once I've decided on something, no one can talk me out of it.
"Besides, I'm not going without a plan. Even if I can't find the Dragon Emperor and Brother Gu Yuan, I'll at least ensure Zi Yan and the others return safely. More importantly, I need this journey. My cultivation has advanced too rapidly these past few years. Without a trial of life and death, it'll be hard to take the next step.
"If I want to reach the pinnacle of the Great Thousand World, I need to temper myself further. Otherwise, who knows how much longer it will take?"
"Ah!" Xiao Xuan let out a heavy sigh. "I know I can't stop you, but please be careful. On the demon clan's turf, every move must be cautious. If you're surrounded, escaping will be nearly impossible."
"Haha, don't worry, Brother Xuan. I've always been careful and won't leave myself without a way out.
"After I leave, I'll need your help looking after Medusa and the others. Also, take this Bai Yu Token. It's a higher grade token than the one Senior Mo Yang holds. If you encounter danger, you can use it to command all of Bai Yujing's forces.
"If the demon clan launches a massive assault while I'm gone and you can't hold them off, request assistance from the Great Thousand Palace. And if all else fails, retreat with Bai Yujing's remaining forces. Don't make unnecessary sacrifices."
Xiao Xuan hesitated but eventually nodded. "You don't need to worry about Bai Yujing. Since our war with the demon clan five years ago, we've established ties with the Five Ancient Clans. They won't sit idly by if Bai Yujing faces annihilation.
"With us holding the northern front, they've benefited as well. They'll intervene if it's in their interest.
"But you'd better speak to Medusa yourself. With her personality, she'll chase after you without hesitation if you leave without telling her."
Xiao Tiance smiled and nodded. "I'll talk to her. Now, let's focus on enjoying ourselves tonight. It's been a long time since we've all gathered like this."
"Agreed."
Later That Night
The banquet continued late into the night, with Medusa eventually joining the group, carrying Xiao Baiying in her arms. It wasn't until everyone had left that the room quieted down.
As Medusa gently rocked Xiao Baiying to sleep, she looked over at Xiao Tiance, who stood on the balcony gazing into the night. "Husband, Brother Xuan told me about your plans before he left."
Xiao Tiance turned and gave a slight smile, unsurprised. He had overheard Xiao Xuan speaking with Medusa earlier.
"Yes, I have to go. This journey isn't just about finding the Dragon Emperor and Brother Gu Yuan. It's also about ensuring Bai Yujing's future," he said softly.
Medusa nodded, her eyes filled with concern, but she didn't try to stop him. She knew Xiao Tiance's determination was unshakable.
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