Ever since Yang Yongxiu had escaped, he had been wanted by the Great Ming Divine Dynasty. Now after twenty years gone by, due to an unforeseen opportunity, he had actually attained the power of Spirit Realm Third Level. The strong figures in the Demonic Cult who were originally unwilling to submit to Master Xue unexpectedly betrayed the cult to join under Yang Yongxiu's command, thus forming a substantial force that caused quite a stir in the martial arts world.
Yang Tinghe's eldest son, Yang Yongxiu, although young was very well-known throughout all of Tiandu and even Great Ming imperial court. He had not only stepped into the Grandmaster Realm in martial arts at a young age due to his extraordinary talent, but also achieved accomplishments in the Confucianism. He was considered by everyone to be the best successor to the primary adviser, Yang Tinghe.
Therefore, after Yang Tinghe's death, the person who was most concerned about the decision to search for those who were in Yang's mansion was this key figure, Yang Yongxiu.
Speaking of which, Qingyang Zi was also confused. Given the rigorous defense of Tiandu at that time, although it was unable to prevent the infiltration and departure of many powerful individuals, it was quite baffling how Yang Yongxiu, who was only a newly promoted third-grade grandmaster and the son of Yang Tinghe, was able to leave Tiandu so easily, and avoid the search by the Factory Guards and the Six Gates.
"Hehe, it's nothing more than local protection. Those people are just mourning the loss of their ally," Pei Xuanjing sneered.
Whether Qingyang Zi truly didn't understand, or was deliberately pretending to be confused, Pei Xuanjing did not conceal anything at all and directly unveiled the reasons behind all this.
Yang Tinghe had been in the imperial court for decades, being the head of the Cabinet, with power beyond what many could imagine. Even if he was not proactive in these decades, the position he held was enough to form a massive network, accumulating countless imperial court officials, disciples, and juniors.
Even after his identity as the Sect Master of the Blood Demon Sect was exposed, it wasn't easy to erase all the things he had done over so many years, especially those officials who had dealings with him. The implicated could be exempted, but the allies would not break ties.
People of the same status, when seeing Yang Tinghe in such a situation, would certainly help Yang Yongxiu escape. After all, if they ever found themselves in such a situation in the future, they would not want to be left without anyone to extend a helping hand.
Family protects family, associates help associates. This is the most essential thing in the system of civil officials in Great Ming Dynasty. It was the largest forces within the initial imperial court of Great Ming, and no one could escape this practice.
Just like why Gu Ji was able to get something from Wang Boan. And how he could easily join under the command of Wang Qiong, the Minister of War. Wasn't it because the two were old friends?
Even if Wang Boan is currently powerful and high-ranking, he has great respect for Wang Qiong, who had greatly promoted and appointed him, because Wang Qiong could be considered as his mentor and his benefactor from the past.
After all, even a resolute character like Pei Xuanjing who rose up all the way can't simply kill everyone, he still needs to show goodwill to win over some people.
In the Daming World, what is emphasized is not only fighting and killing, but also the understandings of human relationships and worldly wisdom.
"The person who should be most concerned about this should be Master Xue, it's not my turn yet," Pei Xuanjing said to Qingyang Zi with a smile.
With the power of Spirit Realm Third Level, Yang Yongxiu gathered some masters from the Demonic Cult. In today's Daming World, where Heaven and Earth rejuvenated for more than twenty years, it was indeed a considerable force, but it depends on whom it was compared with.
If placed in the martial arts world, a powerful individual in the Spirit Realm Third Level could suppress many forces. But if he considered Pei Xuanjing as his opponent, then it would truly show an ignorance of the heights of the sky and the depths of the earth. Not to mention Pei Xuanjing, there were even people in the Shenxiao Sect who could suppress him.
Now the Demonic Cult is already unified. Although there might still be a little criticism within, Master Xue was undoubtedly the head of the Demonic Cult, which was an undeniable fact to the entire martial arts world.
Thus, his actions were no doubt a provocation to Master Xue, and would inevitably provoke Master Xue's retaliation.
Therefore, the one who should be most annoyed at this moment should be Master Xue, not Pei Xuanjing. After all, as the current head of the Demonic Cult, if Master Xue just allowed this to happen, he wouldn't be able to lead the Demonic Cult again.
"So as long as Yang Yongxiu is not foolish, he won't actively attract your attention," Qingyang Zi said with a smile.
As Yang Yongxiu was able to stay hidden and silent for all these years before showing his head, it proves that he wasn't a fool. He should be very clear about his situation and definitely wouldn't actively provoke Pei Xuanjing at this time. Even though Xuanjing killed Yang Tinghe and was the enemy that ruined his family.
With Pei Xuanjing's current invincible prestige, the best Yang Yongxiu could do now was to not draw Pei Xuanjing's attention, cause if he did that, even if Pei Xuanjing didn't personally take action, it would bring a catastrophe.
Pei Xuanjing laughed and said: "Hence, this is a matter for Master Xue. If Master Xue can't deal with a junior, then that would truly disappoint me."
If the Old Heavenly Teacher could suppress a strong figure from the Tianhuang Realm, then Master Xue, who was once on par with the Old Heavenly Teacher, was definitely not to be trifled with.
Although Master Xue had behaved very kindly when facing himself back then, even presented the head of a high-ranking elder of the Blood Demon Sect as an apology, Pei Xuanjing did not really believe that Master Xue was someone who could be insulted. Otherwise, he would not have easily accepted Master Xue's goodwill and kindness.
"Master Xue, indeed a deep and unreserved figure," Qingyang Zi sighed.
Although he himself was less powerful than Master Xue, he could still consider himself a contemporary of Master Xue. He was naturally someone he did not dare to underestimate.
Then the two of them talked about a couple of other things, mostly about the changes in the world. Over the years, many spirit realm powerhouses have emerged, and clashes between various forces have become more frequent.
If one could abide by the constraints of the imperial court, such clashes would have been somewhat restrained; however, there was no such restraint beyond the border.
The Great Ming Divine Dynasty had recently annexed thousands of miles of grassland. The vast land was enfeoffed to various forces as fiefdoms by the Great Ming Divine Dynasty. These forces, after a stable initial period, started to develop significantly.
After all, apart from the portion occupied by the Great Ming Divine Dynasty, there was still much land that others didn't find desirable, but smaller forces eyed it greedily.
Everyone knew that this was a Great World era, and no one wanted to miss out, especially these smaller forces. They were all seizing the opportunity to grab any available resources and expand their power.
This was followed by constant clashes, and the swallowing and destruction of smaller forces by each other. Although large forces like the Taoist Academy remained indifferent, others like the Heavenly King's Pavilion and Tie Sect, who were deliberately or unintentionally suppressed in their development within the border, flourished like fish in water and rose like a wind transforming into a dragon.
Especially with the covert support of the Heretic Alliance led by Zhao Baiyang and the tacit alliance with the Demonic Cult, and the indifference of the Taoist Academy, even with the dissatisfaction of the Buddhism School, their development was hardly hindered.
…
A few days after Pei Xuanjing left the Taoist Academy, he did not stint. He first lectured for three consecutive days within the Taoist Academy. Then he inserted himself into the public lecture this month and lectured for everyone once again.
However, just after he had finished giving the lecture and returned to the Taoist Academy, he saw a man waiting at the entrance of the academy. When the man saw Pei Xuanjing, he greeted him with a warm smile on his face: "Xue Renfang pays his respects to Daoist Master!"
The Sky Wasteland, possessing vast and boundless territory, rich in Heaven and Earth Essence Qi.
Here, the survival of the fittest is even more emphasized than the Daming world, filled with bloody jungle laws, a cultivator can move mountains, manipulate laws and use Taoist symbols.
Strong individuals enjoy splendid landscapes, with their words becoming the law of the world, their every move stunning the world; but the weaker ones are anxious all day long, poor and destitute, their lives and deaths are at the mercy of others, with no freedom to speak of…
Here, there are nine-tier emperors who oppress the world; there are teachings from holy land; there are princes who act without any restriction; here is…
Here, heroes coexist, nations are fighting for supremacy, and unending wars are everywhere. To compete for cultivation resources, to maintain their hegemony, to vie for the opportunity of longevity, countless countries, emperor's courts, and all kinds of forces are working hard to cultivate practitioners, demonstrating the ultimate hegemony and imperial path amidst endless killings and conquests.
In short, it is a magical world, a chaotic and disorderly world, and a mad world.
There is a naked jungle law here that serves as a stage for the strong to shine and a hell for the weak to fear and panic.
Great River ancient country, as the descendent of the Emperor Zhuanxu, a hegemon of ancient times, and Bo Yi, a kinsman of Pre-Qin, is one of the ancient kingdoms inherited from the Heavenly Zhou era and possesses an unimaginable foundation.
Even in this Sky Wasteland, where strong practitioners are everywhere and various forces are constantly conquering, they hold a very high status. If not for the lack of the strongest existence in the Nine Realms of Spirit, they would surely have a place among the top-tier forces.
Even so, with the presence of the protective national deity, the Honghu Divine Bird, even some top-tier forces would not dare to underestimate the Great River ancient country.
In the current Sky Wasteland, the Great River ancient country spans millions of miles, possesses vast territories, is full of practitioners, and holds a supreme status, making it a strong force that countless independent martial artists look forward to joining.
However, no one expected that the current ruler of Great River ancient country, a powerful figure at the eighth level of the Spiritual Realm, would be sitting in his palace in the Imperial City, his face gloomy, and rage seemingly brewing in his heart like a volcano waiting to erupt at any given time.
With the ruler of the country now sitting on the throne wearing a crown and robes adorned with the imagery of the Honghu Divine Bird, and standing on the jade steps, were the many strong practitioners of the Great River ancient country. The atmosphere of the entire grand hall was filled with solemnity.
The reason why these people gathered here was simple: all those they had dispatched to return to the ancestral land had perished, you could say they were annihilated.
This is why the country's ruler was furious. Afterall, they dispatched a prince of the royal family who was a level six practitioner in the Spirit Realm. How could such a practitioner die so easily?
According to the message passed on by the people of the Sky Mechanism Pavilion, formerly known as Bai Xiaosheng, the ancestral land has already been revived. However, based on the results of the exploration conducted by various top-tier forces, the revival of the ancestral land can only bear a power of the Sixth Level of Spiritual Realm at best.
They can say that the prince they dispatched was one of the most powerful practitioners of the ancestral land, and considering the practitioners of four and five levels of the Spiritual Realm accompanying him, such a mighty force should not only suppress the ancestral land, but at the very least they should have ample to defend themselves.
However, their outcome was completely unexpected, and such a powerful force was completely annihilated and without a single survivor.
"Is this Ying Zhong an idiot? A practitioner at the Sixth Level of the Spiritual Realm has lost his life in the ancestral land. I regret strongly recommending him for this task, wanting to reward him for it. I was blinded." thought an elder dressed in official robes inside the grand hall.
This Ying Zhong was lucky to already be dead. If he were to appear in front of the elder now, the elder probably wouldn't be able to resist strangling him to death and even reducing him to ashes.
In the eyes of the elder, although Ying Zhong was slightly arrogant on ordinary days, he was certainly considered a promising figure. Therefore, when selecting candidates for this mission, the elder strongly recommended him and even wanted to win him over to his faction and cultivate him.
But who could have expected that he would die so easily, failing in such a straightforward task, causing a delay in the plan of the ancient country and committing an unforgivable sin.
What irritated the elder was that he had offended other factions within the ancient country by recommending Ying Zhong, and even his own followers were dissatisfied with him.
The winners take it all, and victory can drown all suspicions.
If Ying Zhong had returned successfully and stepped into the Seventh Level of the Spiritual Realm using this opportunity, naturally all suspicions would have been suppressed, and the elder would have taken this opportunity to suppress the opposing voices within his faction.
But now, everything has gone to waste, Ying Zhong is dead, the situation is bad, and his plans have ended in vain.
This time, not only will he have to face the censure of the national ruler and the attacks from his opponents, but he will also have to find a way to appease the dissatisfaction of his followers. Otherwise, although his life is not in immediate danger, he won't be able to continue holding his position peacefully.
They need to know that for practitioners of their level, the position they hold in the ancient country concerns the resources and power they can possess. Losing this position would be an enormous loss for him.
Just as the elder was thinking about how to resolve the current predicament, the national ruler sitting on the throne slowly opened his mouth and said, "This time Ying Zhong has fallen, what are your thoughts?"
The ruler of the Great River ancient country, Ying Lie, being a practitioner of the Eighth Level of the Spiritual Realm, has ruled the Great River ancient country for thousands of years, holding the highest position in the entire nation, would not easily violate the ruler's dignity, not even the ancestors of the ancient country or the protective national deity.
Now that the ruler has spoken, the many important ministers of the Great River ancient country in the court were serious, and immediately a middle-aged man with a firm face stood up and said, "Your Majesty, this time we dispatched Ying Zhong to return to the ancestral land, it was none other than Marquis Lixian who strongly recommended it. I believe that Marquis Lixian should be held accountable."
The middle-aged man, Ying Mo, also known as King Mo, was a practitioner of the Seventh Level of the Spiritual Realm, born into the royal family. He was a representative figure of the royal family.
As for the Marquis Lixian he was referring to, it was none other than the white-haired old man who was cursing Ying Zhong in his mind just now, Marquis Lixian, Li Zhongshan.
Hearing King Mo's words, Marquis Lixian's brow furrowed slightly, a trace of irritation flashed in his eyes. He said loudly, "Your Highness King Mo, the death of Prince Ying Zhong this time is very strange. The hidden truths have yet to be uncovered. Why are you in such a hurry to blame me?"
In response to King Mo's sudden attack, Marquis Lixian had been prepared. He understood that he needed to respond swiftly and decisively, or else he would lose the initiative if he retreated and allowed his opponent to seize the opportunity.
Upon hearing Marquis Lixian's rebuttal, a flash of sharp light shot across King Mo's eyes, and a ruthless smile crept up on his lips: "When we were endorsing Ying Zhong, Marquis Lixian, you didn't have such arguments. You praised Ying Zhong immensely, almost as if you acknowledged him as the one crucial for this mission."
Any power struggle inevitably involves factions. In this ancient country of Great River, these powerful members of the royal court naturally bicker with each other.
But for Ying Zhong, who comes from the royal lineage, to not side with the royal faction and instead liaise secretly with Marquis Lixian causes displeasure among the people like King Mo.
If not for Ying Zhong's death, even if he had made meritorious deeds, he would still face difficulties and obstructions from King Mo and the likes. After all, if they didn't deal with him, what if other members of the royal court start acting in the same way?
But now that Ying Zhong's death has disrupted the preparations for the Ancestral Land, it's better to seize this opportunity to confront people like Marquis Lixian, although it affects their plans.
After all, the Ancestral Land has just recovered, and Ying Zhong's death was accidental. Once the ancient country of Great River descends in future with its powerful strength, everything can be easily suppressed. This is the confidence that comes from the mighty.
Marquis Lixian would not accept defeat so readily and therefore rebutted right away.
There are countless followers behind these two individuals. Since they have taken the initiative to speak up, their followers also voice out their support immediately, even if they have minor disagreements about Marquis Lixian's actions, they won't choose to cause internal discord at this moment. Instead, they all focus on attacking the royal lineage.
In a blink of an eye, the many mighty fighters in the grand hall, the pillars of the Great River ancient country, were caught in a commotion, blaming each other.
Sitting high on the throne, the ruler Ying Lie was indifferent, neither sorrowful nor joyful, turning a blind eye as if he didn't care about it.
"Silence, your riotous uproar is shameful," a rebuke resonated throughout the court. The arguing parties heard this voice and immediately changed their expressions, silencing their voices.
"Please calm your anger, Prince Yuan."
Everyone apologized to the person who rebuked.
The person who spoke was a handsome young man, but those who have reached this level of cultivation have the ability to maintain their youth, so one's appearance can't determine their actual age.
Prince Yuan, Ying Yuan, another powerful Eight-Level Spirit Realm fighter in ancient Great River country, is known as the first king of the Great River ancient country. He is the blood brother of the current ruler and usually stationed at the frontier to guard against the Demon Race, seldom returning to the court.
He rarely gets involved in court affairs and doesn't participate in the struggle between the royal lineage and the nobles. When the ruler remains silent, he's often the arbitrator between the two sides, so he's greatly respected by both factions.
Since he has spoken now, the arguments on both sides naturally subside, waiting for King Yuan's opinion.
"My Lord, we need to investigate the cause of this incident thoroughly. We need to figure out what happened in the Ancestral Land, causing Ying Zhong, a Great Cultivator of the Sixth-Level of Spirit Realm, to perish. In my perspective, we should consult the Sky Mechanism Pavilion." King Yuan expressed his opinion and suggestion.
He usually doesn't concern himself with the disputes between the two sides. If not for the fact that Ying Zhong's death relates to the plan of returning to the Ancestral Land, the demise of a Sixth-Level Spirit Realm Great Cultivator, even of royal lineage, would not be worth his attention, let alone cause him to leave the frontier.
In his opinion, since the initial information came from the Sky Mechanism Pavilion, naturally it should be the place to go and inquire. With their means, they should have an answer.
"What thoughts do you have about King Yuan's perspective?"
King Ying Lie nodded his head, his gaze sweeping over each person in the court. They all felt a chilling sensation on their back, as if they were being watched by a terrifying creature.
"We have no opinion, all is to be decided by our Lord." The crowd shouted in unison.
The stance of the ruler was apparent. Since both the ruler and King Yuan approved, any opinions they had were suppressed.
"In that case, let King Yuan handle this matter."
"I will follow your decree."
...
The Sky Mechanism Pavilion, originally known as Bai Xiaosheng back in the Ancestral Lands, is now headed by Master Tianji. In every major city of the human race in Sky Wasteland, there exists a Sky Mechanism Pavilion. These pavilions are managed by a Sky Mechanism Envoy.
And of course, a bustling place like Jiang City in the territory of the ancient Great River country naturally has the presence of a Sky Mechanism Pavilion.
When King Yuan stepped into the Sky Mechanism Pavilion in a very low-key manner, the Sky Mechanism Envoy, who seemed to have anticipated his arrival, had been waiting for quite some time.
"Greetings, Prince Yuan." The Sky Mechanism Envoy greeted with a slight bow.
Although the Sky Mechanism Envoy is just a Sixth-Level Spirit Realm Cultivator, when facing an Eight-Level Spirit Realm powerhouse like Prince Yuan, he remains calm and composed without any trace of nervousness.
"You are well aware of why I am here today, aren't you?"
King Yuan was accustomed to this individual's attitude. After all, the influence of the Sky Mechanism Pavilion is not small. Rumors say that not only does the Sky Mechanism Pavilion have Master Tianji, a Nine Realms of Spirit powerhouse, but also other such powerful individuals.
Moreover, for numerous years, the Sky Mechanism Pavilion has been dealing in information, so they have won over countless powerhouses. Nobody knows how many of these powerhouses have intricate connections with the Sky Mechanism Pavilion.
To be honest, even a force like the Great River ancient country, King Yuan is somewhat apprehensive of the Sky Mechanism Pavilion's depth.
"Since you know why I am here, and you seem confident, you must have an answer already," King Yuan stated upon hearing the envoy's words.
"Indeed!" The Sky Mechanism Envoy confidently asserted.
"What's the price?" King Yuan asked directly without hesitation.
The Sky Mechanism Envoy smiled slightly and named his price.
Upon hearing the price, even someone as astute as King Yuan could not help but frown.
...
"Divine Dynasty? Are you saying that a new Divine Dynasty has emerged in the Ancestral Land?" The ruler Ying Lie's face changed drastically.
As the ruler of the ancient country of Great River, Ying Lie has held power for thousands of years, weathered countless crises. Even when a powerful force came knocking on the door, it wouldn't make him overly concerned, let alone, the death of Ying Zhong, a Great Cultivator of the Sixth-Level of Spirit Realm in the Ancestral Land.
However, the moment he heard the news King Yuan obtained from the Sky Mechanism Pavilion, his face turned pale, a shocked expression appearing on his face.