Since the inception of the Divine Dynasty, the rulers have always shown their immense strength, a fact witnessed firsthand by many eminent figures and cultivators of the Spirit Realm Eightfold.
As the pinnacle existence of the Dynasty, they could suppress Heaven and Earth, even elite forces and those standing at the peak of cultivation must avoid conflict with them.
It's known to many how greatly the Dynasty can empower a cultivator. The extent to which Zhu Houji, under the patronage of the Dynasty, has elevated his power over the years is unknown to anyone but himself.
What's more, since their recent collaboration with the Witch Deity Teaching, Zhu Houji has received many things including the most suitable divine weapon, making him immeasurably powerful.
"Make your move!" Zhu Houji spoke with indifference.
When he arrived at Shenxiao Mountain, he was merely an avatar. But when he realised a fight was imminent, he had to bring his true self here. Even though he was confident about his strength, he knew that in a battle against a cultivator of Spirit Realm Eightfold, he wouldn't triumph like Pei Xuanjing.
Boom!
The Vice Leader of the Blood Fiend Sect exploded with power, his dreadful Blood Qi piercing the sky, staining the heavens red.
As the Vice Leader, and one of the dominant forces among Spirit Realm Eightfold cultivators, he seldom had to be this cautious unless he was facing a figure of the highest realm.
However, the person he was up against was none other than the Emperor of the Great Ming Divine Dynasty. Despite not yet reaching its peak, this newly ascended Dynasty backed with endless will of Heaven and Earth, imbued with Qi Luck, represented an extremely formidable force.
He had personally experienced the existence of the Tang Dynasty in its prime. Even though the Tang Dynasty was past its peak, the vestiges of its mighty power still left a lifetime mark on him, reminding him to never be complacent.
He was grateful that the Great Ming Divine Dynasty had just ascended and had not reached its most prosperous epoch. Otherwise, even if Emperor Zhu Houji hadn't stepped into the Strongest Realm, he would hesitate to make a move.
As the Vice Leader of the Blood Fiend Sect showed his might, Zhu Houji likewise didn't shy away. Initially clad in ordinary imperial attire, when his power arose, his clothes transformed into a formal gown, with Qi Luck encircling him, transforming into countless dragons.
Boom!
At the moment Zhu Houji's power erupted, an overpowering force manifested. The Vice Leader of the Blood Fiend Sect, standing opposite him, felt an intense sky and earth opposition pressing down, as if he were an irredeemable sinner, despised by Heaven and Earth.
However, the Vice Leader wasn't surprised and didn't care about the aversion of Heaven and Earth since he, as a follower of the Demonic Way, was accustomed to the world's disdain.
His Primordial Qi circulated within him, releasing his boundless Blood Qi which morphed into a massive palm print, seemingly wanting to submerge and cover Zhu Houji.
But Zhu Houji remained calm, activating his Divine Position, and an endless power swept out, purifying everything, including the expansive Blood Qi.
Both of them unleashed formidable powers upon their clash, yet it was clear that Zhu Houji, the Lord of the Divine Dynasty, was on par with the Vice Leader of the Blood Fiend Sect.
However, many of the strongest figures observed that this was just an eruption of power. Zhu Houji, due to his short cultivation duration, could only maintain this terrifying output for a limited time.
Nonetheless, even with this constraint, his aura was still extremely terrifying. Within just a few decades, or more accurately, just fifty years, the Dynasty's power had elevated Zhu Houji, who was merely a mortal martial artist, to this level — a truly frightening feat.
And in the time to come, as Heaven and Earth revitalise and the Great Ming Divine Dynasty strengthens, the power of its Emperor is bound to grow even mightier.
Moreover, many powerful figures thought that if one day the Sky Wasteland was fully integrated into Ancestral Land, the Great Ming Divine Dynasty, favoured by Heaven and Earth, might become even stronger after the land assimilates everything and ascends once more — a highly likely outcome.
Therefore, as they watched the continuous clash and Zhu Houji practising the skills of the Rulers of ancient times, many mighty figures regarded the Witch Deity Sect Leader in a different light. When Zhu Houji seemed to grow weaker and appeared to be on the verge of defeat, they suppressed their discontent, refraining from voicing their objections.
After all, they were not a unified front. Their alliance that day was nothing more than a matter of mutual interest. If these incentives disappeared, the conflicts amongst them would be even greater than with Pei Xuanjing's side.
However, when Zhu Houji, already showing signs of defeat, pulled out something — or rather, a divine weapon — the rest of these mighty figures could no longer remain calm.
"It's actually that thing!"
"Witch God Sect Leader, have you gone mad?"
"You dare to hand over such a thing, are you seeking death?"
"…"
When many mighty figures saw this divine weapon, their faces changed drastically and could no longer suppress their discontent. They questioned the Witch Deity Sect Leader.
What could Zhu Houji possibly have brought out that would cause such commotion and make everyone lose their composure?
The Xuanyuan Sword!
Human Path Treasure, a top-tier divine weapon, the Xuanyuan Divine Sword.
No one expected Zhu Houji to pull out such a thing right here and now, in front of everyone, at this occasion.
It was rumoured throughout Heaven and Earth that this divine weapon was in the possession of the Witch Deity Teaching. But without concrete evidence, no one dared to probe any further given the enormous strength of such an top-tier force.
Even if the weapon was indeed in possession of the Witch Deity Teaching, what could they do about it? Surely they wouldn't unite to seize it?
But the concept of the divine weapon remaining with the Witch Deity Teaching or ending up in the hands of Zhu Houji, the Emperor of the Great Ming Divine Dynasty, was viewed completely differently by the mighty figures and factions.
"Witch God Sect Leader, you owe us an explanation," Blood Fiend Ancestor's face turned cold, he said sternly.
At this moment, the smile on his face had completely faded, replaced by a cold glint in his eyes. His expression was somber, totally devoid of any humor.
Clearly, the appearance of this Divine Weapon, especially its falling into Zhu Houji's hands, left him feeling quite displeased.
The Human Path Treasure, Xuanyuan Divine Sword!
Legend has it to be one of the top Divine Weapons, a weapon wielded by the Xuan Yuan Clan's leader of the human race during ancient times. This Divine Weapon is said to have been forged from the copper collected by various tribes. One side of the blade depicts the sun, moon, and stars, while the other displays mountains and rivers. One side of the hilt bears the art of cultivation and farming, while the other inscribes strategies for unification. Kur contains infinite power within it and is known as a divine sword for vanquishing demons.
Such a superior Divine Weapon has always commanded the attention of all parties who, since the Da Xia Divine Dynasty, assumed it to vanished completely. However, numerous powerhouses of the human race could still sense that this divine sword was under the control of humans given that their Qi Luck was not affected much.
The Witch God Sect was initially created to perform sacrificial rites for the human race, and its members were esteemed for overseeing these ceremonies, thereby facilitating communication with the gods of Heaven and Earth. Even when sovereigns of the human race were present, the Witch God Sect enjoyed a remarkable status and was highly respected by the human sovereigns.
Therefore, when the Xuanyuan Divine Sword initially disappeared, many powerful entities and factions speculated that it was likely in the hands of the Witch God Sect.
After all, the Witch Sect was revered as a rites-master who governed religious ceremonies, a close confidant highly trusted by the human sovereigns, and who kept many secret human clan functions. It was not far-fetched that the Da Xia Divine Dynasty entrusted the Witch God Sect with the safeguarding of the Divine Weapon.
However, in the knowledge that only a human king could wield this divine weapon, it was assumed to remain under the control of the Witch God Sect. Therefore, many powerful entities and top factions chose to accept this arrangement temporarily.
In particular, even though subsequent divine dynasties emerged, the Witch God Sect never mentioned this matter, seemingly not intending to reveal the Human Path Treasure, a top-tier divine weapon. This made the various powerful entities and top factions even more satisfied, eventually leading to a tacit agreement to help them conceal this matter.
Otherwise, later, when numerous divine dynasties tried to suppress Heaven and Earth, there were lords who wanted to seek this divine weapon, the Human Path Treasure. However, despite their good chances of finding the Xuanyuan Divine Sword in the hands of the Witch God Sect, they were unable to obtain it in the face of a coalition of top entities and powerhouses.
After all, a divine dynasty standing at the peak would, at most, only gain an exceptional individual from obtaining the Xuanyuan Divine Sword, meaning the enhancement was not significant. Thus, it was not worth falling out with the many top entities and powerhouses over it.
From then on, this top-tier Human Path Treasure, the Divine Weapon, was silently harnessed by the Witch God Sect to suppress the Qi Luck of the human race, with no one becoming the master of the divine weapon.
It can be said that even though the Human Path Treasure, the Xuanyuan Sword, was held in the Witch God Sect, the powerhouses and top factions collectively contributed to it. Otherwise, facing the exploration of numerous divine dynasties, the Witch God Sect alone could hardly protect the Divine Weapon.
"It's just a mere top-tier Divine Weapon!" The Witch God Sect Leader chuckled lightly.
At Blood Fiend Ancestor's stern questioning, he seemed entirely unbothered, speaking nonchalantly.
"Is this about a top-tier Divine Weapon?" The Blood Fiend Ancestor's face darkened, barely holding back his anger, he said in a low voice.
It was more than that. Not only Blood Fiend Ancestor, but other strongest beings of the Demonic Way did not have to speak to share the same sentiment. They all demanded an explanation from Witch God Sect Leader.
Even the remaining powerhouses of the Righteous Path had their expressions unchanged at that moment, their eyes looking at the Witch God Sect Leader rather unfriendly.
The Xuanyuan Divine Sword, a top-tier divine weapon.
But is it really that simple?
If it were merely a top-tier divine weapon, however powerful, it would be utterly insignificant to these supreme beings.
However, the Xuanyuan Divine Sword is way more than that. Besides its unparalleled power, it-the symbol of immense significance-represents one of the human race's ancestral treasures during ancient times. Worshiped by countless humans, it is the symbol of the human sovereign.
The Xuanyuan Divine Sword may only be used by human kings.
Although the current Great Ming Divine Dynasty is remarkable, due to Pei Xuanjing's protection, they temporarily accepted the existence of the Great Ming Divine Dynasty. However, this does not mean that they will truly allow the Great Ming Divine Dynasty to continue growing in power.
The previous peak divine dynasty was so powerful, suppressing Heaven and Earth, making many powerful individuals evade its presence. Even top factions needed to abide by the laws of the divine dynasty. This was a great restriction for those standing at the peak of Heaven and Earth, and for those factions, it was like living in perpetual darkness.
No one wanted to see another divine dynasty emerge and rise, stepping on their heads. Therefore, none of the ancient countries of the Sky Wasteland dared to ascend, nor were they allowed by the many mightiest beings for thousands of years.
However, now, this Human Path Treasure has been given to the Great Ming Divine Dynasty by the Witch God Sect Leader, seized by Emperor Zhu Houji of Great Ming, which in the eyes of many mightiest beings, it is undoubtedly backing the trend, aiding a tyrant in his mischief.
No matter what purpose the Witch God Sect Leader has in mind and what deals were made, it is intolerable, and they must get an explanation.
"What else?" The Witch God Sect Leader countered.
"This divine weapon must not fall into the hands of a human king again. This is the will of many supreme beings. Are you planning to defy it?" The Blood Fiend Ancestor roared angrily.
"Hehe." Hearing the words of the Blood Fiend Ancestor, the Witch God Sect Leader's face turned serious, and he laughed, "You all seem a bit self-righteous. The Xuanyuan Sword is in the hands of my Witch God Sect, and I can give it to whoever I wish. When did my Witch God Sect ever agree to the will of the many supreme beings?"
Others may fear the Blood Fiend Ancestor, but he did not fear this old demon at all. The Xuanyuan Sword was always under the protection of the Witch God Sect, it was not up to them. Their agreement was made by them, and it had nothing to do with the Witch God Sect. The Witch God Sect never promised them anything in the first place.
The words of the Witch God Sect made the Blood Fiend Ancestor's face pale momentarily.
Seeing the atmosphere getting tense, Pei Xuanjing, as the host of the event, had no choice but to intervene to smooth things over: "Fellow experts, let's discuss this matter later, we're still waiting for the end of the competition, agree?"
Although Pei Xuanjing did not know about this matter, he was acutely aware of the timing and therefore gave a signal that neither the current time nor setting was appropriate, hoping that these supreme beings could suppress their emotions temporarily.
"Since the opponent has already used the Xuanyuan Sword, do we need to wait to see the result of the competition?" An supreme entity of the Sword Sect disdainfully said.
The Xuanyuan Divine Sword, this Human Path Treasure, is already in play, so how can there be any further contest?
Indeed, even the powerhouses of the Sword Sect admitted that the vice-leader of the Blood Fiend Sect was not weak, appearing anything but so in the eyes of these powerful personalities.
But power dynamics are all relative. Now that Zhu Houji has brought out the Xuanyuan Divine Sword and they are currently within the territory of the Great Ming Divine Dynasty, once an attack is made, it would certainly be more than the vice-leader of the Blood Fiend Sect can withstand.
Even in the current situation, if the true pinnacle power of this Human Path Treasure is utilized, even the most powerful might not necessarily resist a battle.
So, the moment the Xuanyuan Divine Sword appeared, the outcome was already determined.
That's why many of the powerful figures are unhappy. After all, with the Xuanyuan Sword in Zhu Houji's hand, and within the territory of the Great Ming Divine Dynasty, he could at any time invoke the luck of the Divine Dynasty. Thus, even the most supreme beings must tread carefully.
This spelled a guaranteed loss for them. Instead of gaining an advantage in the first six matches, they actually lost two.
In the upcoming three contests involving the most powerful beings, if Pei Xuanjing wins a single one, they will have to divide the interests according to his demands.
Not only will they lose some benefits of the Sky Wasteland's integration with the Ancestral Land, but in the future, they may also have to face a burgeoning pinnacle Divine Dynasty. Surely all this is enough to anger these powerhouses.
As the powerhouse from the Sword Sect had said, once the Xuanyuan Divine Sword had been unsheathed, the outcome was decided. The vice-leader of the Blood Fiend Sect was simply no match for Zhu Houji.
Thus, with the end of the six matches at the Seventh and Eighth Level of the Spiritual Realm, Pei Xuanjing, who was representing their Ancestral Land, was victorious in two matches and had effectively secured victory.
The result shocked everyone. Reflecting on the course of events, they could find nothing unreasonable.
However, at this moment, the focus of these supreme beings wasn't on the outcome of the match but instead settled upon the Witch God Sect Leader, expecting a satisfactory explanation from him.
"Sect Leader, you owe us an explanation for this matter," the Master of Mystiq Sky slowly stated.
Given the current circumstances, the Master of Mystiq Sky had no choice but to take the initiative. After all, everything Witch God Sect Leader had done had greatly affected their interests.
"An explanation? What kind of explanation!" The Witch God Sect Leader remained unfazed, coolly retorting, "Are you referring to the ownership of this Divine Weapon?"
"But it seems you all have forgotten something. This Divine Weapon was never associated with any of you. This is an object left behind by a former human race leader for my Witch God Sect to temporarily protect. How we handle it is none of your business,"
The Witch God Sect Leader's attitude was firm, unaffected even by the powerful individuals opposing him.
His attitude resulted in a grim aura from the other powerful beings.
Observing their gloomy demeanors, the Witch God Sect Leader couldn't help but taunt them, "Could it be that you all seriously believe that the former leaders of the divine dynasties wanted this divine weapon but gave it up out of fear of your opposition?"
"Isn't that the case?" scoffed a powerful individual, "Are you saying that those divine dynasty leaders were afraid of the Witch God Sect?"
"Ridiculous!" the Witch God Sect Leader disdainfully responded. "The pinnacle of divine dynasties are able to suppress heaven and earth. In this world, no force can contend with them. What makes you think your opposition is enough to change a divine dynasty leader's intentions and give up a Human Path Treasure?"
Indeed, the summit of a divine dynasty bestows great power. Even when these powerful beings unite, they can't resist if the gains are great enough. Consequently, it's impossible for the divine dynasty leaders to bow out easily.
The Xuanyuan Divine Sword, as a Human Path Treasure, if it is truly as powerful as the legends say, then these divine dynasty leaders would absolutely refuse to easily give up. Even if these powerful beings jointly obstruct them, it would be pointless.
The Witch God Sect Leader revealed a secret that had never been shared before, "What you don't know is that since the Da Xia Divine Dynasty, every founder of a divine dynasty has visited the Witch God Sect and interacted with the Xuanyuan Divine Sword. However, in the end, they all chose to give up and leave."
Huh!
The powerful individuals present showed shock and disbelief — this was information they had never heard before.
"If that's the case, then why is the Xuanyuan Divine Sword still with the Witch God Sect? None of those divine dynasty leaders were tempted to take it away?" A powerful individual, confused, sarcastically retorted, "Could it be that the Witch God Sect has the power to stop them?"
Obviously, some of the powerful beings did not believe this. The Witch God Sect wouldn't be able to stop these divine dynasty leaders from taking away a human path treasure, even if all them banded together.
"We did not stop them. It was the Xuanyuan Divine Sword that stopped them," said the Witch God Sect Leader nonchalantly.
"Hm?"
All the supreme beings looked intrigued, as did Pei Xuanjing.
As someone who had encountered top-tier divine weapons, Pei Xuanjing understood a bit about them. He had stolen the Taixu Mirror from Taixu Venerable, a top-tier divine weapon. While highly potent, these weapons were not invincible.
None of the leaders who had established their divine dynasties at the peak were weak, and even if Xuanyuan Sword was a Human Path treasure, deploying its maximum strength would not necessarily subdue these divine dynasty leaders.
Next, the Witch God Sect Leader cleared up everyone's puzzlement.
"Indeed, instead of saying that the Xuanyuan Divine Sword rejected these divine dynasty leaders, it would be more accurate to say that they were unable to obtain its acknowledgement, and had no choice but to give up the Human Path Treasure," Witch God Sect Leader calmly revealed the critical truth.
The difficulty of establishing a divine Dynasty is unimaginable. The leaders who built the divine dynasties and pushed them to the pinnacle all posessed tremendous strength. They stood at the peak of heaven and earth and were second to none in their time.
Likewise, the divine dynasty leaders who had reached this stage crafted a path unique to themselves. They believed only in the correctness of their own ways, and would never stray from them.