Chapter 62: Continental Situation, Discussing Divinities in the Pavilion
The dust on the Diamond Mountain Range gradually settled, but the scent of blood still lingered in the valley. The coalition of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was busy cleaning up the battlefield and tallying the spoils, and the air was filled with the solemnity and bustle that followed a major battle.
After a brief conversation with his grandfather, Yu Boxuan, Yu Yuanchen declined the suggestion to return to his camp to rest immediately. His gaze turned toward a pavilion perched on a lonely, perilous peak deep within the mountain range.
The pavilion seemed to have been abandoned for a long time, but under the blood-red glow of the setting sun, it possessed a unique, transcendent Concept. Almost at the same time, another golden streak of light swept toward the pavilion—it was Qian Daoliu.
The two landed in front of the pavilion almost simultaneously and exchanged a smile; the tension of their previous confrontation seemed as if it had never happened.
On the stone table in the pavilion sat a few plates of exquisite dishes and a pot of fine wine emitting a crisp, fragrant aroma. Yu Yuanchen and Qian Daoliu sat opposite each other, raising their cups in a toast. The atmosphere was quite relaxed, as if the previous tense standoff had never occurred.
Qian Daoliu poured a cup for Yu Yuanchen, raised his own in a gesture, and said with a hint of apology, "Brother Yuanchen, Elder Jin E was a bit impulsive just now, and his pressure was overbearing. I apologize to you and the Clan Chief on his behalf. He is an Elder of mine, loyal to Spirit Hall his whole life, and while his temperament is a bit domineering, he doesn't harbor much malice; it's just... he views things from a different perspective."
Yu Yuanchen raised his cup in return, his expression calm. "Brother Qian, you are too polite. With different stances and different paths, it is hard to judge who is right or wrong. If it were me, and my Family's Foundation were repeatedly provoked and my subordinates were being purged like this, my reaction might have been even more intense than Elder Jin E's. Let us leave this matter here."
His tone was indifferent, showing he didn't take the previous conflict to heart. This demeanor made Qian Daoliu's appreciation grow even deeper.
Qian Daoliu drained his cup. "Brother Yuanchen is broad-minded. Indeed, it is just a matter of different stances. If I were in his shoes, my actions would likely be no different from Elder Jin E's, perhaps even more radical."
He paused, his tone carrying a trace of imperceptible sentiment. "However, privately, I believe that with a personage like Brother Yuanchen, even as opponents, we should compete with upright and honorable methods, rather than relying on the pressure of cultivation, which only invites ridicule."
The two tacitly agreed not to mention the Elephant Armored Academy and the Tuoba Family again. Winners take all, and the dust had settled; there was no point in saying more. Although Qian Daoliu felt it was a pity, he knew that Huyan Kuang and the others had brought it upon themselves. Spirit Hall was in the wrong for intervening, and being able to preserve some of their remaining strength was already not easy.
After a few cups of wine, the topic gradually turned to the current situation on the continent.
Qian Daoliu sighed softly and said, "Brother Yuanchen, I wonder if you have noticed that in the past few decades, the development of the Spirit Master's world has been shockingly fast. The number of known Titled Douluo, both overt and covert, already exceeds twenty. Emerging top-tier forces like the Star Crown Sect and the Wind Sword Sect all have Titled Douluo overseeing them. And old-established hegemons like your Sect and the Clear Sky Sect have even deeper Foundations, with more than one Titled Douluo."
"It is a good thing that powerhouses are emerging in the world. But power breeds ambition, and order easily becomes unstable. The continent may seem calm now, but undercurrents are surging. Friction between major forces is increasing daily, and the air is growing thick with the smell of gunpowder. Although Spirit Hall is strong, with my father having ignored worldly affairs for many years, we are no longer capable of suppressing the entire world."
When he mentioned his father, the current High Priest of Spirit Hall and the only Limit Douluo in the world, a look of worry flashed in his eyes. "In his early years, to defend against a rare, large-scale beast tide from the Star Dou Great Forest, my father fought a bloody battle against a Ferocious beast with heaven-defying cultivation, the 'Dark Demonic Evil God Tiger'. Although he eventually killed it, he was poisoned by the Evil God Hook during its dying counterattack, leaving behind dark injuries that are difficult to cure. Now that he is advanced in age, the injuries recur from time to time, and he can no longer easily make a move."
Yu Yuanchen felt a chill in his heart. Only now did he understand why Spirit Hall, though still powerful in recent years, lacked that sense of absolute control from the past. It turned out that the High Priest, who acted as their anchor, was actually injured.
Qian Daoliu continued, "With the High Priest not making a move, some monsters and demons have become restless. Some… ignorant, emerging small forces even dare to collude with local nobles to secretly suppress and deceive the branch halls and sub-halls that Spirit Hall has set up in various regions!"
Speaking of this, Qian Daoliu's tone carried a hint of coldness. "They obstruct the Martial Soul Awakening of commoners, intercept reports sent to Spirit City, and attempt to completely erase Spirit Hall's influence within their spheres of influence, engaging in deceit and carving out their own territories! If an Elder hadn't accidentally discovered that children in a village had all passed the age of ten without undergoing Martial Soul Awakening, who knows how much longer this would have been hidden!"
Upon hearing this, Yu Yuanchen raised an eyebrow. "There is actually such a thing? Obstructing the Awakening of commoners is an evil act that severs the Foundation of the Spirit Master's world, and it is an open provocation to the authority of Spirit Hall."
"It is not just one case!" Qian Daoliu snorted coldly. "After a thorough investigation, similar situations were not isolated! Even worse, a small number of branch hall heads have been corrupted, colluding with local forces to oppress the good and line their own pockets! Although the proportion is not high, the absolute number is shocking!"
"My Yu Family also deeply admires Spirit Hall's righteous act of providing free Martial Soul Awakening for children across the continent, and we will never let such twisted tendencies blow into the Yu Family's sphere of influence," Yu Yuanchen said.
"This matter has caused the Supreme Pontiff to be extremely furious. Aside from cleaning up and rectifying, the higher-ups in the Hall have also had to reflect deeply." Qian Daoliu nodded and continued. The Supreme Pontiff he mentioned was the current one, also a member of the Qian Family, though their Martial Soul was not a Seraphim but a weakened version of the Holy Angel. However, their cultivation had reached level ninety-six, and they were acting as the Supreme Pontiff until Qian Daoliu truly matured.
He set down his wine cup, his voice low. "Some believe that it is precisely because there are too many top-tier forces on the continent that some people have developed delusions, thinking they can challenge the order established by Spirit Hall. There has been a disagreement within the Hall regarding this."
Yu Yuanchen listened quietly; he knew this was one of the core reasons Qian Daoliu wanted to have a deep talk with him tonight.
Qian Daoliu continued, "Many Elders, led by Elder Jin E, believe that we should use thunderous means to purge one or two blind, top-tier forces, and then subdue a few others to act as our hounds to re-establish the supreme authority of Spirit Hall and deter the petty."
He paused and looked at Yu Yuanchen. "But the Supreme Pontiff believes that blocking is inferior to guiding. Instead of forcefully suppressing and triggering a backlash from the world, it is better to cooperate with a few old-established, reputable, top-tier forces to define order. For example, proposing the selection of the 'Upper Three Sects' and 'Lower Four Sects' to set an example for the Sects of the world and jointly maintain the stability and prosperity of the Spirit Master's world."
Yu Yuanchen understood. With the Foundations of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect and the Clear Sky Sect, they would inevitably be among the 'Upper Three Sects'. This was both an honor and a responsibility, as well as an invisible restraint and binding. Spirit Hall's move could be called an open conspiracy; Qian Daoliu was sounding him out.
"Although Elder Jin E is radical, his loyalty to Spirit Hall is unquestionable, and his strength is top-notch within the Hall. He is deeply trusted by the High Priest and is seen as the future Second Priest."
Qian Daoliu's tone was complex. "I cannot agree with his style of doing things, but I still respect the man. And I must say, his domineering style is indeed effective."
The topic became slightly heavy. The two were silent for a moment, then drank again.
The cool breeze blew, and the moonlight was bright. Qian Daoliu suddenly looked up at the moon, his tone becoming ethereal, carrying a trace of yearning and piety. "Brother Yuanchen, do you believe... that there are gods in this world?"
Yu Yuanchen's heart stirred, but his expression remained unchanged. "Ancient texts record that there were gods in ancient times. Since it is recorded, it must not be groundless."
A brilliant golden light rose in Qian Daoliu's eyes, the faith and desire coming from his heart. "I believe. Not only do I believe, but I also know that the Divinity Legacy is real." He looked at Yu Yuanchen, his gaze burning. "My Seraphim lineage has been passed down for generations, and its source is a supreme god—the god of angels! Pacifying the chaos on the continent, integrating the power of Soul Masters, guiding the world toward the light, and ultimately inheriting the God Position to ascend to the God Realm is the long-cherished wish and mission of countless generations of my Qian Family!"
These words contained shocking information and Qian Daoliu's firm belief. He did not conceal his ambition and goals at all.
He paused, and the look he gave Yu Yuanchen was full of complex meaning—admiration, envy, and a trace of imperceptible competitiveness. "Looking across the world at the younger generation, only myself, you, Brother Yuanchen, and that Tang Chen of the Clear Sky Sect possess talent, Heart-Nature, and Opportunity that are all top-tier. You are the most likely to touch that legendary Divine Rank Domain and obtain the chance to become a god."
Qian Daoliu's gaze seemed to see through the heart. He slowly said, "Especially you, Brother Yuanchen... You have already condensed a trace of true 'Divinity' within you. Although weak, its level is so high that it is chilling. This is definitely not something that can be created by ordinary Opportunity. I presume you have already received the attention of some great existence, or even... He has already laid out the path to the God Position for you in the dark, waiting only for your cultivation to be sufficient to accept guidance and inherit the glory of his God Position."
Yu Yuanchen's hand holding the wine cup paused slightly. Qian Daoliu's words were like thunder exploding in his heart! Divinity? Guidance? Inheriting a God Position?
In an instant, the thunder Law imprint that had condensed on his forehead after absorbing his seventh Soul Ring flashed through his mind, along with that intermittent, mysterious attraction originating from the distant west!
So... that was not an illusion! That was... the guidance of a Divinity?! That's right, only the power of a Divinity could cause that imprint to fluctuate and make him feel it!
A storm surged in his heart, but his face remained calm and waveless. He just said lightly, "Brother Qian is joking. Matters of Divinities are ethereal; I dare not covet them. I only wish to keep my feet on the ground and improve myself."
Qian Daoliu saw that his expression was as usual and did not expose him, just smiled meaningfully. "Brother Yuanchen is too modest. Perhaps the time has not yet come, but the divine fate has been planted. If you have any feeling in the future, follow your heart, and you may see the truth."
He raised his wine cup. "It was a pleasure to talk with Brother Yuanchen today and speak freely! I hope that in the future, even if we are on different sides, we can still sit and discuss the Dao like today. And even... I look forward to the day when we both ascend to the God Realm and look down upon the masses!"
Yu Yuanchen raised his cup in response. "I will take your kind words, Brother Qian."
The two wine cups collided gently in the air, making a crisp sound. Under the moonlight, the gazes of the two peerless Prodigies met, containing both mutual appreciation and a firm, undisguised competitiveness regarding their future paths.
The night talk in the pavilion revealed the tip of the iceberg of the continental situation and touched upon that more vast and mysterious Domain hidden above the mortal world—the Divinity Legacy!
Yu Yuanchen's heart had quietly flown to that distant west, to that place of summoning in the dark. A path to the God Position seemed to have revealed a glimmer of light before him.
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