Chapter 129 - 126: Jing Tian Returns (3/3)
Nangong Yuerong briefly explained the situation, and everyone was extremely shocked to learn that a mysterious world was hidden within the Dayan Sect.
They easily associated this mysterious world with the sudden destruction of the Dayan Sect.
That peerless expert destroyed the Dayan Sect and opened up a new space, as it must be!
The process of cultivation is like creating an inner world, and once this world becomes large and real enough, could it actually merge with the real world? Perhaps only those in the Nascent Soul Realm could achieve this, gradually having a deity emerge within them!
Limited by their levels, the crowd simply couldn’t imagine what kind of abilities the experts above the Heaven-Opening Realm might possess, and could only make wild guesses based on legends, not knowing how far from the truth they were.
For a moment, people did not know whether to be sad about the death of their sect’s outstanding successors or excited about the mysterious world hidden within the Dayan Sect!
Perhaps, it was indeed the secret location left by that peerless expert, inheriting his earth-shattering and gold-smelting peerless technique.
While they were envious, none of them had the ability to forcibly break through the Dayan Sect’s Mountain Protection Array; they couldn’t even pass the first barrier, so how would they qualify to explore the inner world that’s presumed to be set up by a Nascent Soul Realm expert?
Nangong Yuerong glanced at Zhou Heng with a tacit look, leaped up, and floated away.
At this time, she was no match for Zhou Heng and couldn’t even ask someone to strike against him, as that would require a reason. Even disciples of the Heavenly Star Sect couldn’t kill without reason, as that would cause public outrage!
But to tell the real situation?
That was even more impossible. Princess Shuiyue being dishonored was a scandal that could not erase the stain on her even if Zhou Heng were killed, it would follow her all her life! Therefore, she could only deal with Zhou Heng through other methods.
For instance, deploying imperial experts to assassinate Zhou Heng. Or, instigate jealousy and envy among people to take him down. However, to gain the secrets that Zhou Heng held, she preferred to use experts to capture him alive.
Zhou Heng and the other two returned to the inn. The Big Palace Master, who came with them, seemed extremely sad about the death of Liu Shengjie and Jing Tian; one was the son of the Third Palace Master, and the other was his beloved disciple, these two deaths were a significant loss for the Black Water Hall.
The loss of Liu Shengjie was just difficult to explain to the Third Palace Master, as he was the one who brought him out. Jing Tian was his beloved disciple, not only deeply loved by him but also truly the hope of the Black Water Hall, a Ten Stars Earth Spirit Body!
If he had known, he would never have let Jing Tian come to this Dayan Conference!
After staying in the inn for two days and handling some miscellaneous affairs, everyone prepared to return. The mysterious world within the Dayan Sect was tempting to delve into, but one had to be able to enter it to try their luck at obtaining a heaven-defying inheritance.
However, Zhou Heng and others who survived from the Dayan Sect immediately received a notice from the imperial family, urging them to come to the palace and report in detail on their expedition, especially Zhou Heng, who came out alive after entering the mysterious world.
Actually, Zhou Heng knew about the same as Nangong Yuerong; why were they still demanded to go to the palace? Was Nangong Yuerong up to something?
Zhou Heng thought for a while and decided to go this time.
After all, if he openly defied, he would become a public enemy of the state, and the Nangong Clan could legitimately command all sects across the world to deal with him. He was not afraid, but he was not alone; he had family, especially his father.
His family was his Achilles’ heel, something he would never allow to be compromised.
And even if he went to the imperial palace this time, he was not afraid; he had the Nine Mystic Trial Tower, Swift Cloud Radiant Step, and a Shadow Evasion Talisman. Safety was absolutely not a problem as long as Nangong Yuerong didn’t reveal that matter, and the Nangong Clan had no reason to make a move.
Would Nangong Yuerong reveal it? Definitely not, firstly because it would be embarrassing, and secondly, because it was not only Zhou Heng’s fault, who let Nangong Yuerong use a secret technique on him, causing the situation to become uncontrollable.
To deal with Zhou Heng, they would have to fabricate some other charges against him; the imperial family couldn’t afford to lose face.
As the lanterns began to light up, Zhou Heng, dressed up with An Yumei and Lin Fuxiang, arrived at the Imperial Palace, of course, with the Big Palace Master, while Gu Zi naturally came with the people from Lone Extinct Peak.
They did not arrive late, but also definitely not early. The guests who were ordered to come had already arrived in the majority, with only a few yet to come. This was not an invitation but a command from the Nangong Royal Family, and if anyone dared not to come, it would be an open defiance of the imperial order, a major crime!
Zhou Heng naturally sat with An Yumei and Lin Fuxiang, while the Big Palace Master went to talk with other sect experts. Black Water Hall could only occupy the last seat at Nine Peaks of Tianheng and could be expelled at any time.
Therefore, it was best to find some strong allies, even if just on a personal basis! This was exactly why the Big Palace Master came out of seclusion to personally escort them this time, aiming for diplomacy.
This did not concern Zhou Heng. He chatted and laughed with An Yumei and Lin Fuxiang while eating the fruits and desserts on the table, not feeling the time passing slowly at all.
By eight o’clock in the evening, everyone had finally arrived, and Emperor Nangong Hong also arrived, clad in his dragon robe, striding in majestically with the swagger of a dragon and the steps of a tiger. He was followed by his three favorite consorts, each of them graceful and luxuriously dressed, with voluptuous and tender bodies, causing onlookers to burn with desire.
It wasn’t that there were no other women who could compete with them in terms of figure and appearance, but the status of the emperor’s women was exceedingly noble, akin to a cup of beautifully poisonous wine that, despite being dangerous, people couldn’t help but want to drink it all, even if it meant death just to taste it.
Following the emperor and his three consorts were the princes and princesses of the realm, among whom Princess Shuiyue was the most famous, standing out among her siblings like a crane among chickens, her elegance almost celestial.
Zhou Heng scanned her beautiful face, but his heart filled with deep disgust; indeed, Nangong Yuerong was a beauty, but he could not muster any affection or pity for her.
"Please, have a seat!" Nangong Hong said, waving his hand casually once he had taken his seat on the throne. The assembly included Cold Blue Country’s high-tier martial artists and young talents. Here, he represented the Cold Star Sect more than he did the mundane role of an emperor, and thus he did not adopt too lofty an attitude.
"Gentlemen, what are your thoughts on the mysterious world within the Dayan Sect?" he asked; after all, that was the reason he had invited everyone to the palace.
The attendees shared their views, mostly speculating that a peerless being had visited and eliminated all members of the Dayan Sect with a wave of a hand, then set up his own world below to await a fated person’s arrival.
Only a few guessed that this mysterious world might be even older, possibly existing long before the Dayan Sect was established, and that something thousands of years ago might have triggered a formidable power that instantly eliminated all the people within the Dayan Sect. And now, that change might be intensifying, allowing outsiders to enter.
Both hypotheses remained unconfirmed, even the experts of the Heavenly Star Sect at the Heaven-Opening Realm couldn’t breach its defences; were the Mountains and Rivers Realm formations a joke?
Nangong Hong then inquired of Zhou Heng, one of the only two people—along with Nangong Yuerong—known to have survived after entering the mysterious world. Of course, no one knew that Lin Fuxiang and An Yumei were hiding in the Nine Mystic Trial Tower, unable to see the outside world, which was equivalent to not having entered at all.
Zhou Heng answered truthfully; however, he downplayed his battle power somewhat and omitted the part about abandoning Jiang Xuanling and others in the cave, considering the elders of those people were present.
Although everyone had heard from Nangong Yuerong once before, they were still shocked to learn that the mysterious world harbored so many Nascent Soul Realm demon beasts right at the entrance. What more formidable entities could exist deeper inside?
The legacy of the Nascent Realm was certainly enviable, but one must survive to claim it!
For power, most martial artists would risk danger if there were even a sliver of hope. However, if it were a path leading only to death, continuing stubbornly would not be bravery but folly.
Would those capable of advancing to the Land Cleaving Realm be fools then?
"I’m afraid, we must report this matter to Bright Moon Country!" Nangong Hong sighed lightly. He naturally hoped to keep this opportunity within the Heavenly Star Sect for the Nangong Clan, but the current situation was no longer controllable at the Heaven-Opening Realm level.
What if the mysterious world were to open completely?
There might be demon beasts of the Mountains and Rivers Realm, Spirit Sea Realm levels within—what catastrophic consequences could their entry into Cold Blue Country cause? No one could withstand them, not even if all the sects combined would be obliterated in an instant!
Surpassing a Great Realm was not something numbers could compensate for; it was an absolute crushing.
The crowd sighed, yet there was some hope that since the mysterious world was located in Cold Blue Country, once the peerless experts of Bright Moon Country broke through the Dayan Sect’s Mountain Protection Array and led them inside, they might still get a share of the spoils.
The treasures left by a Nascent Soul Realm expert were indeed invaluable to those at the Land Cleaving, Open Heaven Realms—even the most insignificant items. Moreover, the assessment of the Nascent Soul Realm was only the lowest estimate; what if there were beings from the Divine Infant Realm, or even the Divinity Transformation Realm?
For a while, the assembly was abuzz with discussion, a mix of disappointment and excited anticipation.
"Report—" Suddenly, a guard rushed in, his expression full of shock, as if he had seen a ghost.
"What is it?" Nangong Hong’s face filled with displeasure; losing composure in front of so many eyes was a disgrace to the Imperial Clan! freewebnøvel.coɱ
"Jing, Jing Tian is back!" The guard gasped for breath before finally getting the words out.
"What!"
Not only was Nangong Hong greatly surprised, but the others also stood up. These Land Cleaving Realm martial artists were no less powerful than Nangong Hong, and they held no awe for him. They immediately began questioning the guard eagerly.
"The person himself is waiting outside the palace; why are you questioning an unrelated man!" Nangong Hong shouted sternly, after all, he was nominally the emperor of Cold Blue Country, the supreme leader of the land!
Everyone quieted down, but their eyes were fixed on the palace entrance, awaiting Jing Tian’s entry.(To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for it at QiDian (qidian.com) with recommendation tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please visit m.qidian.com to read.)