Azure Province, Southern Region.
Profound Azure Sect.
The Great Elder Chen Xiu looked at Yan Changkong with disbelief and asked, “Sect Master, are you sure we’re not going to Ning Domain?”
“This is what Ancestor Lin Feng said—it’s a secret that can affect the entire cultivation world, related to opportunities for ascension…”
Yan Changkong sighed but then replied firmly: “No, we’re not going!”
“Let the Eighth Elder Qi Yuan take a few disciples to go instead. Consider it training; the sect will cover the travel expenses.”
Chen Xiu still looked perplexed. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Every sect and family from various states had sent their strongest members, hoping to seize a sliver of chance.
Although the Profound Azure Sect was not strong at the moment, it still held some status.
With the backing of two powerful Emperors…
If Yan Changkong went personally, the other forces would at least give some respect.
But he actually decided not to go?
Wasn’t that a bit too cowardly?
Seeing that the Great Elder was still unwilling to accept it and wouldn’t leave, Yan Changkong had to patiently explain, speaking earnestly: “If there were truly great opportunities, why wouldn’t Ancestor Lin Feng give us a heads-up secretly and sooner?”
“His silence means he has his considerations!”
“Either there’s something else at play, or our Profound Azure Sect’s strength is insufficient to obtain such opportunities.”
The Great Elder was momentarily speechless, taken aback.
At that moment, Yan Changkong continued, “Moreover, this time the world is in turmoil, and all the major forces are taking action. Even if I went to fight for it, what are our chances?”
“Relying on others to give us face?”
“If there truly is a great opportunity, even the appearance of Ancestor Lin Feng might not be enough; when the competition begins, who cares who you are!”
A hint of shame appeared on the Great Elder’s face.
Yan Changkong added, “Right now, the sect is developing rapidly, but we must not lose our heads! We need to stay calm.”
“We must endure!”
“Develop steadily; when we grow stronger, opportunities will come.”
The Great Elder felt extreme shame and was deeply embarrassed!
Yan Changkong continued, “This opportunity, we cannot fight for it.”
“Let the eighth elder take some promising disciples for training and to broaden their horizons.”
“Just make sure we have someone there to learn the secrets Ancestor Lin Feng revealed.”
The Great Elder’s eyes were filled with tears. The Sect Master had such foresight, and here he was, doubting him for being afraid of death!
The Great Elder was moved, “Sect Master, no more talk! I’ll go speak to the eighth elder about this!”
“From now on, I’ll fully support your decisions!”
With that, he turned and walked out of the hall, quickly disappearing into the distance.
A moment later…
Yan Changkong took a deep breath and swallowed a calming essence pill.
Then, with a hint of fear, he said, “Go compete? Go see those major sects battling it out in a free-for-all?”
“Last time, I nearly died from the shock!”
….
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
In Ning Domain, Blue Heaven Land.
In just a few days, it had become the busiest place in the cultivation world.
Countless flying boats, large ships, and treasure carriages soared through the sky.
They all eventually landed in the Blue Heaven Land of Azure Province.
This time, the personnel sent by various major forces far exceeded the scale of the previous visit to Profound Azure Sect.
After all, last time was just to probe the Emperor’s background.
It was more like a visit to the Immortal Emperor’s former residence.
But this time was different; it was a genuine competition for opportunities, a quest to uncover the secrets of ascension.
It was a matter of fighting and seizing!
A single disagreement could potentially spark a war that shakes the entire cultivation world.
After all, nearly all factions were involved.
The major powers wanted to monopolize the opportunities.
The first-rate forces sought a share of the pie.
The second-rate forces aimed to pick up any leftovers.
The third-rate forces also wanted to see if there were any scraps left.
Even the eighteenth-rate forces and various rogue cultivators harbored hopes, watching with keen eyes.
As soon as an opportunity arose, they would strike without hesitation.
Everyone focused on the Emperor’s diary, and this was precisely the day they had been waiting for.
With the various forces gathering with the momentum of wind and thunder, the entire Blue Heaven Land seemed shrouded in a tense atmosphere, and the air felt heavy.
The pressure was on the An family.
At this moment!
Within the An family’s territory, hundreds of thousands of An family disciples resided.
Of course, a large portion of them were ordinary people with average aptitude. They lived in the outer towns.
Only those with exceptional cultivation talent could enter the core area of the An family.
In the past, the core disciples of the An family only needed to focus on their cultivation. They lived worry-free, with resources continuously provided.
But now, even within the core city of the An family, everyone was on edge, their expressions heavy.
Although most people knew that the An family’s Cangwu Mountain had secrets, which were revealed by the Immortal Emperor, the specific nature of that secret…
They were unclear about it.
However, the fact that even the ancestors had been disturbed and called out of seclusion, along with a series of arrangements made by the family head, An Shanyuan, made all the An family members realize that their clan seemed to have truly reached a life-and-death moment.
Even some talented children had already been secretly sent out of the An family and relocated elsewhere.
“What secrets does Cangwu Mountain hold?”
“Yeah, we’ve lived here for so long and hadn’t noticed a thing.”
“Whatever it is, it’s all the Immortal Emperor’s fault!”
“Damn it, if his diary hadn’t been exposed, how could our An family have encountered such a calamity?”
“What’s there to be afraid of? Our An family isn’t easy to bully!”
“This is a perfect opportunity to let everyone see our An family’s strength; we swear to stand and fall with our clan!”
In the core area of the An family, some of the younger generation of cultivators were filled with righteous indignation.
They were angrily discussing the situation.
At that moment, in an ancient hall of the An family, the family head, An Shanyuan, stood trembling on one side, his back bent in a respectful bow as he explained the ins and outs of the situation, along with his series of arrangements for the An family.
Three thin-faced, white-haired elders sat calmly in chairs, quietly listening.
There was no fluctuation of any miraculous aura around them. They resembled ordinary elderly men.
But upon closer inspection, they felt different, giving off an aura of deep inscrutability and difficulty to fathom.
These three were the founding ancestors of the An family in Ning Domain.
Ten thousand years ago, they led their clan to settle here and develop their strength.
They were also the most powerful individuals within the entire An family.
Thousands of years ago, the three ancestors of the An family were prominent figures in the cultivation world. By then, they had already reached the stage of Mahayana Realm.
“Ancestors, that’s the current situation…”
After An Shanyuan finished speaking, he waited quietly on the side for further instructions.
A moment of silence passed.
“Sigh…”
Ancestor An Yujun let out a soft sigh, his expression still calm as his gaze fell upon An Shanyuan and said, “You’ve done very well!”
Ancestor An Yudu and An Yuheng also nodded with smiles, their expressions still tranquil.
Like an ancient well, there was no disturbance.
After pondering for a moment, An Yujun continued, “What’s meant to come will eventually come. I had anticipated that there would be a day like this.”
“Since it has come, we just need to find a way to resolve it.”
An Shanyuan’s expression shifted slightly, not daring to speak.
However, the arrival of the several ancestors brought him a sense of stability, as if he had found his backbone. He was no longer in such a state of panic as before.
An Yujun continued, “Let’s wait for the others; we can’t let the entire An family bear this alone!”
“The more people there are, the stronger the force; if everyone puts in their effort, the crisis can be resolved easily.”
An Yuanshan hurriedly said, “Ancestors, I’ve already sent people to notify them, and they should be arriving soon.”
As soon as he finished speaking, loud laughter came from outside.
“Hahahaha!”
“An Yujun, calling you an old fox wasn’t wrong at all!”
“Indeed, fresh out of seclusion and already plotting against us!”
“Three old foxes, that’s enough for us to handle!”
An Shanyuan instinctively tensed but soon relaxed, his gaze shifting to the sky outside the hall.
It was empty, nothing there.
The earlier voices had been quite mysterious, sounding as if they were right next to his ear, yet also seeming far away in the sky. It was hard to discern the direction, and he couldn’t tell if the voices belonged to men or women.
However, in the next moment, An Shanyuan saw a dozen figures, all shrouded in black cloaks with hoods.
They quietly stood in the hall.
It was as if they had been there all along.
The three ancestors of the An family rose and slightly cupped their hands in greeting.
An Yujun smiled and said, “Old friends, it’s been many years! I hope you are all well?”
“Heh, we were well enough. Now, though, it’s hard to say.”
A moment later, An Shanyuan hurriedly left, leaving the three ancestors of the An family to discuss matters with their guests.
———
At the same time.
In the Blue Heaven Land, hundreds of miles away from the An family, a battle had just taken place.
It caused quite a stir, primarily because both sides involved had significant backgrounds.
One side was the powerful Jade Pool Holy Land.
The other was the renowned Liyue Immortal Dynasty!
As for the cause of the battle, it was quite simple.
Both sides were advance teams that had come to the Blue Heaven Land to seize a foothold.
With so many forces arriving, the Blue Heaven Land had long become overcrowded. It was necessary to arrive early to secure a good position.
Who would have thought that the people from Jade Pool Holy Land and Liyue Immortal Dynasty would arrive almost simultaneously and both set their sights on the same peak?
This peak not only had unique scenery but also provided a view of Cangwu Mountain.
As a result, neither side was willing to back down.
Both had significant backgrounds, and they immediately engaged in combat.
After a round of fighting, many were injured on both sides, but fortunately, they were somewhat restrained and no one was killed.
After the ceasefire, both sides continued to confront each other, waiting for reinforcements to arrive.
This standoff lasted for several hours.
When Yuan Ruoyu arrived and heard about this, her expression darkened.
She scolded, “You’re ready to fight at the slightest disagreement!”
“Is this how the people of the Liyue Immortal Dynasty behave? So domineering?”
On the side of the Liyue Immortal Dynasty, seeing the arrival of the other party’s Holy Lord, their momentum immediately diminished.
No one dared to speak.
At that moment, nine serpentine dragons appeared in the sky, pulling an extraordinarily luxurious imperial carriage.
Ye Qingge, dressed in an ornate imperial robe, stepped out with an icy expression, casting a glance at Yuan Ruoyu.
Her cold voice radiated immense authority: “Yes, the people of the Liyue Immortal Dynasty have always been this domineering!”
“What will you do about it?”
As a Holy Lord of the Holy Land, Yuan Ruoyu was not someone to be trifled with. She turned her head to look at Ye Qingge—
In an instant, their eyes met, and it felt as if sparks were flying in the air.
They were at a standoff!
At this moment, even the air seemed to freeze in intensity.