Chapter 1322: Chapter 1320: Reunion (Part 1)
The circular void channel, seemingly composed of countless shimmering scales, was wide enough to accommodate fifty people walking side by side, with no visible end in sight. Now and then, currents of chaotic void would approach, rubbing against its walls and creating ripples upon collision.
A tall and a short figure stood together in the middle of the void channel.
Fulfilling his master’s instructions, Yao Yuxuan had been practicing ’Cloud Mist Thirteen Styles.’ With each stroke of his sword, clouds and mist seemed to swirl around it, rendering his swordplay unpredictable.
Shi Xiaole approved inwardly.
Indeed, as someone ingrained with the essence of the sword, Yao Yuxuan was only nine years old and had been training for merely a few months. Yet he had cultivated twenty-one sword techniques to the Transformation Phase and even grasped the concept of the cloud’s essence. His talent was more astonishing than that of Zhang Xiangfeng and Liu Ruofei.
However, Shi Xiaole maintained a strict demeanor, pointing out many of Yao Yuxuan’s mistakes and shortcomings. Yao Yuxuan received the guidance with his head bowed, very attentively.
Only when Shi Xiaole asked him to rest did Yao Yuxuan express doubt, "Master, are we not moving on?"
Since a few days ago, his master had stopped advancing in the void channel and showed no signs of moving forward.
"Without pursuers, we need not hurry. We can wait a bit longer," Shi Xiaole said with a smile.
The ’Immortal Gate Sword Technique’ was related to shattering the void and, within the void channel, he could sense the power of the void more vividly, which was beneficial for comprehending the sword technique.
With Shi Xiaole’s current prowess, were he to appear in the Overlapping Land, it was certain he could protect himself against the besiegement of the Limitless Sword Sovereign, Blood Sea Old Demon, and Mirror Ancestor. However, whether he could protect Yao Yuxuan was uncertain.
Therefore, if circumstances allowed, he preferred to comprehend the ’Immortal Gate Sword Technique’ until it reached a state of great success. Only then could he be fully assured that he would return to East Victory World with ease.
As his soul power dispersed, Shi Xiaole monitored the void outside the channel. Gradually, his spirit became one with his surroundings, immersing himself in a state of self-forgetting cultivation.
"Master’s talent exceeds mine, and he works even harder. I cannot let down his honor," Yao Yuxuan thought to himself.
The one whom Yao Yuxuan admired the most used to be the supreme expert of Bear Pure World, the Bear Pure Supreme Lord. Now, it had become Shi Xiaole. In his young eyes, his master would someday surpass the Bear Pure Supreme Lord and everyone else, becoming the number one expert in the universe.
Spurred on by this, Yao Yuxuan immersed himself in frenzied cultivation. Inside the silent and dark void channel, the faint sound of his sword practice was inconsequential, yet it was persistent and forceful.
...
Within an immense pit lay a vast and grand city, its presence almost unimaginable to ordinary people.
The city walls, which stretched a thousand feet high, were constructed of smooth, black iron stones, fitted tightly together, impervious to blade entry. Bathed in sunlight, they resembled a twisted steel black dragon, dividing the vast pit in two.
Inside the walls were various tall buildings including pubs, inns, and shops, all built with black iron stone. They were monotonous in style but incredibly sturdy.
The streets within the city spanned a hundred feet in width, frequented by imposing warriors. Hardly any ordinary civilians could be seen.
This was indeed East Victory City.
After over fifty years of sustained development, East Victory City had become the largest city within East Victory World, rivaling the size of the Flying Horse Dynasty and even more astonishing than Heavenly City.
Elite warriors from the major sects were stationed there year-round, taking turns on duty.
Countless passionate men and women, martial artists yearning for breakthroughs, would also rush over from all corners at the outbreak of war. Over time, many even settled there, both to be readily available for battle and to regularly exchange martial insights with others.
Like a snowball gathering size, East Victory City drew more and more warriors and geniuses, easily becoming the martial hub of East Victory World.
One day, two men in white robes passed Bee Island and entered East Victory City from Nine Profound Gate, shooting straight up onto the city wall, drawing many sidelong glances.
"That’s some nerve; aren’t they afraid of being chased off?" someone muttered quietly.
East Victory City was divided into different sectors, each managed by a superpower, and this area close to the city center was Nine Profound Sector, under the jurisdiction of Nine Heavens Mountain.
Nowadays, unlike before, no one dared to mount the city wall without permission. It was said that various City Protection Arrays had been set up on top, and a small mishap could lead to one being detained as a spy.
"Is this your first time in Nine Profound Sector? You don’t even recognize these two," a visitor from the Martial World shook his head, his expression filled with respect.
"They are?"
"The one on the left is the leader of Flying Dragon Villa, the Divine Dragon Sword Emperor. The younger one to the right is the Young Master of Nine Heavens Mountain and the leader of Divine Sword Villa, Shi Wuyou."
A chorus of gasps followed.
Above the city walls.
"The Outer Heaven Camp has been restless lately; it seems they are preparing for a major offensive. According to your Demon Immortal Aunt, the Star Shifting Great Array she laid down back then is on the verge of collapse," the handsome Zhang Xiangfeng in white said, his face clouded with worry.
At the supreme level, East Victory Camp’s strength was ultimately inferior to Outer Heaven Camp. It was Shui Lingping’s ’Star Shifting Great Array’ that had tied up several Outer Heaven Supreme Lords, balancing the forces.
Regrettably, setting up the ’Star Shifting Great Array’ required extravagant resources, each rare and precious. The necessity to replenish them every three months had nearly drained East Victory World of such resources after more than fifty years.
Once the great array was lost, East Victory World would inevitably face another bitter struggle for survival!
"I’ve asked Auntie about it, and at first, she wouldn’t budge. Later, she only shared one phrase, saying the method was too cruel. Unless absolutely necessary, she didn’t want to resort to it," Shi Wuyou said, with a touch of bitterness. Yet even such an expression couldn’t diminish his alluring looks.
Shi Wuyou hadn’t admired many people in his life, but the one he both respected and felt close, yet somewhat feared, was probably only his Demon Immortal Aunt, blind but with a depth in her eyes as though she could see through everything.
In his memory, although Auntie Shui didn’t know martial arts, she was more formidable than a thousand, ten thousand experts combined. It seemed there was nothing in the world she couldn’t accomplish if she wished.
Understanding that even Demon Immortal Aunt called that method too cruel, Shi Wuyou knew it was not something he wanted to see, so he refrained from asking further.
For a time, the uncle and nephew fell silent.
Zhang Xiangfeng suddenly said, "Shi Wuyou, you should not take part in this war. Your uncles and I are worried that something unpredictable might happen."
Shi Wuyou replied, "I am the grandson of the Holy Monarch and the son of the great leader; I cannot afford to retreat."
"Your life is more important than your reputation."
"Thank you for your concern, uncle. I am aware of the risks and will not engage in a battle I cannot win," Shi Wuyou reassured him.
Looking into those eyes that so resembled his mother’s but whose determined expression mirrored Shi Xiaole exactly, Zhang Xiangfeng could only offer a wry, helpless smile.
People only knew how lucky this young man was; they didn’t realize under the halo of good fortune, the immense pressure he bore. Since the year he returned to the Nine Heavens Mountain at the age of six, Shi Wuyou had never idled away his time in play.
While the children of Niu Dali, Gui Nanyan, and including his own daughter roamed in packs causing mischief on Nine Heavens Mountain each day, the number one Young Master of the mountain practiced his sword alone in front of the Jade Water Lake. After practice, he would sit in the study, pouring over various books to broaden his knowledge.
Before sunrise and after moonset, he kept to the same routine for over a decade.
Eventually, even Niu Dali could not stand to watch and barged into the study, insisting he take a break to avoid overexertion. Shi Wuyou simply replied, "The Outer Heaven Demons are watching us like hawks. With the heavy burden I carry, I dare not slacken for a moment."
Niu Dali could only heave a sigh.
Becoming an Earth Immortal at fifteen, entering the Void Origin at twenty-seven, and rivaling the leaders of the great powers by fifty-five — few knew that behind Shi Wuyou’s record-breaking and unmatched brilliance lay gut-wrenching efforts that far exceeded those of ordinary people.
Shi Wuyou was too dazzling, hence in the past several instances, a hidden force had taken the opportunity to launch a surprise attack on him during his battles with the Outer Heaven Army — the last time, they almost succeeded.
For the time being, only a few were privy to this, not even Xi Xianglei or the Witch Queen were aware, or else Shi Wuyou might not have been able to leave Nine Heavens Mountain.
"Wuyou, you have surpassed your father’s past achievements," Zhang Xiangfeng said sincerely.
Shi Wuyou turned his head slightly and murmured, "If my father were still alive, I would definitely prove to him that he wasn’t invincible, that I am stronger than him amongst our peers!"
"Hahaha... Your Uncle Zhang, as well as your other uncles, aunts, and aunties, are all very much looking forward to that day!"
Zhang Xiangfeng let out a hearty laugh, but his nose tingled slightly with emotion. He glanced at Shi Wuyou before turning and heading towards the Nine Profound Residence in the city, leaving Shi Wuyou alone, staring blankly ahead.
The days passed by.
The aura of imminent warfare within the city grew ever heavier; scouts reported back that the Overlapping Land’s army was amassing troops, poised to strike at any moment. More than twenty years had elapsed since the last great war — was it finally coming again?
The city’s top masters emerged from seclusion, restored their energies, and gave their orders; everyone was busy with pre-war preparations.
On the city’s central wall, more than thirty Supreme Lords of East Victory were wearing grim expressions.
"The Star Shifting Great Array was damaged the day before yesterday and can no longer be activated. Nine Heavens Mountain sent word that even Shui Lingping is powerless to help," said the Immortal Scholar, shaking his head.
"Hmph! Just because we no longer have the Array System doesn’t mean we’re going to cower. We repelled the Outer Heaven Demons on our own before; there’s nothing to worry about," the ancestor of the Fire Stiffs huffed.
Some furrowed their brows, clearly sensing that since a few years ago, the ancestor of the Fire Stiffs had developed an aversion to Nine Heavens Mountain, and over the years, leveraging his influence, he had rebuilt the Fire Stiff Palace, rallying countless powerhouses in an effort to diminish Nine Heavens Mountain’s prestige.
His intentions were clear without asking.
Looking around at everyone present, the Fire Stiff ancestor suddenly smiled and said, "You might think I am overconfident, but it is actually because recently, a fortunate event has occurred. My eldest son, Mingyi, has officially made a breakthrough. Though he’s not yet at the level of the top Supreme Lords, he’s only a step away and is more than capable of overwhelming any first-rate Supreme Lord."
Swish swish swish.
Everyone, including the Immortal Scholar, turned their gaze towards Mingyi Fire General, standing behind the Fire Stiff ancestor, their faces showing shock.
Mingyi Fire General’s lips curled slightly as he surreptitiously released a sliver of his aura.
"Indeed, he is far stronger than before!"
Many Supreme Lords inhaled sharply.
Throughout the recorded history of East Victory, the total number of top Supreme Lords hasn’t exceeded ten, with only the Fire Stiff ancestor, the leader of the Blade Slaves Sect, and the Sorcerer Lord currently holding that distinction.
Thus, the first-rate Supreme Lords just beneath the top tier became vitally important. At critical moments, they could even determine the outcome of a battle.
Before, Mingyi Fire General also ranked as a first-rate Supreme Lord, but his strength was not among the best; he was definitely not as formidable as he appeared at this moment.
One of the Supreme Lords laughed loudly, "Good, with three of the top Supreme Lords leading the charge, and with Young Master Mingyi at the helm, his leadership will be enough to contend with the Outer Heaven Demons without falling short!"
Everyone let out a sigh of relief.
No matter what intentions the Fire Stiff Palace held or how it regarded Nine Heavens Mountain, one fact remained unchanged: the strength of the Fire Stiff Palace was advantageous to the world of East Victory, and that was most crucial.
Even the five Holy Envoys and several followers of the Holy Monarchs who hadn’t changed their stance found it difficult to say much at this juncture; their feelings were extremely complicated.
The atmosphere in the city continued to elevate.
Under the direction of the Fire Stiff ancestor and the other thirty or so Supreme Lords, each sect and all the top experts systematically arranged their tasks, turning the entire East Victory City into a finely tuned machine that quickly got everything in place within a few days.
Just two days later.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The sound of drums roared like thunder, followed by battle cries that tore through the heavens. The Boundless Tidal Sea of the Outer Heaven Army, advancing through the Overlapping Land and with a might that seemed to shadow the sky, surged toward East Victory City.
After many years, the Outer Heaven had once again launched an attack!
