Chapter 521: The Great War Begins
Outside, amidst the endless streams of light, there were swirling vortexes resembling star clusters, glowing like the pure light of the moon. Their radiance illuminated the surroundings of the grand hall, transmitting a thick aura of the Great Dao.
The people of the Yan Chu Immortal Dynasty gazed at the scene, their minds in awe, their senses overwhelmed. The thought of cultivating here made them feel that even those with mediocre talent could surpass the geniuses of the outside world.
The drifting aura of the Dao made it clear to everyone that this was a top-tier cultivation sacred ground, almost rivaling the Chaotic Secret Realm.
Though the Chaotic Secret Realm wasn't as potent as the Origin Secret Realm, being able to stay here for a long period would yield incredibly terrifying results.
"Some say it's better to be a dog beside the royal family than a ruler in a slum. I finally understand that feeling."
A member of the royal family muttered, his voice filled with disbelief.
"Even the guards here get to enjoy such treatment. It's even better than the cultivation secret realms we fight over."
"This is the blessing of being beside the Supreme Immortal Emperor?"
"If one could become a disciple of the Supreme Immortal Emperor, just think of the resources they would get for cultivation!"
Everyone was shaken, envious, and some felt lost.
The mere environment of this imperial palace was enough to give everyone a strong sense of awe. If they were to meet a disciple of the Supreme Immortal Emperor, they would feel reluctant to face them.
Li Hao observed the surroundings, his gaze revealing comparison. Having previously seen the imperial palace left behind by the Tian Yang Immortal Emperor, he wasn't particularly shocked this time. Instead, he compared the two.
The palace before him exuded a much stronger presence, and this was understandable. The Tian Yang Immortal Emperor's palace now only had Emperor Luo, the spirit of the palace, while this one still had an Immortal Emperor in charge, which naturally drew the Great Dao energy towards it.
Li Hao knew that the palace before him was most likely a Heavenly Forbidden Emperor Artifact!
At that moment, they were walking on this Emperor Artifact of the True Realm, and the earlier ten thousand-mile staircase was also part of the Emperor Artifact.
Feng Leixiang's expression was calm, but he noticed the stunned expressions of the people from Yan Chu. A small smile appeared on his lips. Aside from Emperor Chu and the sect leaders, most of the young disciples were wide-eyed in astonishment, with only a few maintaining their composure and restraint.
"Let's go," Feng Leixiang continued moving forward.
Emperor Chu led everyone forward, arriving at the majestic Imperial Palace.
"Enter," a clear, dignified voice echoed from within, announcing their arrival without the need for formal announcement.
Feng Leixiang stepped aside, signaling Emperor Chu to proceed.
Emperor Chu, with a calm expression, did not glance at him. He simply walked through the barrier at the door of the palace, entering inside.
Everyone followed, but they were all silent, heads lowered, nervous and uneasy.
Inside the barrier, a grand hall stood suspended in the starry sea of clouds, surrounded by ancient bronze pillars standing in the mist. Shadows of the Feng Yu clan and Dragon Scale clan circled around the pillars.
Feng Leixiang, who was also a member of the Feng Yu clan, stopped in front of the stairs and turned to look at Emperor Chu. He raised his hand, signaling him to proceed.
Emperor Chu understood the gesture. He was no stranger to this place. With a calm expression, he slightly furrowed his brow, and the Immortal City he held in his hand soared into the sky. The chaotic ancestral dragon coiled around it, and the imperial family rode upon it, flying to the base of the stairs.
The dragon let out a loud roar as it felt the subtle pressure from Feng Leixiang's gaze. With an annoyed grunt, it turned its body and gently let the imperial family dismount.
"Everyone, get down. I can't carry you all to the palace."
The imperial family obediently jumped off, unwilling to ride the dragon any further.
At the same time, the various flying ships of the sects lifted into the air, expanding in size, and countless figures leaped out.
"Let's go," the Dream Master said, leading Li Hao off the ship and up the stairs to the Heavenly Palace, walking with reverence.
Any kind of flight or use of a magical tool was considered disrespectful unless specifically permitted by the Heavenly Palace, and such exceptions were rare. For instance, only the Supreme Immortal Emperor's direct disciples had the right to fly freely.
Soon, the disciples who had been in their sect's flying ships descended on the steps, gathering together.
Li Hao glanced around, noticing a few unfamiliar and powerful auras among the crowd. He knew these were likely the disciples sent by the royal family and other sects, as the Dream Master had said.
For instance, Yin Jingcheng and Meng Huaiyue were the privileged disciples of Da Meng Jiu Yuan, ranking among the thousand chosen.
With a smile on his face, Emperor Chu spoke calmly, "The Supreme is over-praising, they are all unaccomplished children. You may all pay respects to the Supreme."
At his command, the royal family led the way, kneeling and bowing.
Except for Emperor Chu, everyone else knelt like a tidal wave, and Li Hao followed suit, joining the others in their respectful bow.
"Pay respects to the Supreme."
Accompanied by slightly trembling voices, the sounds echoed in unison, and the Supreme, sitting on the imperial throne, waved his hand. A cluster of starlight appeared in front, from which shot out beams of emerald-green starlight.
The starlight, like nectar, fell on everyone, quickly seeping into their bodies. Their Immortal Power seemed to be cleansed, and they experienced a slight boost.
Li Hao observed as the starlight entered his body, feeling the immense Immortal Power within, as well as the special Immortal Dao Laws. Soon, his Immortal Power became more refined, denser than before.
Li Hao's eyes flickered. So this is the method of an Immortal Emperor, raising the cultivation of others with a simple wave.
For an Immortal Emperor, advancing in realm might be as simple as eating or drinking, but accumulating deep foundations is the real challenge.
This also made Li Hao realize that his Immortal Power could still be compressed, meaning he had not yet reached the peak of True Immortal Realm.
"The upcoming war will be a fierce battle, a small gift for all of you. You are the future hope of the Southern Domain. I hope you will all perform well and strive for a place in the Origin True Realm."
The Supreme's voice was gentle.
Such simple words stirred the hearts of many young geniuses present, their blood boiling, feeling an urge to pledge allegiance immediately.
Emperor Chu cupped his hands, "Thank you for the Supreme's great favor."
"The journey has been tiring. Let them rest first. Do not neglect our geniuses. Chu Wang, please stay behind. It has been a long time since we last met; let us have a good chat."
The Supreme said.
Emperor Chu cupped his hands again, "It is as you wish."
At this moment, a massive dragon coiled around a bronze pillar flew out, transforming into a human figure. He spoke to the group, "Please."
Emperor Chu nodded, and Chu Tianhuang understood, taking the lead as they left. The elders and sect leaders followed.
After leaving the Imperial Hall, the overwhelming sense of fear and pressure slowly faded, but the lingering aftershock was one of awe and deep respect, with some even feeling a sense of submission.
The giant dragon manifested its true form again outside the Imperial Hall, leading the group away from the Heavenly Palace, and they stopped in a large city tens of thousands of miles away.
"This is the Yan City prepared for you by the Supreme," the giant dragon spoke, its voice booming, with no attempt to hide its power.
The sect leaders' faces changed slightly, and they immediately exerted their own presence, ensuring the safety of their disciples.
The dragon wasn't intentionally hostile, but its indifference left the sect leaders somewhat uncomfortable, though they couldn't express any resentment.
"Senior, may I ask when the Southern Domain War will begin?"
Ahead, Chu Tianhuang's expression barely changed before he spoke calmly, his gaze deep and his eyes subtly flashing with golden vertical pupils.
Within the Yan Chu Immortal Dynasty, they had all, more or less, reined in their auras and kept a low profile. But here, it seemed that if they didn't release some of their pressure, they would be looked down upon. As the leader of the royal family, he subtly revealed his edge, releasing his Immortal King aura, which was unmistakably the Fourth Layer of the Immortal King Realm!
The giant dragon sensed Chu Tianhuang's exceptional presence but was not surprised. It calmly replied, "Seven days from now. Other Immortal Dynasties have not yet arrived, so you will need to wait a little."
"Also, during this time, do not wander around. It's best to avoid any unpleasant incidents before the war begins."
"If you need anything, you can seek the City Lord. He is in charge of your meals, accommodations, and cultivation matters."
After speaking, the giant dragon flicked its tail and turned, soaring into the sky.
"Those Dragon Scale Clan members are so arrogant," muttered Yin Jingcheng in dissatisfaction, his face showing some displeasure.
The Xuan Yin Clan was also one of the Hundred Clans. He didn't feel any particular reverence for the Dragon Scale Clan, and seeing their arrogance made him uncomfortable.
"Don't say too much," the Dream Master frowned, gently warning him.
Dream Huaiyue, standing beside, didn't care much about the situation and instead asked, "Master, how will the war proceed?"
"It's not decided yet. We should know once Emperor Chu returns," the Dream Master replied.
At this time, a figure led dozens of Immortal King Realm cultivators and soared towards them, landing in front of the group.
"I am the City Lord of Yan City. Everyone, if you need anything in the coming days, feel free to come to my residence," the middle-aged man said with a smile, appearing very approachable.
The mood of the crowd lightened, and Chu Tianhuang immediately spoke, "Please arrange accommodations for us, City Lord."
"Certainly," the City Lord of Yan City smiled and waved his hand, giving the order.
Each sect asked to be assigned their own separate quarters, and soon, all the sects of Yan Chu were assigned to individual halls.
The City Lord informed them that once the war began, they would be able to leave Yan City. Except for certain forbidden areas on the continent, they could visit various places of interest or cultivation sanctuaries.
"For instance, places where some Supreme's direct disciples once fought, or popular cultivation sites. If you're interested, I'll accompany you to explore."
In the hall, the Dream Master spoke to the disciples of Da Meng Jiu Yuan while introducing Yin Jingcheng and Meng Huaiyue to everyone.
These two were the Dream Master's direct disciples. Some disciples had heard their names before and were not unfamiliar with them, feeling happy about their addition to the group, as it strengthened the combat strength of Da Meng Jiu Yuan in the upcoming war.
"The Immortal Power here in Yan City is so rich, and there's a Dao Stele in the city center. It records nine hundred and ninety-nine Dao paths, and at the top of the stele, there's an inscription of the Ninth Sequence Dao Fire path. You can go and study it."
"How extravagant! Can we stay here forever?"
"Just the temporary residence we're given has such a Dao Stele. I wonder what the cultivation site of the Supreme's direct disciple must be like."
The disciples chatted among themselves, having already explored all of Yan City in half a day. The busiest area in the city was the Dao Stele in the center, where many disciples from various sects had gathered.
"You may visit, but don't cause any conflicts with the disciples of other sects. Elders from each sect should accompany you," the Dream Master smiled and said.
Soon, the disciples of each sect eagerly rushed to the Dao Stele, with only a few remaining behind to rest in the hall.
"Seven days is too short to make any real progress," Yin Jingcheng and Meng Huaiyue did not participate. As secret weapons within their sects, they needed to preserve their strength for the upcoming war.
The Dream Master nodded slightly and then noticed that Li Hao hadn't gone either. "Aren't you going?"
"It's too short, too noisy. It's not interesting," Li Hao shook his head. The Dao Stele was indeed impressive, but placed in any sect, it would be considered a forbidden area.
The Dream Master smiled and said, "It's merely the Supreme displaying his foundation, allowing the various Immortal Dynasties to witness the majesty of the Heavenly Palace."
By casually presenting the Dao Stele for others to study, it was enough to shock the other Immortal Dynasties and make them yearn for the Heavenly Palace, reinforcing its towering and unreachable status.
Yin Jingcheng glanced at Li Hao and snorted coldly.
Li Hao bid farewell to the Dream Master and turned to head back to his courtyard to rest.
With no pressing matters, he passed the time in his courtyard, casually painting and carving as usual, feeling no urgency before the great battle.
The next day, Emperor Chu returned with news about the war, but the details were vague. He mentioned that the war would be divided into three stages, with three rounds of selections, but the specifics of the methods were not revealed. Clearly, the Supreme had not disclosed the full details.
Time flew by.
Yan City was bustling, with disciples from various sects discussing and debating in front of the Dao Stele. But they weren't just contemplating; they were competing to showcase their strength in Immortal Dao.
The Fire Dao inscription, one of the nine sequences, was openly available for everyone to study. However, for those who had mastered the Fire Dao's foundation, it would take at least three to five years of peaceful cultivation to fully comprehend it.
For those who hadn't mastered the Fire Dao's foundation, it would take decades, even for the most gifted of disciples.
Time passed quickly.
When the giant dragon came to invite them once more, the group followed Emperor Chu, heading to the battlefield. But this time, the battlefield wasn't at the Imperial Hall; it was in a location to the north of the continent.
With a roar, Emperor Chu revealed his hundred-zhang tall law body, walking in front with his hands behind his back.
As they neared their destination, they saw numerous figures standing in the void, surrounded by a large group of silver-armored Immortal Guards.
"Yan Chu Immortal Dynasty has arrived!"
With a loud announcement, the crowd waiting there all turned to look.