Chapter 569: The Clans Observe the Board
In the far-off Eternal Dream Realm, home of the Da Meng Clan…
Across the peaks, countless Da Meng clansmen watched the unfolding events, their attention fully on the South Domain's tournament.
They already knew that the Da Meng Clan's proud genius, Saintess Meng Wanning, was participating in the event. Before the tournament began, she had sent word to the clan that Da Meng Jiuyuan had acquired a peerless genius, someone who might revive the sect's former glory.
Since then, the entire clan had paid close attention to this South Domain tournament.
As events progressed, they quickly learned the identity of the genius she mentioned.
Despite many nail-biting moments, each of which had their hearts racing, the eventual results left the entire clan repeatedly shocked and overjoyed.
Especially when Li Hao defeated Jianxin in three sword strikes—every member of the Da Meng Clan was left speechless, realizing they were witnessing a peerless monster. Under his brilliance, they saw a future where Da Meng Jiuyuan would rise high and once more shake the South Domain.
What followed left them overwhelmed, one shocking event after another. But now, in this moment, as Da Mengzhu's gaze pierced the starry sky, the entire clan seemed to understand—her gaze wasn't truly cast toward the void, but toward the Eternal Dream Realm itself, and toward the entire Da Meng Clan.
"Wanning…"
"After years of silence, this boy now fights for our clan. How could the Da Meng Clan abandon him in his time of need?"
"Clan Chief, should we answer the call?"
All eyes turned toward a simple-looking elderly woman dressed in plain hemp garments. Her hair was white and her posture stooped, supported by a staff made of withered vine. But at its top embedded in the wood was a seven-colored divine gem—the Dream-Heaven Stone, the Da Meng Clan's greatest treasure, said to possess the power to mend the Primal True Realm itself.
At that moment, the elder's gaze locked on the skies, her eyes focused on a towering figure reflected beyond the clouds—seated in the heavens, looming high and unfathomable. She could sense the figure's control over the world, as if everything was within its grasp.
After a long silence, she finally said softly, "A rare change in ten thousand years… So be it. Let us join the game."
As her words fell, a seven-colored glow surged from Da Mengzhu's body on the imperial platform.
On her forehead, radiant multicolored light condensed into a vertical slit. Slowly, it opened like a third eye, shining a dazzling beam deep into the void.
The void split open, torn apart by that beam, revealing a hazy fissure.
On the ground, Meng Huaiyue was stunned, her beautiful face filled with shock.
She stared blankly, unable to believe her master would go this far for a single youth.
This was pulling the entire Da Meng Clan into the conflict!
"A blood summon of the clan's destiny—she's really using it?!"
"She's insane! Dragging the whole clan into this—if they provoke the Supreme, they'll be wiped out!"
"Who would've thought the declining Da Meng Clan still had the power of a blood summon? So well-hidden!"
"But would the whole clan really follow her into madness? Just because she's lost her mind doesn't mean the clan will too!"
Countless onlookers were stunned. The hundred major clans of the True Realm were all aware of the Da Meng Clan's decision, many finding it insane. Even among great clans, any below the top ten stood no chance against a Supreme—they could be crushed with a flick of the wrist.
Nearby, Yin Jingcheng was dazed as well. Though Li Hao's victory over Jianxin had shattered his own Dao heart, leaving him free of jealousy, even he felt this act by his master was sheer lunacy.
But now, his heart felt no envy—only confusion and complexity.
"Da Meng Jiuyuan… they're really going all in."
At Wanshan Sword Tower, a group of elders looked on with serious expressions. If the Da Meng Clan offended a Supreme, their end would be miserable.
"If a genius like that had come from our clan, we would go all in too."
At the Star Hall, many elders were uneasy, unsure if this would really change the boy's fate.
"Can you survive this trial…?" Xinglan stared at the boy with deep concern.
She had watched him grow from the borderlands of Yanchu to the Ancient Immortal Realm, all the way to the South Domain tournament. Only now did she truly understand how much he had hidden, how fast he had risen.
But no matter how fast a shooting star flew, in the Heavenly Palace, it likely wouldn't shine eternally. It would be extinguished in an instant.
"For our Yanchu to produce a genius like him… though he doesn't belong to the imperial court, he did come under our name. Will the Chu Emperor really just sit by and do nothing?"
At the Tide Pavilion, many turned their eyes toward the mighty figure among the clouds. If anyone could protect this youth now, aside from the Da Meng Clan, it was that emperor.
But from beginning to end, the Chu Emperor had remained silent, revealing nothing, his thoughts unreadable.
Meanwhile, amid all the debate, Jin Fengling and the others who blocked the path turned grim. They hadn't expected Da Mengzhu to go this far, drawing upon the full power of her clan!
But would her family really follow her madness?
Countless eyes focused on the rainbow-colored rift. Even Li Hao looked toward it with uncertainty.
Then—the rift went still, utterly silent.
Many began to sneer, mocking Da Mengzhu as the only lunatic in her clan.
But suddenly, waves of fluctuations spread out from the rift. One by one, figures stepped out from within, traveling across the void from the Eternal Dream Realm.
"Saintess of Da Meng, we received your call. We answer the summon!"
"Summoned by blood, answered in blood!"
"Wanning, we're here. I want to see who dares bully my granddaughter!"
Voices rang out one after another as figures emerged, each glowing with their own radiance, none dimming the others. Their presence was noble, composed, and terrifying.
Among them—there were seven or eight Immortal Kings.
A collective gasp echoed across the land. The Da Meng Clan… had gone mad. This was their full force. Here, in the domain of the Heavenly Palace—for one youth—was it worth it?
This was their entire clan at stake!
Seeing those familiar faces, Da Mengzhu's pale complexion flushed red. Her eyes misted over. She hadn't cried in thousands of years—not since her brother fell in battle.
Now, after tens of thousands of years, this was her first time using the blood summon of clan fate. And the response… was the entire clan.
"Youth, with the Da Meng Clan here today, no one shall harm you!"
An elder's figure flashed forward, arriving beside Da Mengzhu. It was the same one who had called out to his granddaughter earlier.
He glanced at the stunned boy behind her, grinned, and turned back to Da Mengzhu.
"You did well. The Da Meng Clan stands upright. We've done nothing wrong—why should we fear anyone?"
Hearing that bold and vigorous voice, countless people were stirred to silence.
After countless years of silence in the South Domain, many had forgotten this once-mighty clan. But today, they were reminded again—this was what the Da Meng Clan stood for. This was the spirit of a clan once ranked among the True Realm's Hundred Great Clans!
"So this is the Da Meng Clan… I heard they were about to fall out of the top hundred."
"I thought it was just one lunatic. Turns out the entire clan's gone mad. Not a single calm head among them?"
"Best not provoke the Da Meng Clan. They're all maniacs unafraid of death."
Countless voices buzzed, shocked beyond measure.
Many powerful clans watched with mixed feelings. Some sighed, others fell into silent reflection.
"The Da Meng Clan really went all in…"
"Pity. The more they do this, the more likely that boy won't leave here alive."
Within the depths of several great clans, ancient elders murmured to themselves. They had already seen beyond the superficial conflict. What was at play here touched upon forbidden matters, things never spoken aloud.
As figure after figure appeared in the sky, more and more of the Da Meng Clan descended—filling half the heavens outside the imperial platform.
All their auras were sharp and intimidating. The lowest among them… was at the Immortal Lord stage.
Every one of them had come to fight. Immortal Lord was the minimum. Immortal King led the charge.
Just counting Immortal King auras, there were twenty-two!
The pressure that Jin Fengling and his allies had previously built up was instantly crushed. Their momentum evaporated like smoke.
The black-robed elder facing off against Da Mengzhu, along with the round, narrow-eyed elder, both froze. Clearly, they hadn't expected their opponents to go this far.
"What's the meaning of this? Calling your whole clan—is this your way of starting a clan war? Or do you think our Jin Dynasty fears your Da Meng Clan?!"
Jin Fengling's expression darkened. His voice turned sharp.
Before Da Mengzhu could answer, the elder beside her—the one with a violent temperament—snorted and shouted thunderously:
"You call yourself a royal of the Jin Dynasty? You, an Immortal Lord, afraid of a True Immortal? Afraid that he'll surpass you, even when he's declined the Supreme's offer to become a disciple? You want to strangle him in his cradle? You shame the Immortal Lord realm! Cowardly and petty—you'll never reach the pinnacle of the immortal path!"
That thunderous roar left Jin Fengling pale. His body trembled under the weight of the elder's pressure. His legs even began to quiver.
Under the crushing aura of an Immortal King, he had no resistance at all—especially one clearly stronger than Da Mengzhu.
"Bullying juniors—is that what your clan stands for? You Da Meng Clan gang up with numbers over a trivial matter. You think no other clans exist?!"
The black-robed elder behind Jin Fengling spoke coldly. Even though the aura of the Da Meng Clan pressed down on him, he forced himself to remain composed. He didn't believe the Da Meng Clan would truly dare take action—if they did, it would mean open war.
As he spoke, he secretly sent a divine message through soul transmission, using a hidden technique to contact someone far off in the imperial capital.
Moments later, he received a reply from a noblewoman of considerable power.
His heart eased. He immediately transmitted the message to Jin Fengling.
Jin Fengling froze, then relaxed slightly. A dark gleam rose in his eyes as he glared fiercely at Da Mengzhu and Li Hao. Then he abruptly raised his hand, immortal Power swirling through his body. Before long, a vertical eye opened on his forehead, radiating multicolored light.
Seeing that familiar phenomenon, gasps erupted everywhere.
Jin Fengling… also possessed the blood summon of clan fate! That could only mean he was a key heir of the clan.
Then again, considering his talent and status as a participant in the South Domain tournament, it wasn't that surprising.
As he activated it, that light surged outward. Countless eyes turned to the rift.
From that fissure, figure after figure emerged—within moments, dozens had stepped forth, all exuding Immortal King auras. Over twenty of them. It was a force on par with the Da Meng Clan.
However, the other side's Immortal Lord numbers were far fewer. Clearly, they hadn't mobilized the entire clan.
"That's the Fengling Clan—ranked fifty-third among the Hundred Clans, far stronger than the Da Meng Clan!"
"The Fengling Clan's patriarch hasn't appeared. Looks like they aren't looking to fight to the death. This is a show of force, not open war."
"Two juniors fighting, and now two powerful clans show up? This is insane!"
While the crowd reeled, Da Mengzhu's expression turned grim. She hadn't expected the other side to answer with such escalation.
"Hmph!"
The elder beside her snorted coldly, his gaze sharp and dismissive. "Tell your clan chief to come out. You lot alone aren't enough to hold us back."
The Fengling elders looked at him coldly, saying nothing. But in the next moment, from within the rift, a new figure condensed from a breeze.
The Fengling Clan Chief had arrived.
His hair and beard had a greenish tint. His eyes held the mark of a crescent moon—sign of the renowned Fengling Dao Body. This physique granted innate mastery over the Wind Dao's source power.
Wind, thunder, light, and darkness weren't part of the Nine Sequences, but were still elite Daos—stronger than blade, sword, or other weapon-based paths.
Among non-Nine Sequence Daos, they ranked at the top tier.
Behind them were the various immortal techniques and weapons-based paths.
At the lowest were side skills like drinking, painting, and music.
The Fengling Clan Chief raised his hand. A crescent-moon divine sword appeared in his palm.
Seeing that sword, the elderly Da Meng matriarch clutching her vine staff narrowed her eyes.
That sword was a top-tier weapon—reaching near-Emperor Artifact level. A half-step Emperor Weapon. It was the Fengling Clan's most powerful treasure.
He had come with that sword in hand. He wasn't bluffing. He was prepared for clan war.
The other major clans recognized the weapon and changed expression. Could it be these two great clans were really going to fight over two juniors?
Now wasn't the time for Hundred Clan War. It wasn't the season to vie for rank on the Imperial Mountain. If they fought now, once the real competition began, they'd be weakened—other clans would surpass them, and they could be expelled from the top hundred. Their access to cultivation resources, immortal lands, and secret realms would be cut. Their entire clan would decline.
"Fengling, go cut off that boy's head. Use him as a stepping stone on your path to kingship. I want to see who dares stop you."
The Fengling Clan Chief's gaze was cold and narrow, his crescent sword in hand. His presence exuded overwhelming force.
Jin Fengling was ecstatic. He inwardly thanked his great-grandfather again and again.
He knew it was his mother's side of the family that had sent help. He hadn't called on his father's side—after all, involving the Jin Dynasty's imperial family would complicate things. His imperial father likely wouldn't approve of dragging the royals into this.
But fortunately, his mother's lineage was powerful too—and reliable.