"Thunder King."
The Serpent Neck King flicked his forked tongue, glancing at the hundreds of peak-level Kings gathered around the lake. Even for an Invincible King like himself, confronting so many powerful opponents gave him pause.
If these peak-level Kings coordinated their assault, even he would sustain serious injuries.
"Don't worry, I won't attack you now." The Serpent Neck King's sinister smile revealed rows of needle-sharp teeth.
"The Insect Clan's Gu Heart King and those two from the Machine Clan will arrive shortly."
"Do you truly believe you can hold off several of us alone?" The Serpent Neck King sneered.
Thunder King's expression remained impassive as he hovered in midair, his presence radiating quiet authority.
Retreat was not an option.
The Serpent Neck King wasn't surprised. He maintained his position tens of millions of kilometers away, facing Thunder King in a silent standoff as they waited for the other Invincible Kings to arrive.
Before long, reinforcements appeared.
The Golden Shadow King and his group were the first to join the human faction.
"Is that the Star Sea King?" The Poison King narrowed his eyes as he observed the seven peak-level Kings materializing in the human camp.
"The one with combat power approaching Invincible Kings?" The Serpent Neck King also turned his attention toward them, scrutinizing the newcomers before shaking his head dismissively.
"They're merely stronger than average. They rely on powerful divine bodies and expertise in sealing techniques, barely reaching the upper limits of the King-level realm." The Serpent Neck King's assessment was cold and analytical. "They'd struggle to kill even a handful of peak Kings. Among limit-level Kings, they might be considered formidable, but they're no match for true Invincible Kings."
The Poison King nodded slightly, satisfied with this evaluation.
By the lakeside, Han Jue gazed at the gathering forces in the sky.
The presence of these Invincible Kings created a palpable pressure in the air.
"Ignore them," the Golden Shadow King said, his voice calm and measured.
"Even if every Invincible King arrives, they won't dare attack recklessly. With so many peak-level Kings ready to coordinate our forces, a combined assault would kill any limit-level King outright and grievously wound even Invincible Kings."
"They'll posture and argue, but ultimately they'll wait the full three days before their respective Invincible Kings lead their people into Lotus Flower Ancient City. These three days represent our second greatest advantage, right after our numerical superiority."
Han Jue nodded, settling in to observe the unfolding drama.
Everything transpired exactly as the Golden Shadow King had predicted.
One by one, the other factions' Invincible Kings arrived with their own contingents of limit-level Kings, but none dared make the first move.
The four major factions, representing the four peak races, maintained their centuries-old hostilities.
Even the Demon Clan and Insect Clan, who enjoyed relatively better relations, wouldn't easily concede when treasures were at stake.
Fight over the entrance to Lotus City?
Who would accept responsibility for the limit-level Kings who perished in the conflict? And who would ultimately claim the entrance?
Only limit-level Kings could reliably obtain the treasures within, this had been Lotus City's unspoken rule for countless eons.
Whoever occupied the entrance first would earn the right to enter Lotus City earlier and enjoy numerical superiority.
"The entrance is about to open," the Golden Shadow King announced, his eyes snapping open.
"The eight of us limit-level Kings will enter Lotus City first. The other peak-level Kings will remain here as a deterrent force, entering Lotus City on the final day."
"Therefore, we must reach Lotus City's fourth level as quickly as possible during these three days."
The limit-level Kings nodded in understanding.
The treasures on the first three levels held little value for cultivators of their caliber.
The supreme treasures on the fourth level and beyond, however, were highly desirable to these peak-level Kings.
Even after using his Star Stream talent to shrink to one percent of his normal size, Han Jue still manifested as a water giant tens of thousands of kilometers tall.
Fortunately, the entrance proved wide enough to accommodate him.
Han Jue followed the other seven into a dark cavern at the lake's bottom.
Entering Lotus Flower Ancient City!
The surrounding space twisted violently. His entire body was pulled by irresistible force as dizziness overwhelmed his senses. Every molecule of his being stretched to its absolute limit.
In the next instant, Han Jue's form vanished, transported into a special dimensional space.
"So this is Lotus Flower Ancient City?"
Han Jue rose from a patch of grass, surveying his new surroundings with keen interest.
According to the Golden Shadow King's briefing, each space within Lotus Flower Ancient City would present different challenges. Once entering a new space, retracing one's steps would only lead to an entirely different area, there was no going back.
Han Jue lifted into the air and located the center of this space, flying directly toward it.
Trials were typically positioned at the heart of each spatial zone.
These trials took many forms, combat challenges, collection tasks, even comprehension tests requiring mastery of specific secret techniques.
Soon enough, Han Jue arrived at the center.
A massive stone tablet rose from the grass.
Strange, square-shaped characters covered the tablet's surface. Though Han Jue couldn't read the script, the spiritual imprint embedded within conveyed their meaning directly to his consciousness.
[Trial: Collect three Dragon Jade Flowers.] (0/3)
Dragon Jade Flower: A special plant that grows in this space. It can enhance one's talent in the Fire Origin Law. Finding the Dragon Jade Flower's location in the void requires a certain understanding of both the Fire and Space Origin Laws. Collecting it demands a specific technique.
Harvesting method: Control the surrounding space to envelop the Dragon Jade Flower's petals, then pick all its leaves. Finally, break its root and squeeze the root's juice into the flower's heart to preserve a complete Dragon Jade Flower.
Collection tasks were usually the simplest, though time-consuming.
"The Fire Origin Law?" Han Jue murmured thoughtfully.
Perfect timing, he'd recently gained comprehension of the Fire Origin Law.
As for the Space Origin Law, that required no explanation. He'd already mastered teleportation and stood on the verge of comprehending spatial strangulation. In terms of Space Law comprehension alone, he approached the nineteenth level of Tongtian Bridge.
Han Jue immediately revealed his Star Stream Sea clone's complete form, instantly flooding the entire space. Within moments, he located the three Dragon Jade Flowers hidden in the void.
Using the prescribed technique, Han Jue carefully plucked all three Dragon Jade Flowers.
Trial complete!
As the spatial barrier dissolved, Han Jue sensed he could now depart in four different directions.
He randomly selected one path and left.
The trials on the first three levels posed no challenge whatsoever to someone at the peak of the King-level realm.
On a continental fragment orbiting the periphery of Lotus Continent lay a place called Sunset Island.
A black triangular spacecraft soared across the sky.
Inside the vessel, Hong addressed two younger cultivators.
"Han Huan, Han Xi, you're planning to train independently?" Hong asked.
"Yes, Uncle Hong," Han Xi replied respectfully. "Although we can hunt King-level beings alongside you, the training benefit to ourselves isn't optimal."
"Then let's part ways here on Sunset Island." Hong nodded, offering no further objections.
The spacecraft descended, and the group disembarked onto the island's rocky shore, preparing to go their separate ways.