Chapter 503 - 503 Ascending to the Heavens!

503 Ascending to the Heavens!

“What?” Zhou Chuanyong spun around, his gaze landing on Yue Yang with lethal intensity.

“Lord Yue, I trust that with your intellect, you haven’t overlooked why the white-robed king chose your establishment for rest and surveillance of Qingzhou, have you?” he asked.

“Of course, I know,” Yue Yang responded, his face reflecting a hint of apprehension.

Aside from being one of Qingzhou’s five great sects, the Thousand Divination Tower was also the largest hub for information trading in the region. It was privy to the daily happenings of Qingzhou, with half of their knowledge obtained through predictions while the other half relied on human intelligence. They often knew more than the parties involved.

Both the white-robed king and Zhou Chuanyong had chosen this place to monitor Qingzhou City’s movements, ensuring access to crucial information at the earliest opportunity.

“It’s not negligence on our part, but the alliance master moved too quickly,” Yue Yang explained with a wry smile. “He ascended and descended the mountain in less than fifteen minutes.”

“What did he accomplish on the mountain?” Zhou Chuanyong’s eyes narrowed, and the discomfort he had been suppressing surged up once more.

“He killed the recently renowned eldest disciple of the Heavenly Eagle Sect, the sect master, and a group of visceral prefecture realm elders…Then, he simply floated away,” Yue Yang explained.

“All in less than twenty-five minutes?”

“Potentially even less time than that! The current Heavenly Eagle Sect has already been carved up by the sect’s disciples and other martial artists. It’s likely to fall apart within days.” Yue Yang’s face showed a residual fear as he spoke.

The increasing discomfort in Zhou Chuanyong’s heart was indicative of Qin Huai’s strength surpassing his expectations. Even though Qin Huai was only a few realms in, he could effortlessly… annihilate an entire sect?

This wasn’t an ordinary bout between prodigies. If the lethality was potent enough, it could determine the outcome. They had to confront countless experts’ tactics, the grand array of the sect, and the sect’s foundation. With the odds stacked against them, lethality, endurance, and even escape methods were paramount.

“Keep a close eye on this man,” Zhou Chuanyong instructed.

“Understood…”

Thump, thump, thump!

At the staircase, an old man hurried upstairs. “Tower Lord, there’s news about the Nine Regions Wind Chasing Divine Legs Sect,” he reported, his face grim.

“Speak!” Zhou Chuanyong ordered.

“The Nine Regions Wind Chasing Divine Legs Sect has been completely wiped out, and the perpetrator was the master of the Qingzhou Alliance.”

“What?!” Zhou Chuanyong could no longer maintain his composure. He rose from his seat, making his way toward the Heart’s Eye Pavilion without a word.

Thump, thump, thump!

His rapid footsteps echoed along with his massive frame, each step resonating like a tremor. However, as he reached the Heart’s Eye Pavilion, an anxious Zhou Chuanyong deliberately slowed his pace.

“King!” He knelt on one knee, bowing before the white-robed king.

“It seems something interesting happened?” The white-robed king opened his eyes, calmly regarding Zhou Chuanyong.

“The Qingzhou Alliance’s master has annihilated two sects. His true strength may well be at the fifth-level visceral prefecture realm.”

“A monster?” the white-robed king remarked nonchalantly.

“Definitely stronger than I was at his age,” Zhou Chuanyong stated candidly. Given that the Qingzhou Alliance members were all prodigies around thirty years of age, he surmised that the alliance master was of similar age.

“It appears that Qingzhou’s legendary emperor is indeed quite proficient,” the white-robed king calmly observed.

“Your Majesty, the most significant point is that the alliance master’s targets are quite specific,” Zhou Chuanyong began his analysis. “Both the Heavenly Eagle Sect and the Nine Regions Wind Chasing Divine Legs Sect predominantly have members whose spiritual entities are flying demons. I believe the alliance master aims to ascend to the heavens in a certain manner.”

“However,” he continued, “utilizing ordinary demons and attempting to ascend to the blood sea is as difficult as scaling the heavens itself. And even if he manages to ascend, he will not be able to sustain it for long. Frostbite, damage to the spirit’s treasure, and harm to his blood, flesh, and qi are all afflictions a martial artist cannot withstand.”

The more Zhou Chuanyong pondered, the more ludicrous it seemed. “Is the alliance master a madman?”

“Madman?” the white-robed king retorted. “In the eyes of the world, aren’t we all madmen? That lord was the greatest madman of all.

“This world belongs to geniuses and madmen. The former receives from the world, while the latter seizes for themselves!” The white-robed king smiled. “The alliance master is striving to make the impossible possible. Intriguing.

“Should such a fellow join the Sacred Heart Sect, he would undoubtedly be of great help to that lord.” The white-robed king wasn’t annoyed, instead, he showed an expression of admiration. “Spread the word. If he is willing to join the sect, I can make an exception for him.”

“No, let’s wait for his return first.” The white-robed king suddenly changed his mind. “Even I can’t envision being in his shoes. Even if he successfully ascends the blood sea, how could he return alive?”

“Do you mean, we do nothing?” Zhou Chuanyong seemed a bit unwilling.

“Why should we interfere? Don’t we still need the Qingzhou Alliance to work for us?” A mysterious smile graced the white-robed king’s face.

Zhou Chuanyong silently nodded in agreement. He turned around and left the Heart’s Eye Pavilion, followed closely by the lord of the Thousand Divination Tower.

Yue Yang was visibly anxious. “Sir, are we just going to let this pass?” As the most prominent traitor in Qingzhou, he had killed countless idealistic people relying on his and his sect’s calculations.

If the Qingzhou Alliance had even the slightest chance, he wouldn’t be able to rest or eat in peace. It wasn’t just him, but his entire sect could potentially be tarnished in history, which was something he could never permit.

“Then what do you propose? In any case, we definitely can’t kill him now.” Zhou Chuanyong was equally reluctant.

“Actually…I’ve discovered the true identity of the alliance master,” Yue Yang broke his silence. “He’s the king of East Qingzhou’s ten counties, Lingjiang, and the leader of the True Path Sect’s Nine Dragons Sect, Qin Huai!

“That’s why they fortified the defense line at Lingkou Pass and relocated the elderly, weak, sick, and disabled to the ten counties of East Qingzhou. We can’t deal with Qin Huai, but we can target their kin and friends.

“As the saying goes, concern causes confusion. As long as we control these factors, even if Qin Huai survives the blood sea and sees this scene, he will undoubtedly expose his vulnerabilities. At that time… it will naturally be his end.”

“That’s true.” Zhou Chuanyong, seemingly relieved, patted Yue Yang’s shoulder. “Proceed with the plan… But I doubt Qin Huai will return from the blood sea. Even if he doesn’t, Ling Jiang can gradually push him into a corner.”

…

Meanwhile, in the outskirts, Qin Huai emerged from a pit near the Nine Regions Wind Chasing Divine Legs Sect. His eyes were slightly reddened, and his chest seemed to be swollen.

In the manor not far away, the sounds of battle were deafening.

Boom!

Every step Qin Huai took felt as though he wanted to stomp on the ground. “Looks like I’ve reached my limit,” he mused.

In Qin Huai’s lungs, seven demonic entities rested, fed by the coursing blood and qi. In addition to that, he had also accumulated substantial experience from annihilating the two great sects. His experience bar was at its brim.

Qin Huai wasn’t sure which of the seven demonic entities in his lungs or the overflowing experience points would explode first. He exhaled gently and began to head towards Lingkou Pass.

…

At Spirit Gate, Qin Huai sat cross-legged on the pass, meditating. As he adjusted his condition, he awaited Old Master Tong to deliver his equipment.

After a month, a massive creature could be seen advancing towards Lingkou Pass from the direction of East Qingzhou’s ten counties.

“Hey, hey, hey, what’s that?” She Wanshan peered curiously into the distance.

“It’s huge. Could it be some sort of siege weapon?” Fang Huo was also deep in thought.

Qin Huai, who had been cultivating, slowly opened his eyes. It seemed like the time had come.