Translator: CinderTL
After annihilating the Chiyang Sword Sect, Li Chunjun and his group quickly headed toward the Wu Ji Sect.
Huan Ming remained behind, standing silently amidst the wreckage.
After a long moment, a group of over a hundred people emerged from a hidden corner of the Chiyang Sword Sect. Their eyes were wide with terror and fear.
These were Hidden Pawns planted by the Taixu Sword Sect within the Chiyang Sword Sect. They had received word of the attack when it began and had hidden in a secluded corner.
Thanks to Huan Ming's intervention, at Li Chunjun's behest, they had been spared.
Though still shaken, their initial terror gradually gave way to unrestrained fervor and joy.
Unaware of the growing rift between Li Chunjun and the Taixu Sword Sect's leadership, they only knew that Sword Prodigy Li had broken through to the Nascent Soul realm and displayed overwhelming power, single-handedly destroying the Chiyang Sword Sect, which had been a source of friction with the Taixu Sword Sect for three decades!
This astonishing display of strength and victory left them increasingly ecstatic as they recovered from their shock.
Some couldn't help but shout:
"Sword Prodigy Li is invincible!"
"The Taixu Sword Sect reigns supreme!"
"With Sword Prodigy Chunjun, the Taixu Sword Sect will unify the Blue Star Minor Realm!"
Various cheers of jubilation echoed among the disciples.
Huan Ming watched this scene with a complex expression.
Soon, two streaks of sword light hurried over.
They were Shadowless True Lord and Great True Lord Qi Qian Yu.
Unable to board the Golden Crow Battleship, they had followed immediately on their swords. However, their speed was still a step behind, so by the time they caught up, the Chiyang Sword Sect had already been annihilated, and Li Chunjun had defected to the Wu Ji Sect.
Seeing the lifeless Chiyang Sword Sect, both Great True Lords were visibly shocked.
"The Chiyang Sword Sect... just vanished like that?" Shadowless True Lord muttered in disbelief.
But considering the faction Li Chunjun now belonged to...
It seemed inevitable.
His sigh was merely a sentimental reaction to witnessing the sudden demise of the Chiyang Sword Sect, a rival they had battled for over thirty years.
"What about the Chiyang Sword Sect's Main Sect? How are they reacting?" Qi Qian Yu quickly considered the potential consequences.
"What reaction could they possibly have?" Huan Ming replied with a bitter smile. "He's the Star Brilliance First Rank, after all."
Qi Qian Yu had already realized this when he asked the question.
Star Brilliance First Rank!
A future Void Refining Great Power!
Unless the Chiyang Sword Sect was willing to die on their pride, even ten or a hundred branch sects wouldn't be worth a fraction of this Star Brilliance First Rank's value.
It would have been one thing if Li Chunjun had slaughtered the Chiyang Sword Sect's branch sect for no reason, but this time, the Chiyang Sword Sect had clearly colluded with the Divine Race first. If they dared to stand up and support them, even their Main Sect would be affected.
After all, someone like Li Chunjun, the Star Brilliance First Rank, could easily join any Overlord-level power if he wished.
He could then use his position to leverage that Overlord-level power's influence against the Chiyang Sword Sect's Main Sect, causing them immeasurable losses.
For a moment, Qi Qian Yu couldn't help but sigh with emotion. "To think that in less than two years, Li Chunjun... Sword Prodigy Li has already grown to such heights."
"Gold shines wherever it is."
Shadowless True Lord also snapped back to reality.
His gaze swept over Huan Ming and Qi Qian Yu. "We need to re-evaluate our Taixu Sword Sect's relationship with Sword Prodigy Li."
Both nodded in agreement.
Qi Qian Yu spoke directly: "The Star Brilliance First Rank in every previous year has demonstrated combat prowess theoretically comparable to a Late-stage Primordial Spirit cultivator. Therefore, we should treat Sword Prodigy Li as a Late-stage Primordial Spirit Great True Monarch."
He paused. "And a Late-stage Primordial Spirit cultivator... at our Taixu Sword Sect's Main Sect, they would be considered senior officials, even holding positions like Vice Hall Master. In some Lesser World Branch Sects, they would be more than qualified to serve as Supreme Elders."
"Especially for a peerless prodigy like Sword Prodigy Li, who is destined to achieve Void Refining in the future, having him serve as a Supreme Elder of our Taixu Sword Sect would be an honor for our lineage."
Huan Ming echoed his words.
Shadowless True Lord glanced at the two of them.
The "relationship" he had mentioned wasn't about this.
Li Chunjun had gone to the Profound Yellow Great World, but when he returned, he wasn't with True Monarch Xuan You, who was in charge of the Azure Sea Domain Branch Sect, or the Vice Hall Master who managed the branch sect. Instead, he had traveled on a warship belonging to the Multiverse Hegemony War Committee.
This alone spoke volumes.
Adding to that the fact that Huan Ming had repeatedly reported Li Chunjun's excellence, only to have True Monarch Xuan You dismiss it as exaggeration...
Li Chunjun's relationship with the Taixu Sword Sect's Main Sect seemed far from harmonious.
This was what he had wanted to say all along.
However, everything was still just speculation at this point.
Huan Ming and Qi Qian Yu must also understand this, but their identities and positions meant they could do nothing to change the situation.
Or perhaps their silence on the matter already spoke volumes about their stance.
Shadowless True Lord decided not to press the issue further.
But in his heart, he had already reached a conclusion.
One day, their Branch Sect would inevitably have to make a choice between Li Chunjun and the Taixu Sword Sect's Main Sect.
The Golden Crow Battleship had arrived outside the Wu Ji Sect.
Its speed was so swift that Li Chunjun hadn't even felt like he was traveling.
Gazing down at the mountains and rivers below through the Golden Crow Battleship, Li Chunjun truly felt it: "The Blue Star Minor Realm... is so small."
"Lesser Thousand Worlds typically span no more than ten thousand miles in diameter," True Monarch Huang Tian explained with a smile. "Any larger, and their structure would change, losing their 'Lesser World' characteristics. Generally, a few Nascent Soul True Lords are more than sufficient to govern a Lesser World. Primordial Spirit True Monarchs usually only appear in the early stages of opening a world for war. In some Lesser Worlds, spanning only a few thousand miles and with less developed civilizations, even Core Formation Grand Cultivators are enough to maintain order."
He glanced at Li Chunjun. "Sword Prodigy Li, now ranked first on the Star Brilliance List, has likely touched upon the mysteries of the Dao. Your combat power rivals that of a Nine Tribulation True Monarch. Seeing a Lesser Thousand World spanning only a few thousand miles, it naturally seems small to you."
Li Chunjun nodded in agreement.
For Nine Tribulation True Monarchs like Huang Tian, Zuo Cheng, and Su Fang, a sweep of their Divine Sense could encompass thousands of miles.
Half of Blue Star would be visible at a glance.
But how far could an ordinary person see clearly?
Fifty meters.
In other words, to a Nine Tribulation True Monarch, the Blue Star Minor Realm was like a hundred-meter plot of land to an ordinary person.
Not even a small residential complex.
Living in such a confined space naturally made one feel cramped.
Whoosh!
Just then, two figures flew out from within.
Li Chunjun glanced at them and saw they were Primordial Spirit True Monarchs.
"They're the Primordial Spirit True Monarchs in charge of Star Gate construction, acting as supervisors for the project's safety," Zuo Cheng explained.
One of the Primordial Spirit True Monarchs cupped his hands towards the Golden Crow Battleship where Li Chunjun stood. "Sword Prodigy Li, I am Ouyang Lian, a senior executive from the Heavenly Craft Department of the Starry Sky Group's Profound Yellow Branch. I greet the Sword Prodigy and humbly request that you show leniency towards the Wu Ji Sect."
He immediately added, "The Wu Ji Sect is aware of the crimes committed by these individuals and is willing to offer a substantial compensation. For this purpose, we have prepared a Sixth-Rank material for you..."
Zuo Cheng, True Monarch Huang Tian, and the others turned their gazes towards Li Chunjun.
Whether to accept the Wu Ji Sect's apology was naturally his decision to make.
Li Chunjun took a step into the void, appearing outside the Golden Crow Battleship.
"Is the Starry Sky Group intervening on behalf of the Wu Ji Sect?"
"No, no, Sword Prodigy Li, you misunderstand," Ouyang Lian quickly waved his hands. "I am merely...
indebted to a certain True Monarch within the Wu Ji Sect and was compelled to act as a mediator. This does not represent the Starry Sky Group in any way, nor do I personally intend to interfere in the feud between Sword Prodigy Li and the Wu Ji Sect."
Ouyang Lian waved his hand hastily. "I merely... owe a favor to a True Monarch of the Wu Ji Sect and was compelled to act as a mediator. This does not represent the Starry Sky Group in any way, nor do I personally intend to interfere in the feud between Sword Prodigy Li and the Wu Ji Sect."
He spoke with utmost sincerity. "However, I sincerely hope Sword Prodigy Li will reconsider this matter. It's better to resolve grudges than to deepen them. The Wu Ji Sect has acknowledged its wrongdoing and is willing to offer compensation. As Sword Prodigy Li will inevitably interact with the Wu Ji Sect in the Profound Yellow Great World in the future, making more friends opens more paths..."
"Since you have no intention of intervening in this feud, you may leave," Li Chunjun interrupted.
Ouyang Lian fell silent.
After a long pause, he continued telepathically, "Then... let me rephrase it. Would Sword Prodigy Li consider refraining from taking action against the Wu Ji Sect for now? At a future date, the Wu Ji Sect will personally hand over all those involved in the incident to Sword Prodigy Li for him to deal with as he sees fit. What do you think?"
"I don't think so," Li Chunjun replied. "Step aside."
"Sword Prodigy Li... though you are ranked first on the Star Brilliance List and are poised to reach Void Refining in the future, growth ultimately takes time."
Ouyang Lian adopted a concerned expression, as if he were truly thinking of Li Chunjun's best interests. "The Wu Ji Sect, as the Immortal Alliance's chosen counterweight to the Taixu Sword Sect and one of the Overlord-level powers vying for dominance in the Profound Yellow Great World, is growing increasingly influential. If you truly show them no respect and make them your enemies, your future growth will inevitably..."
"Are you threatening me!?"
Before he could finish, Li Chunjun's expression turned icy.
"No, no, I'm merely an intermediary, conveying the Wu Ji Sect's position..."
"Whether the Wu Ji Sect will hand these people over to me for punishment is entirely uncertain. Once the Star Gate opens, they could flee into the vast Cosmos. Who could find them then? What if the Wu Ji Sect stalls for more time?"
Li Chunjun stared at him. "Furthermore, the Wu Ji Sect and I are already enemies. If they can threaten me now, what will happen when I demand they hand over these people in the future? Will they threaten me again? If that happens, should I hold you, the intermediary, responsible?"
Ouyang Lian paled, visibly shaken.
He quickly replied, "I'm merely a messenger. I have no intention of interfering in the feud between Sword Prodigy Li and the Wu Ji Sect."
With that, without waiting for Li Chunjun's command, he quickly stepped aside.
The message had been delivered.
The favor had been repaid.
He wanted nothing more to do with the matter.
"Open the Array Formation," Li Chunjun ordered.
Su Fang stepped forward and waved his hand. A faint tremor rippled through the outer perimeter of the Wu Ji Sect.
Soon, the Array Formation that had sealed off the entire sect gradually began to open.
Some tremors during the opening of an Array Formation were normal.
However, as the formation opened, these tremors failed to subside. Instead, they...
...gradually intensified.
This unexpected turn of events left Li Chunjun and Su Fang slightly taken aback.
Ouyang Lian, however, after sensing the tremors, first froze in surprise. Then, as if realizing something, his expression abruptly changed. "The Star Gate! Something is attacking the nearly completed Star Gate!"
(End of the Chapter)
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