Translator: AnubisTL
A storm of activity was brewing across the Great Wilderness Domain, as preparations for an unprecedented event—one not seen in centuries—were underway.
This joint auction, organized by both the righteous and demonic paths, had captured the attention of nearly every cultivator in the Great Wilderness Domain. Only those secluded in remote mountain forests or in deep seclusion remained unaware of the impending spectacle.
The auction's venue was Xuan Prefecture, specifically the Ancient Imperial City within its borders.
After enduring a cataclysmic calamity, the once-glorious Imperial City had lost much of its former splendor. Over half of its majestic palaces now lay in ruins, reduced to crumbling walls and shattered foundations.
The true motives behind choosing this location for the auction were clear to many. It was a show of force, a declaration to the world that the Ancient Hua Immortal Dynasty no longer held sway over the Great Wilderness Domain.
Countless cultivators flocked to Xuan Prefecture, the vast majority being rogue cultivators, alongside disciples from various cultivation clans.
In addition, numerous disciples from the righteous and demonic sects had converged upon the ancient Imperial City, their presence adding to the already bustling atmosphere.
Li Qing and Shen Ningbing had already departed from Nanyang Market, their journey to the Ancient Imperial City underway.
In the northwestern part of Giant Deer Prefecture, a Serpent-Head Spirit Boat sped through the air, skimming past layers of clouds.
"Giant Deer Terrace lies ahead," Li Qing murmured, gazing at the ancient, towering platform. "Legend has it that in the Ancient Era, an unparalleled Demon Cultivator attained enlightenment here, ultimately shattering the void and ascending to the upper realm."
"His true form was nothing more than an ordinary demon deer, possessing no special bloodline."
"It is precisely for this reason that this region came to be known as Giant Deer Prefecture."
Li Qing, piloting the Serpent-Head Spirit Boat, couldn't help but marvel at the sight of the ancient terrace.
Shattering the void... attaining enlightenment... ascending to the upper realm... What kind of spectacle must that have been?
For a moment, a look of longing flickered in Li Qing's eyes.
In the end, the Serpent-Head Spirit Boat merely passed over Giant Deer Terrace. Neither Li Qing nor Shen Ningbing felt compelled to descend and pay their respects.
Both were pursuing their own immortal dao. The glorious deeds of the ancient past belonged to others; their resolve remained firm, focused on writing their own stories and forging their own legends.
Thus, the Serpent-Head Spirit Boat flew tirelessly for nearly half a month. When Li Qing grew weary, Shen Ningbing would take the helm.
Driven by alternating shifts, the Serpent-Head Spirit Boat traversed several prefectures, finally arriving in Xuan Prefecture three days before the auction, at the foot of the former Imperial City of the Ancient Hua Immortal Dynasty.
Cultivators continuously flew through the sky, each pausing outside the Imperial City to gaze in awe at the once-extravagant capital.
"It's hard to imagine how magnificent this Imperial City would have been if it hadn't been ravaged by the great calamity," one cultivator remarked, clearly visiting Xuan Prefecture for the first time.
Indeed, even with nearly half the Imperial City reduced to ruins, the remaining intact palace complexes still hinted at its former splendor.
A pavilion every five steps, a tower every ten!
No amount of earthly adjectives could fully capture the extravagance of this Imperial City.
"This is the Ancient Hua Immortal Dynasty," another cultivator declared. "It once stood at the pinnacle of power. It's only natural that its Imperial City would be this majestic."
"Exactly!"
"Heh heh, do you think we might still find some treasures hidden within the ruins?"
"Hard to say. After all, this is the Ancient Hua Immortal Dynasty, especially the Imperial Palace. Who knows, digging just a few feet might unearth some imperial heritage!"
Just as these rogue cultivators were indulging in their fantasies, a group of cultivators in pristine white Daoist robes flew in from the north.
"Hmph, what Ancient Hua Immortal Dynasty? No matter how glorious it once was, it's all turned to dust now."
"Senior Brother is right. Before our Taiyi Sect, any so-called Immortal Dynasty is nothing more than fleeting smoke."
This group was none other than disciples of the Taiyi Sect. With such a grand event being held in the Great Wilderness Domain, maintaining order was essential. Thus, both the righteous and demonic paths had dispatched numerous disciples to oversee the proceedings.
As the Taiyi Sect disciples approached, they overheard the rogue cultivators boasting about the Ancient Hua Immortal Dynasty's former glory. They couldn't resist interjecting with mocking remarks.
As the victors of recent conflicts, their arrogance was palpable, their tails practically reaching the heavens.
Faced with these haughty Taiyi Sect disciples, the rogue cultivators who had been reminiscing earlier shrank back, avoiding any argument and silently clearing the path for them.
Seeing this, the Taiyi Sect disciples finally entered the Imperial Capital with satisfaction, strutting like demon beasts surveying their territory and radiating an air of superiority.
It was inevitable. Regardless of time or place, disciples of immortal sects always held far greater status than rogue cultivators.
Moreover, these disciples had just won a major victory!
Nearby, Li Qing observed the scene without any emotional reaction.
The myriad faces of humanity—every type of person exists. This is perfectly normal.
Uninterested in such matters, he prepared to pull Shen Ningbing into the Imperial City to investigate the venue for the upcoming auction.
But in the next instant, a disdainful voice rang out from behind:
"Hmph, what's with all the arrogance? Did the Taiyi Sect defeat the Ancient Hua Immortal Dynasty all by yourselves?"
The moment these words were spoken, the entire area fell silent.
Even Li Qing couldn't help but stop and turn to stare in astonishment at the speaker.
The Taiyi Sect disciples, who hadn't gone far, immediately turned around, their faces darkening as they glared at the person who had spoken.
It was a hunchbacked cultivator who looked like a turtle, his demeanor and appearance eerily similar to a pimp in a brothel!
Standing beside the hunchbacked cultivator was a strikingly handsome man in black robes, radiating an air of noble refinement. The man smiled faintly as he fanned himself with a folding fan, truly a graceful young master from a world of worldly affairs.
"Do you even know what you're saying?!" A Taiyi Sect disciple's expression instantly darkened, his tone dripping with hostility.
"Am I wrong? Defeating the Ancient Hua Immortal Dynasty wasn't the sole achievement of the Taiyi Sect!" the hunchbacked cultivator sneered, his words and attitude infuriatingly provocative.
"Hmph, what kind of fool is this? Doesn't he know that words can bring disaster? I'll teach him a lesson today!"
A Taiyi Sect disciple with a fiery temper stepped forward, his aura surging as he advanced menacingly toward the hunchbacked cultivator.
Seeing this, the hunchbacked cultivator panicked and scurried behind the elegant young master.
"Heh heh, fellow Daoist of the Taiyi Sect, I see nothing wrong with what my servant said," the young master said, closing his fan and revealing a warm, spring-like smile.
"Hmph, this man speaks recklessly. I'll help you discipline this servant to prevent future trouble."
"You should know, there are people in the Great Wilderness Domain you can't afford to provoke!"
The Taiyi Sect disciple remained unyielding.
The handsome man's smile slowly faded along with the closing of his folding fan. He said calmly, "Heh, the Great Wilderness Domain certainly has many formidable figures I can't afford to offend. But I doubt you're among them."
"How dare you look down on the Taiyi Sect? What audacity!" The Taiyi Sect disciple, his aura bristling, immediately slapped a grand accusation on him.
"No, I'm looking down on you," the handsome man replied, his tone still utterly indifferent.
"You're asking for death!"
With the Taiyi Sect disciple's furious roar, the other disciples closed in, their expressions menacing.
"Hmph!"
The handsome man snorted coldly, unleashing his full aura.
Boom!
The overwhelming pressure forced the Taiyi Sect disciples to halt in their tracks.
Late foundation establishment realm!
Realizing this, the Taiyi Sect disciples, who had been eager to make a grand show of force, now wore grim expressions.
"Who exactly are you, sir? Dare you reveal your name?!"
"I stand by my name and reputation. I am Gui Fan of the Ghost Sword Sect!"
The name "Gui Fan" echoed from the handsome man's lips, followed by a collective gasp from the crowd.
"Hiss!"
"Gui Fan... the young sect master of the Ghost Sword Sect! No wonder he dared to challenge the Taiyi Sect!"
"So it's him. That explains everything."
In the Great Wilderness Domain, anyone who dared to confront the Taiyi Sect's disciples must have an extraordinary background.
The Ghost Sword Sect, a rising power in the demonic path, owed its prominence to the fearsome reputation of its sect leader, Gui Li. Naturally, its disciples wouldn't be intimidated by the Taiyi Sect.
As expected, the Taiyi Sect disciples' faces darkened upon hearing Gui Fan's self-introduction.
They were merely ordinary disciples, their status pale in comparison to that of the Ghost Sword Sect's young sect master.
"Even if you are the young sect master of the Ghost Sword Sect, does that erase the Taiyi Sect's contributions?" Sensing the unfavorable turn, the Taiyi Sect disciple tried to cling to reason, proving he wasn't a fool.
But Gui Fan's eyes turned icy cold.
"Spreading rumors, twisting truth, and relentlessly pinning blame on me—it seems your status as disciples of the Taiyi Sect has given you quite the inflated sense of confidence."
Enveloped by Gui Fan's murderous intent, the Taiyi Sect disciples couldn't help but tremble.
"Gui Fan, bickering with mere disciples? How utterly tedious. Aren't you afraid of tarnishing your reputation as the young sect master of the Ghost Sword Sect?"
From behind, a man clad in Taiyi Sect robes soared through the air, his hands clasped behind his back, showing no fear of Gui Fan.
"Disciples greet the elder!"
The Taiyi Sect disciples, as if finding their backbone, immediately grew excited.
"Zhang Xiao, it's been three years since we last met, and you're still stuck in the pseudo core formation stage? You must be working hard," Gui Fan said, narrowing his eyes. He completely ignored the disciples from just now, focusing his gaze solely on the young Taiyi Sect elder ahead, who possessed an equally imposing aura.
"I've merely been accumulating my foundation for longer. My dao path is none of your concern," Zhang Xiao retorted, showing no sign of backing down.
"Hey, I heard rumors recently that there might be a Pure Yang Physique in the Great Wilderness Domain. Could it be hiding within your Taiyi Sect?" Gui Fan probed.
"The affairs of my Taiyi Sect are none of your concern, Gui Fan. You'd be better off minding your own business," Zhang Xiao replied calmly. "I hear Senior Gui Li is still in seclusion, recovering from his injuries. It seems Wang Chengdao's attack left quite a mark."
Gui Fan sneered. "Heh, Zhang Xiao, it seems you're eager to settle our score sooner rather than later."
Zhang Xiao's words had struck a nerve. During the assault on the Ancient Hua Immortal Dynasty, only the sect leader of the Ghost Sword Sect had suffered injuries, and he was still recuperating.
Seeing the tension escalating, Li Qing, who had been watching the spectacle for some time, decided to leave before getting caught in the crossfire.
"Let's go," he said, leading Shen Ningbing toward the Imperial City without lingering.
(End of the Chapter)
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