Chapter 223: These Two Are No Ordinary Men
"They're here."
The crowd silently retreated a good distance.
Everyone knew very well that between the Star-Moon Divine Sect and Li Xun, a battle was inevitable. If Li Xun hadn't come, this clash might have been delayed for a long time, perhaps even fading away without conclusion.
But since Li Xun had delivered himself to their doorstep, the Star-Moon Divine Sect would never let him off so easily.
On top of that, Li Xun's earlier punch had shattered the sect's scheme, making the enmity between the two sides even more irreconcilable.
"Your Elder Hong of the Star-Moon Divine Sect hasn't gone too far down the Yellow Springs Road yet. If you hurry after him, perhaps you can still catch up and travel together."
Li Xun's body radiated light, golden mist seething off him like rising clouds, rolling upward with rumbling thunder. He spoke calmly:
"If you're not afraid of death, then come at me."
"Is that so? I'll see for myself just how much ability you have to boast so arrogantly!"
Wei Qiong's eyes were icy cold. Holding a wooden staff, he stepped forward.
Clad in coarse linen, his entire being exuded a dangerous aura. His long, graying hair hung loose as he descended from the heavens one step at a time, steady and composed.
"Only you?"
Li Xun frowned.
He had just broken through to the Divine Palace Realm and wanted to test the extent of his strength. Yet only Wei Qiong from the Star-Moon Divine Sect stepping forward? That felt a bit underwhelming.
Mainly because, to Li Xun, Wei Qiong's aura was no different from that black-robed youth of the Taiyin Divine Mansion he had met earlier. With just this level of strength, there was no way Wei Qiong could be considered a worthy opponent—let alone push him to his limits.
What he really wanted was to fight a Half-Saint.
But the problem was, within the small world of the Great Strength Demon God Sect, there was only the Northern Yu Divine Emperor who had reached that realm. And fighting someone like him was simply out of the question.
As for Saints…
Li Xun didn't even think about it. He wanted to test his strength, not seek death.
Against a Saint, with his early-stage Divine Palace cultivation, he would hardly stand a chance. After all, those three words—transcending into sainthood—were no empty boast.
Becoming a Saint was a qualitative leap.
Challenging across realms might still be possible in earlier stages, but the further one went, starting from Sainthood, such feats grew rarer and rarer.
Those who achieved sainthood were all unparalleled prodigies in their youth. How could they be so easily challenged across realms?
"Arrogant!"
A cold shout rang out.
Behind Wei Qiong, two more elders of the Star-Moon Divine Sect descended. The auras of the three linked together, forming a blazing sun, with waves surging against the heavens.
Under this crushing pressure, many of the weaker cultivators quickly retreated further away. The battle hadn't even begun, yet the oppressive force was already terrifying.
One could hardly imagine how devastating the scene would be once the real fight broke out.
"Your Highness, should we take action as well?"
Behind Chu Lingfeng, an old servant spoke up.
In his eyes, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Previously, the Great Chu Dynasty had sent many experts here. Among them, there had even been several Divine Palace cultivators. But in the struggle for the two sacred herbs, two of them had fallen, and another was gravely injured.
Now, they only had two Divine Palace cultivators still able to fight. Against the old Li Xun, they would already have struggled. Against the newly ascended Divine Palace Li Xun, their odds were virtually nonexistent.
But who would have thought that Li Xun dared to be so reckless, openly provoking the entire Star-Moon Divine Sect. Wasn't this like an old man hanging himself with his own rope, desperate for death?
No matter how strong he was, he had just broken through. Facing three Divine Palace elders at once, in the eyes of nearly everyone, his defeat was almost certain.
Of course—considering Li Xun's monstrous talent and potential, many believed that while he might not win, fighting the three to a draw shouldn't be too difficult.
If, however, the two Divine Palace experts of the Great Chu Dynasty were added into the fray, things would be very different. With five Divine Palace cultivators working together, even a Half-Saint would likely suffer defeat. As strong as Li Xun was, could he really compare to a Half-Saint?
Clearly not.
"Go."
Chu Lingfeng gave a slight nod, spitting out a single command.
The pressure Li Xun gave him was simply too great. Though Chu Lingfeng was much older than Li Xun, he felt as if he were living under the other's shadow. If Li Xun remained alive, the entire younger generation would be crushed beneath his brilliance, unable to breathe.
"Yes!"
The two old retainers bowed respectfully, then strode skyward.
In an instant, the aura of two more Divine Palace cultivators erupted like twin volcanoes. The heavens and the earth trembled, and countless hearts skipped a beat.
"Another two Divine Palace experts!"
Gasps of astonishment rippled through the crowd.
"They're from the Great Chu Dynasty. Of course—Li Xun doesn't just have grudges with the Star-Moon Divine Sect; he also has deep enmity with Great Chu."
"If the Great Chu Dynasty didn't seize this chance to strike, that would be the real surprise."
"Looks like Li Xun is truly in danger now. With five Divine Palace cultivators joining forces, how could any ordinary person resist? If he can't withstand this round…"
A middle-aged man muttered under his breath.
But before he could finish speaking, more figures stepped forward. These people were no weaker than the three elders of the Star-Moon Divine Sect. Yet instead of standing opposite Li Xun, they appeared by his side.
"…Star-Moon Divine Sect, Great Chu Dynasty, and five other Divine Palace experts ganging up on a single Li Xun—don't you find that disgraceful? Why not add this old man into the equation?"
The voice came from an elder wearing a golden crown and an eight-trigram robe. His face bore neither joy nor sorrow, calm and unruffled, yet his words stirred confusion throughout the crowd.
"Indeed."
"I, too, cannot stomach your shamelessness."
Another man spoke—dignified, imposing, like a towering mountain blocking the path of the five Divine Palace cultivators. His expression was dark as his gaze swept over them.
"That's the Heavenly Heart Sacred Holy Land—and the Great Zhou Empire?"
"Heavenly Heart Sacred Holy Land's Elder Meng Changlao, and the Great Zhou Empire's Prince of Jinghai. These two are no ordinary men!"
"Over there—people from the Northern Yu Dynasty as well. And two elders of the Ten Thousand Transformations Holy Land. As for the remaining few, I can't quite identify them."
"—Hiss! I heard that during the struggle for the Black Tortoise essence blood, quite a few factions had already chosen to side with Li Xun. And now, even more experts have come to stand at his side."
"It seems the ones in danger aren't Li Xun at all—but rather the Star-Moon Divine Sect and the Great Chu Dynasty!"
"That's right! Behind Li Xun, there are more than ten Divine Palace cultivators, while his enemies only have five. In sheer numbers alone, Li Xun already holds the advantage."
The sudden appearance of a dozen Divine Palace experts shocked the crowd.
At the same time, many were utterly puzzled.
How did Li Xun manage this? No matter the situation, there always seemed to be people willing to step forward and help him. One or two allies might have been understandable… but this many?
And more importantly—they weren't from a single faction, but from all manner of powerful sects and dynasties.
That was simply inconceivable.
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