Aspiring to the Immortal Path

A brilliant point of light had lit up the black void of space.

Far in the distance, a single domain was radiating this light.

The light grew stronger and stronger, because that domain was getting closer and closer.

It was moving!

Moving toward the Gigantes Domain.

Only as it drew close would one realize that it was no domain, but a massive Immortal palace.

The Court of Myriad Domains!

Every corner of this palace exuded the brilliance and boldness of its creator. It could be called the greatest work in the history of the cultivator world.

The palace consisted of 1080 great halls and countless subsidiary buildings. The great halls were all grandiose, each one built in a unique style. There was the Great Beast Hall, which used a divine dragon as its roof and a giant turtle as its foundation, and was festooned with coiling serpents and crowing cranes. There was the Treasurehold Palace, with roof tiles of jade, pillars made from the finest Sea Anchor Violet Gold, and paving stones of Moonbreak Stone, and its gates were the majestic Thunderflame Heaven Gates. And there was the Cloud Palace, ethereal and elusive;

the Holy Dome Palace, majestic and glorious;

the Genesis Palace, mysterious and unfathomable;

the Jade Maiden Palace, awash with music and caressed by gentle winds…

These Immortal palaces with their own ingenious and unique styles reflected a glory and splendor not found among mortals. It was no exaggeration to say that the clouds had been drawn from the sky to weave its gowns, canyons pulled from the earth to carve its corridors, real mountains moved over to serve as its decorative garden pieces, lakes to serve as its fishing ponds, and the rainbows of the distant horizon used as powder for their foreheads.

On the outer edge of the Court of Myriad Domains were many mountains and rivers, valleys rich with spirit grain that grew with the help of formations, absorbing and releasing spiritual energy. The invisible barriers created by the Immortal palace ensured that all the spiritual energy remained within the court, ensuring that the Court of Myriad Domains maintained its own living environment. This meant that the court really was like its own domain, able to provide for itself and be rich with spiritual energy.

Every drop of rain here was full of spirituality.

Cultivating in such a place was comparable to a paradise.

And who could say that this wasn’t a real paradise?

Yu Cheng had put countless times more resources into the Court of Myriad Domains than Tang Jie had put into the Mountain River State Diagram, turning it into a small domain. Besides that, the Court of Myriad Domains had many other functions, akin to an Immortal armament.

And now, this Immortal palace was flying toward the Gigantes Domain, its armies arrayed within its glow, ready to head into battle.

In the center court sat a man on his divine throne, with his Crown of Omniscience, Supreme War God Armor, Spaceseal Boots, and Xuanyuan Sword. Who else could it be but Yu Cheng?

He did not manifest anything more than his true form, remaining the size of an ordinary human. At this distance, even the Celestial Eyes wouldn’t have been able to pick him out.

Yet everyone could see him as if he was the only existence in all the universe.

Nine Disaster froze, his brow furrowing.

“Yu Cheng.”

“Yu Cheng,” Wang Yao muttered, his mind reeling from shock. “How could he be here?”

His gaze turned to Tang Jie.

He didn’t say anything, but Tang Jie knew what he was thinking, lightly saying, “While Vast Wilderness is close, flying here still takes a while.”

Wang Yao immediately realized that Tang Jie could not have summoned the Court of Myriad Domains.

Even so, he said, “But you knew that they would come.”

Wang Yao didn’t know that Tang Jie still had the will of his avatar lurking in Yu Cheng’s body, but he still sensed that Tang Jie could not be entirely ignorant.

Tang Jie replied, “Whether you believe me or not, I’ve never treated Yu Cheng as reinforcements. And what has really saved the Rosecloud Domain is not him, but the will of the heavens.”

“‘The will of the heavens’?” Wang Yao said in disbelief. “You go against the heavens, rejected by the laws of the world, so why would the will of the heavens help you?”

“They’re not helping me, but the Rosecloud Domain, the Basking Moon Sect!” Tang Jie turned to Wang Yao. “If you want to attack the Basking Moon Sect, I can just sit back and let you be. I gave my promise, and I fulfilled it. All that is happening now is the arrangement of the Heavenly Dao, not my own. Thus, what’s really stopping you is the Heavenly Dao, the Immortal Emperor, the army of the Court of Myriad Domains. Bao’er, let me ask you: do you dare face the army of the court?”

Wang Yao’s eyes flashed with savagery. “Why wouldn’t I?”

Tang Jie nodded. “Good. Then you may go.”

“What?” Wang Yao was taken aback.

Tang Jie explained, “The Immortal Emperor has naturally come to exterminate the demons, but he has never been my friend. In some aspects, we could even be considered enemies. Thus, I will have the people of the Rosecloud Domain not take part in this war. I think that this will be in your favor.”

If the Rosecloud Domain and Court of Myriad Domains joined forces against the factions of Nine Disaster and Wang Yao, Wang Yao truly wasn’t confident that he could win.

The major defeat of the demons at the Vast Wilderness Continent had made Immortal Emperor Yu Cheng infamous once more. While Nine Disaster and Wang Yao were both Demon Sovereigns, they had no confidence against the number one Titan of the positive plane. And if the Rosecloud Domain were to strike them from the rear, the blow would be fatal.

But Tang Jie’s stance restored Wang Yao’s confidence.

“Adoptive Father!”

Tang Jie smiled. “Go. If you’re still willing to believe in your adoptive father, then fight with all your heart. And if, after the battle, you come back with your army to attack the Rosecloud Domain, I’ll accept it. Just as before, I won’t interfere with your revenge.”

Wang Yao took in a deep breath and nodded. “Your child is willing to trust in his father!”

This time, he was really taking a risk, but he decided to try.

Solely because it was Tang Jie, because it was the adoptive father he had always respected.

He charged back to the Gigantes Domain, howling, “All demons of Nox Alba, hear my orders! Retreat from Army Anchor City and reorganize our ranks! Prepare to face the army of the court!”

Through the Dao of Space, these words were transmitted to every corner of the Gigantes Domain, to the ear of every demon.

“Wang Yao, have you gone crazy? This will only give the Rosecloud Domain an opening!” Nine Disaster roared.

“Adoptive Father has already promised that he won’t attack us.”

“What did you say?”

Tang Jie was letting them be?

But he quickly realized what was going on. “He’s going to watch the tigers fight, be the fisherman while we play the roles of sandpiper and clam!”

Wang Yao coldly laughed. “Perhaps, but so what? Do you really want to deal with the Rosecloud Domain and the Court of Myriad Domains at the same time?”

Nine Disaster fell silent.

Indeed, so what if this was part of Tang Jie’s plan?

It was still better than dealing with both of them at once.

Nine Disaster indignantly said, “I don’t believe he’ll stand by and do nothing. Your adoptive father is too cunning.”

“Maybe, but at least it’s better than fighting him,” Wang Yao casually replied.

Even if this was Tang Jie’s scheme, he accepted it, as it meant that he didn’t have to go against his father, that this scheme respected his feelings.

This was enough.

As for what came next, he would act according to his instinct.

He was a demon, a mutant, a mutant demon, so he always acted according to his desire, not thinking too much about any one thing!

Wang Yao began to turn his army to face the court’s army. On the other end, the Nine Disaster Fiend Monk also had his forces fall back. He had no choice but to begrudgingly accept the fact that Yu Cheng was a far greater threat than Tang Jie and required his full attention.

The cultivators of Army Anchor City saw the demons retreat and let out a cheer.

Having endured the assault for half a day, they had been under maximum pressure, the threat of death hanging right over their heads. If not for the fact that there was nowhere to retreat, not for the fact that they had plenty of combat experience, and not for the fact that they had enough confidence in Tang Jie, they really might have crumbled.

Now, a miracle had happened.

The court in the distance made the eyes of the cultivators light up.

The Court of Myriad Domains!

The legendary Court of Myriad Domains had finally appeared.

With an unstoppable momentum, it inspired all of them.

“Attack! Kill the demons!” someone shouted.

“Right, let’s attack!”

“Attack!”

The calls of countless cultivators rose from the walls.

But before they could do anything, a voice rang out: “All cultivators, hear my order. Abandon Army Anchor City at once and retreat to the Rosecloud Domain.”

It was Tang Jie’s voice.

“What?” Everyone was shocked, even the likes of Yun Tianlan and Huang Wuji looking up at the sky in disbelief.

But Xu Miaoran firmly said, “Orders must be obeyed, so get moving! Abandon the Gigantes Domain and return to Rosecloud! Take everything here that you can!”

While the cultivators were confused, the habits ingrained into their bones meant that they quickly started preparing to retreat. Meanwhile, the Rosecloud Domain began to descend to receive them. Void Shuttles began to take off to pick up the cultivators in the Gigantes Domain, for Army Anchor City no longer had enough.

Countless cultivators flew here and there as they began to withdraw.

And in the distance, the demons stood in formation, ready to fight to the death with the court. In the distance, the Immortal army was already approaching, riding upon clouds.

Coming at speed!

Back at the Gigantes Domain, the Gigantes King rumbled, “Tang Jie, what is the meaning of this? Do you plan to give up on the Gigantes Domain?”

Tang Jie answered, “The army of the court is here, and the extermination of the demons is nigh. This place no longer requires the assistance of my Rosecloud Domain. I have already shown enough loyalty by helping the Gigantes last until now, but there is no need to thank me.”

“This king represents the Gigantes in thanking Domain Lord Tang for all your help, but the arrival of the court’s Immortal army does not mean that the Gigantes Domain is safe. I would like to see the Rosecloud Domain stay.”

Tang Jie sighed. “I can’t. You also saw that my adopted son is set on taking revenge against the Basking Moon Sect. I have no desire to ruin our relationship, so after thinking it over, my only option is to use this opportunity to escape. With the Immortal Emperor here, the Gigantes Domain will remain safe. As for me, I have already done all I can.”

The Gigantes King frantically said, “The Immortal Emperor may not have come with good intentions. Domain Lord Tang, please stay!”

“Oh?” Tang Jie laughed. “Why does it sound like it’s not just Nine Disaster that’s interested in the Gigantes Domain? Has Yu Cheng actually been interested all this time as well? Could it be…”

Tang Jie’s tone suddenly darkened. “Could it be that his revival and rebuilding of the court was all for this?”

The Gigantes King immediately shut up.