Chapter 795 - 381: Battle on the River, Divine Palace Secret Meeting

Chapter 795: Chapter 381: Battle on the River, Divine Palace Secret Meeting

After an exclamation of surprise, Duan Qianren hastily took out an object—a jade-shaped talisman exuding scarlet treasure light.

A pseudo-Tier Four item.

Duan Qianren had been in the Golden Core Perfection for over four hundred thirty years and had been nurturing it since the day he attained perfection.

It could withstand a strike from a Nascent Soul!

"Go!"

Duan Qianren dared not to cherish the talisman, for the Nine Abyss Demon Spirit’s notorious reputation stretched the entire lower stretches of the Heaven-Reaching River.

When the talisman activated, a high-pitched and clear cry echoed for thousands of miles. Even late-stage Golden Core Cultivators couldn’t help their Divine Souls from trembling under such a cry. Subsequently, before the public’s eyes, a Vermilion Bird, formed from flames, flew out from the talisman and hovered above Duan Qianren and over a hundred Cross-Domain Flying Ships.

As the Vermilion Bird’s wings flapped, layers of flame poured down like falling leaves, covering thousands of yards.

In the next moment, the Nine Abyss Demon Spirit plunged into it. However, before Duan Qianren could get a good look, he saw the Nine Abyss Demon Spirit part all the flames and fly straight toward it. The flames cast by the Vermilion Bird couldn’t even touch it, as if the Nine Abyss Demon Spirit didn’t exist at all.

"Damn it!"

Duan Qianren immediately retreated explosively.

...

Three days later.

Dark clouds loomed over the city.

Heavy rain continuously poured down from the skies above Donghua Immortal City, ceaselessly pounding on the City Defense Array despite never touching the city itself.

Ever since Gongyang Fu had urgently sought him three days ago, Wen Jiu had been waiting for this day to come. For during these past three days, Wen Jiu’s Divine Sense had not sensed Gongyang Fu returning home.

As for Gongyang Fu’s residence, it remained as calm as ever. The old caretaker continued to handle the alchemists visiting the manor methodically, while the toad-like Medicinal Spirit Yin Pill lay quietly asleep in a murky pool.

Unlike the anxious Loose Cultivators in Donghua Immortal City, some of whom were even planning to leave and seek a new path elsewhere.

On this particular night at 1:00 AM, Wen Jiu finally received a transmission from Gongyang Fu, "Fellow Daoist He, meet me outside the Divine Palace."

Gongyang Fu’s voice was deep, quite unlike his usual tone.

As Wen Jiu made his way to the Divine Palace, he noticed a continual sweep of Golden Core Divine Senses in the shadows, increasingly frequent as he neared the palace.

Wen Jiu paid no mind, knowing those senses came from Golden Core Wanderers or Golden Core Zhenren who resided within Donghua Immortal City.

Soon all the Fake Pill and Golden Core Cultivators of the Divine Palace had returned, drawing no attention would indeed be strange.

By the time he reached the palace, Gongyang Fu was already waiting there. Wen Jiu noticed that although Gongyang Fu still smiled, it was now a strained smile unlike his demeanor a few days prior.

To outsiders, it was imperceptible, but Wen Jiu, having known Gongyang Fu for a while, could easily tell.

"Fellow Daoist Gongyang."

Wen Jiu stepped forward and clasped his fists.

Gongyang Fu forced a smile and warmly welcomed him, though the worry in his eyes remained, "Fellow Daoist He, please follow me."

Wen Jiu nodded and followed along unhurriedly.

As he headed into the Divine Palace, the last visit felt different; the guards were particularly tight, stationed every three steps with ten paces between beasts. The atmosphere was extremely tense, with only people entering, none leaving along the way.

Soon, beyond a long corridor and past winding stairways, He Jiu led Wen Jiu to the tenth floor of the Divine Palace. As it was protected by a Tier Three Top-Grade Grand Array, Wen Jiu chose not to use his Divine Sense to avoid unnecessary trouble.

The tenth floor of the Divine Palace had a single stone pathway leading straight ahead, without any guards. At the end of the path was a rippling water-like barrier, where those who stepped in vanished without a trace or sound.

As they continued inward, Gongyang Fu secretly transmitted, "Fellow Daoist He, the troubles of the Four Domains are far more severe than what’s being reported outside, and moving up the evacuation timeline has become urgent. The clandestine meeting is likely to draft an evacuation plan. You only need to listen in."

Wen Jiu nodded silently, and after entering the tenth floor of the Divine Palace with Gongyang Fu, a quiet chamber and a large oval, ornate jade table came into view. With a rough glance, there were one to two hundred seats around the jade table, most of which were already occupied. Thirty were True Pills, and there were over a hundred Fake Pills.

Aside from the few late-stage Golden Core Palace Masters of the Donghua Divine Palace, this Golden Core foundation was already top-notch in the West Mountain Floating Domain.

At that moment, everyone wore grave and worried expressions. Though they didn’t speak in hushed tones, the resulting gentle surges of Divine Sense Communication were keenly sensed by Wen Jiu. However, as he walked in with He Jiu, the divine communication gradually ceased.

Naturally, the crowd focused on him, this unfamiliar face.

Wen Jiu paid no mind; he simply wanted to catch a Cross-Domain Flying Ship to the depths of the lower stretches of the Heaven-Reaching River and had no desire to mingle with the Divine Palace cultivators.

Gongyang Fu offered no explanation either, heading straight to the top of the jade table and securing two seats. But as soon as they sat, an unexpected change occurred.

"Junior Brother Gongyang, we can’t have outsiders today. Are you disregarding the words of our master?" said a mid-stage Golden Core male cultivator with a goatee, his tone somewhat hostile.

With his voice, the silence in the chamber was completely shattered.

The Golden Core cultivators, already observing Wen Jiu, revealed further intrigue. They had initially assumed he was a newly joined Golden Core Zhenren of the Divine Palace, but seeing that even Lin Yan, one of the elders of the Donghua Divine Palace and the chief disciple of Master Witch, didn’t recognize this person, the crowd grew increasingly wary.

The term "outsider" was especially sensitive at this moment!

Gongyang Fu grew impatient, but seeing the many attentive gazes, he reluctantly responded without sparing a glance at the goateed male cultivator, "Fellow disciples, this is He Jiu, Master He, a freshly joined fellow Daoist of the Divine Palace from the He Family in the western West Mountain Floating Domain. He is no outsider."

Upon hearing these words, soft murmurs erupted, but those speaking were all Golden Cores, including several mid-stage Golden Core Zhenren.

"The He Family from the West?"

"Why did a He Family Golden Core suddenly join our Divine Palace?"

"And having a new Golden Core Zhenren join the Divine Palace, why did we receive no word of it?"

The goateed male cultivator, ignored by Gongyang Fu, grew increasingly discontent, especially hearing it was a He Family Golden Core, "Junior Brother, though you may be a Divine Palace Alchemy Master with a high status, for a Golden Core Zhenren to join the Divine Palace, it must go through the Elder Council and have their background thoroughly checked. If I and the fellow daoists recall correctly, the He Family in the western West Mountain Floating Domain isn’t virtuous, their actions against the Heavenly Way—by no means can they be revealed... Even as a Golden Core, the Divine Palace doesn’t accept just anyone!"

"I remembered, it’s the He Family of Sanhe Mountain," a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator suddenly chimed in, seemingly recalling but more likely intent on instigating against Gongyang Fu along with the goateed cultivator.

The reminder awoke the crowd.

Though ordinary cultivators might be unaware of the He Family of Sanhe Mountain’s deeds, those present were at least Fake Pill Zhenren, hence they knew well about the He Family’s situation.

The Heterodox Dao is known for its Yin Poison, evident to all. Yet, the He Family, known for forcing an entire city’s populace and capturing numerous Loose Cultivators to supply blood—a singular Heterodox influence within the West Mountain Floating Domain.

Of course.

To most cultivators, it’s merely distaste, as it doesn’t concern them directly, and who hasn’t done unspeakable things.

Yet quite a few hold great disdain for the He Family’s sinister influence, growing displeased upon hearing a Zhenren from the He Family joined the Divine Palace.

Especially considering the Divine Palace’s current situation, allowing a sinister Heterodox influence to enter heightens the repulsion.

But given Gongyang Fu’s standing, they restrained their words, though their expressions were hard to mask.

Seeing the situation turning awry, with several mid-stage Golden Core Elders focusing on "He Jiu," Gongyang Fu quickly stood to explain, carefully sidestepping the deeds of the He Family of Sanhe Mountain, for such matters couldn’t be easily explained.

"Fellow daoists, rest assured. Fellow Daoist He and I share a close bond, and he has long since had both the Body and the Dharma enter the Golden Core Realm, now even stepping into the Middle Stage of Golden Core. As for Fellow Daoist He’s entry into the Divine Palace, though it bypassed the Elder Council, it was endorsed personally by my master, with the two other Palace Masters also aware."

With this explanation, the low murmurs indeed lessened significantly, and upon hearing both the Body and the Dharma entered Golden Core, moreover in the Middle Stage, many who held dislike swiftly displayed smiles and rose to greet warmly.

Wen Jiu didn’t stand on ceremony, raising his hand in response to each, though he found it somewhat amusing. You express disdain and displeasure at the actions of the He Family of Sanhe Mountain, but upon hearing I’ve attained Golden Core with both Body and Dharma, and am at the Middle Stage, you change your expressions.

Moreover, he noticed that even the previously aggressive goateed cultivator’s expression slightly changed upon hearing this.