Chapter 168 - 126: A Youth Crowned King, A Hundred Domains Tremble

Chapter 168: Chapter 126: A Youth Crowned King, A Hundred Domains Tremble

Pushing himself to the absolute limit, the old man abruptly summoned a terrifying Sacred Artifact.

The artifact trembled violently, erupting with boundless holy might. Faint cracks began to snake across its surface—he was actually trying to detonate a Sacred Artifact just to obliterate the youth in white.

However, the very moment he brought out the artifact, a terrifying force descended from the sky and slammed into him.

At the same time, a majestic voice echoed through the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths of Nanling. "Hmph, an insignificant buffoon of a Venerable dares to run wild in my Nanling?"

The dharma idol of a certain Saint shuddered slightly, and an earth-shattering power arrived in an instant, striking almost simultaneously with the heavenly punishment.

BOOM!!!

The immense power of the dharma idol enveloped the Sacred Artifact just as it was about to detonate. It exploded tens of thousands of feet in the air, its world-destroying destructive force almost entirely contained. However, the Saint’s dharma idol that intervened trembled slightly as well. Such was the terrifying power of a Sacred Artifact’s self-detonation that the entire Holy City felt the tremor.

The terrifying residual shockwaves leaked out, surging overwhelmingly toward the youth, yet with a slight raise of his hand, he dissolved them into nothingness.

"NO!!!"

In the exact moment Qi Tianmu was blasted into ash by the heavenly punishment, he let out a final, unwilling howl before his body and Dao were entirely erased.

"The Celestial Sword Sect is in danger!"

In mere moments, not a single bone remained of him. Only his voice echoed endlessly in the skies above the Holy City.

The explosive power of the Sacred Artifact shrouded the sky above the Holy City, while the might of the heavenly punishment shattered the firmament. To the sea of people below, it felt as if they were witnessing the end of the world. The residual power of the artifact continued to rampage, only to be gradually ground away by the dharma idol.

Gradually, everything returned to peace.

Within the sea of people, a disciple of the Celestial Sword Sect subconsciously cried out in alarm, "Elder?"

Then, Qi Tianmu’s dying voice transmission echoed in his mind, urging him to return to the Celestial Sword immediately and deliver the message. The disciple shuddered, instantly reacting as he immediately fled into the distance.

However, in the very next moment, the majestic voice resounded once more.

"Trying to leave? Do you really think we are just for show? Since you are already here, stay in my Nanling for all eternity."

Another dharma idol gave a cold snort, and that Celestial Sword Sect disciple was instantly turned into a mist of blood, completely and utterly dead. Under the gaze of a Saint, there was absolutely nowhere to hide.

For a moment, the entire Holy City was utterly petrified.

It had been countless years since the Nine Saints of Nanling had all manifested together, and yet, two of the Saints had actually taken action—an unprecedented event. And all of this was entirely because of the arrival of that youth.

Tens of millions of Cultivators were dumbfounded, but the nine towering dharma idols remained exceptionally clear-headed.

Without warning, they spoke in unison.

"The Saints arrive; the Dao rises."

RUMBLE!!!

As the nine dharma idols spoke simultaneously, the Great Dao instantly materialized above Nanling, the nine paths resonating in harmony. Up in the Celestial Universe, blooming Flowers of the Great Dao unfolded as the aura of Saints permeated the air. Holy Light illuminated Nanling, shining over its hundred thousand mountains, rivers, and skies.

"In the name of the Nine Saints, we crown the youth as King.

"Jiang Hao, we, the Nine Saints of Nanling, now crown you as King in the name of the Saints. From this day forward, you shall be Nanling’s fourth youth Sealing King. Are you willing?"

The indomitable dharma idols looked down upon the masses, gazing at the youth in white as they spoke indifferently.

As soon as these words were spoken, the entirety of Nanling shook. Even Gu Qingyan and the others were instantly shocked to the extreme.

A youth Sealing King!

Only the Saints of past and present were qualified to commune with the Nine Daos and bestow the title of King. For the nine great Saints to jointly confer this title meant that the recipient would be embraced by the Saint Dao. Throughout history, both past and present, every youth Sealing King had been an epoch-shaking figure, holding an unparalleled supreme status in the Cultivation Realm.

Facing the invitation of the Nine Saints of Nanling, Jiang Hao slowly raised his eyes. Looking at the nine dharma idols, he couldn’t help but clench his fists. To be crowned King by the Nine Saints meant that from now on, he, Jiang Hao, would no longer be a rootless duckweed. Instead, he would have his own Guardians. And his Guardians would be none other than nine current Saint Realm experts.

"Jiang Hao’s life was given by Nanling. I owe Nanling a life," he declared. "I am willing to accept this karma."

By accepting Nanling’s coronation, he would bear the title of Nanling for the rest of his life. The price of this coronation was that if Nanling ever faced a crisis in the future, the Sealing King would have to return to face the calamity alongside them, even if he were at the ends of the earth. A betrayer would suffer eternal damnation and be rejected by the Saint Dao.

For Jiang Hao, if the Nanling Sword Saint hadn’t intervened back then, he would have already detonated his martial soul and perished in the sky above Xingyue City. This was a debt he owed Nanling. Furthermore, accepting Nanling’s coronation meant that he would no longer fight alone. Behind him stood the terrifyingly powerful Nanling as his strongest backing. In this era of competing geniuses, he would have the status and position to forge his own Great Dao without being weighed down by countless restraints.

"Good!"

BOOM!!!

Following Jiang Hao’s response, the nine dharma idols willed it so. The Celestial Universe above Nanling was bathed in Holy Light as the Great Dao resonated. Boundless holy might gathered across the entire firmament, frantically converging until it finally formed a golden character for ’King’, which descended straight toward the center of the youth’s brow.

"Jiang Hao of Xingyue, witnessed by the Nine Daos! A youth crowned as King, the Saints clear the path. Bind!

"Child, today, we Nine Saints jointly pledge to be your Guardians. From this day forward, your Nanling identity shall be known as ’Dong’, and your kingly title shall be ’Hao’.

"Since you were born in the Eastern Domain, you shall be known as Dong Hao."

CLANG!!!

As the dharma idols of the nine great Saints spoke in unison, the characters for ’Dong Hao’ slowly materialized at the Peak of the Firmament.

Meanwhile.

Throughout the Sword Dynasty, in countless terrifying forbidden zones across endless territories, semi-transparent Celestial Books radiating earth-shattering light suddenly erupted with an even more dazzling golden brilliance.

Before each Celestial Book sat an impossibly ancient figure, cross-legged. They sat as still as boulders, completely motionless, their bodies covered in thick layers of dust. Yet, the instant the Celestial Books flared with light, they abruptly opened their eyes, their faces filled with utter shock.

"A youth Sealing King?"

"The Sword Dynasty has produced another youth Sealing King?"

The piercing gazes of countless ancient, terrifying figures stared at the Celestial Books from their respective terrifying domains, a ripple of astonishment flashing in their eyes. Densely packed names floated above those Celestial Books, but at this moment, an unfamiliar kingly title had appeared among them.

"Dong Hao?"

"A newly advanced youth king from the Eastern Domain?"

"Our Sword Dynasty has gained another youth Sealing King?"

"The Nine Saints of Nanling..."

A hundred domains trembled, and everyone was overwhelmed with shock. A youth crowned as King, jointly endorsed by the Nine Saints—what kind of magnificent prestige was this? It was crystal clear that the Nine Saints of Nanling were famous, super-tier existences even when placed on the scale of the entire Sword Dynasty.

At the same time.

In a majestic and towering grand hall radiating astonishing holy might in the Eastern Domain.

A stalwart middle-aged man wearing the Celestial Sword Saint Robe suddenly opened his eyes, gazing toward the direction of Nanling as if he had sensed something. His eyes seemed capable of piercing through endless territories to look directly at the Nanling Sacred City.

"Nanling? The Nine Saints, Yan Nantian, Longevity Mountain... Do you really take my Celestial Sword Sect for a mere decoration?"

As the middle-aged man spoke, a flash of murderous intent appeared in his eyes, within which stars seemed to grind into dust.

At the other end of the hall, a youth bathed in Holy Light slowly opened his eyes as well, frowning slightly. A terrifyingly profound aura surrounded him, and boundless Power of Transcendence surged with his every breath. He was unfathomably strong.

"Saint Venerable, what happened?"

"Someone in the Eastern Domain has become a youth Sealing King."

"Who?"

"Jiang."

BOOM!!!

As soon as the word was spoken, a horrifying pressure erupted from the youth’s body. The entire grand hall seemed to dim in comparison to the blinding radiance emanating from him.

"It’s him?" With just the word ’Jiang’, the youth seemed to know exactly who it was. He continued, "I will go and kill him, and bring his flesh and blood back to the Celestial Sword Sect."

"There is no rush," the middle-aged man replied. "This is the critical juncture of your Foundation Establishment as you step into the Dao Foundation Realm. You absolutely must not leave the Celestial Sword Hall. It won’t be too late to venture out after you have forged your Dao Foundation."

With a wave of his large hand, the stalwart middle-aged man sent boundless holy power surging toward the youth. Around the hall, countless ancient figures were also sitting cross-legged. They rapidly formed hand seals, channeling terrifying Dao accumulation into the youth.

As countless epoch-shaking figures of the Celestial Sword Sect took action, the aura within the youth steadily skyrocketed at a visible pace. Feeling the terrifying fluctuations of his own power, a trace of disdain and confidence flashed in his eyes.

"Hmph, for an ant to be crowned King, what a joke."

After speaking, the youth slowly closed his eyes, entering a state of deep meditation once more.

Surprisingly, a stunningly beautiful figure sat quietly cross-legged beside the youth, similarly receiving the blessing of the endless power. However, from beginning to end, she never once opened her eyes.

At the same time.

In the Nanling Sacred City.

By now, the Nanling Sacred City was completely dumbstruck. Tens of millions of Cultivators watched the coronation process in a daze, their minds reeling as if they had been struck by lightning. Watching this scene, Gu Qingyan and the others were horrified beyond words.

Witnessing the youth in white being crowned King was an outcome no one had ever anticipated. And as the coronation drew to a close, they once again gazed up at his figure.

Towering waves of shock surged in everyone’s hearts.