Chapter 676: Surging Undercurrents

Chapter 676: Chapter 365: Surging Undercurrents

But Su Chen was different. He was already a member of Chu Lingyuan’s faction. With the title of First Star in his grasp, his future ascension to the position of an Ancient King was practically set in stone.

One side was like the rising sun, while the other resembled the setting sun. Everyone knew perfectly well which side held more weight.

Meanwhile, the news that Su Chen, a Star Seed of the Bronze Sect, had seized the title of First Star at the young age of twenty-three swept across the entire Dust Star Sea like a hurricane.

The Peak Star Conference was broadcasted live in its entirety. Given its immense significance, factions and planets—both large and small—tuned in to watch it to some extent.

As for Xiao Linfeng’s death and the matters regarding the pathway, because they involved the Ancient Kings, the broadcast was mostly obscured by blinding light. The audience didn’t know the exact details.

The only certainty was that Su Chen had defeated the so-called “King’s Shadow” and became the First Star.

Su Chen already had quite the reputation, though previously it was confined within various factions. However, the Peak Star Conference, held only once every ten years, garnered an unprecedented level of attention.

Coupled with the staggering 1:200 betting odds, a few risk-takers had truly struck it rich, which only fueled the public’s fervor.

The Prophet Council took this opportunity to release a comprehensive dossier detailing Su Chen’s extensive background. The more people learned about him, the more astounded they became. Those who had known little about him in the past were now utterly dumbfounded.

While the middle and lower echelons of the Dust Star Sea gossiped enthusiastically about the event, the top-tier factions were focused on much deeper implications. They already knew that Xiao Linfeng had died and that the Ancient Kings seemed to have entered some sort of special spatial dimension.

Barely four or five days had passed since the conclusion of the Peak Star Conference when rumors began to circulate: the Ancient Kings and the Hanhai Emperor likely wouldn’t return anytime soon.

Initially, many factions naturally scoffed at this information. The Ancient Kings and the Emperor had existed in the Dust Star Sea for countless years. They were synonymous with invincibility. What kind of place could possibly trap them?

But driven by some unknown mastermind behind the scenes, information regarding the Lost Flame was gradually released.

A relic left behind after the death of a Sun Tier expert? A place that even several Ancient Kings couldn’t force their way into?

Looking at it that way… it seemed… perhaps… there really was a possibility that the Ancient Kings were trapped inside.

***

The Balance Dao Hub. Almost more than half of the various factions departing from the Bronze Sect had to pass through this location as a transit point.

Zhou Lingtian pushed open the door to a room, and dozens of gazes immediately converged upon him. He swept his eyes across the crowd inside; there were middle-aged men and elderly figures, each standing in their own respective areas.

The Long River Family, the Martial Arts Company, the Mechanical Martial Association, Leiyunmeng Academy… Almost all of them were factions presided over by Morning Star experts.

“Lingtian is here,” Xiao Ding was the first to greet him, his previous despondency replaced by a welcoming smile.

“Quite a crowd you’ve gathered,” Zhou Lingtian remarked as he stepped into the room, his tone unreadable.

“Lingtian, since our last parting, I’m afraid we haven’t seen each other for three to five years,” one of the elderly men chimed in to exchange pleasantries.

Zhou Lingtian glanced over them and shook his head. “You all invited me here for more than just catching up, I presume?”

He spoke bluntly, causing the expressions of everyone present to freeze. They subtly exchanged glances with one another.

“At the Bronze Sect, you stepped forward to stop the conflict, Lingtian,” Xiao Ding said in a deep voice. “But we will absolutely not let Linfeng’s death rest just like that!

“The Five Great Sects and the Royal Court run rampant with impunity. Aside from the Morning Stars originating from their own sects, which one of us hasn’t suffered through their persecution and oppression while growing up? You must deeply agree with this, Lingtian.”

Hearing this, Zhou Lingtian narrowed his eyes and asked pointedly, “You want to flip the table on the Five Great Sects and the Royal Court?”

At his words, everyone’s expressions drastically changed.

Seeing this, Zhou Lingtian couldn’t help but sneer. “What? You have the guts to plot it, but not the guts to admit it?”

The crowd hesitated, words catching in their throats. They couldn’t figure out Zhou Lingtian’s stance, and they hadn’t even officially begun discussing the matter yet.

Although the Long River Family had gathered everyone under the guise of addressing Xiao Linfeng’s incident, everyone was well aware that their true targets were the Five Great Sects and the Royal Court.

However, without a solid foundation of trust, and with so many factions present, what if someone deflected to the Five Great Sects?

As the inviting party from the Long River Family, Xiao Ding naturally spoke up to mediate. “You’re overthinking it, Lingtian. I simply want to seek justice for Feng’er.

“Today it is my Long River Family, but tomorrow it could very well be any of you…”

Zhou Lingtian frowned slightly. Xiao Linfeng’s death was indeed very troublesome. Since he was killed in broad daylight in front of everyone, the Long River Family grasped the moral high ground and could definitely stir up some waves.

But if they wanted to shake the Five Great Sects and the Royal Court with just this…

He secretly shook his head. “Since you all want to hide your intentions, there’s nothing left to discuss.” With that, he turned and prepared to leave.

“Wait!” Xiao Ding suddenly called out to stop him, his voice grave. “The Five Great Sects and the Royal Court have lorded over the Dust Star Sea for years, and we have all suffered under their tyranny. Their resources only circulate internally; they absolutely refuse to let a single drop spill down to the lower tiers!

“Even though Feng’er had the Twin Divine Dawns Talent, he was only marginally stronger than Sheng Huaixu and the others. Lingtian, with such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity right in front of us, are you really willing to just watch it slip away?”

“Tyranny?” Zhou Lingtian scanned the crowd and scoffed. “If an ordinary Professional with no background said that, I might feel some empathy, but you people…

“Heh, in your own little territories, aren’t you playing the exact same roles as the Five Great Sects?

“At the end of the day, it’s all about profit. You simply want to replace the Five Great Sects. Is it really that embarrassing to admit?”

Zhou Lingtian’s bluntness startled several people, causing their expressions to shift and their brows to furrow tightly.

Xiao Ding was also somewhat bewildered and frowned. “Lingtian, what exactly do you mean by that?”

“I mean nothing.” He shook his head. It seemed these people were only in the preliminary stages of plotting and weren’t ready to take any concrete action.

Zhou Lingtian pushed the door open and walked out. This time, no one stopped him.

The faces of the people left in the room were somewhat ugly. A long while after the door was shut, someone finally sneered coldly, “It seems Zhou Lingtian has forgotten where he came from.”

“He ranks second on the Morning Star Chart. He has quite a reputation and strong rallying power. If he refuses to join, then our plan to seek justice for Linfeng…”

One of them spoke with a hesitant expression, still using “Xiao Linfeng” as their excuse.

“It matters not,” Xiao Ding shook his head, his eyes flickering. He said sternly, “I am extremely grateful that you all answered my invitation and are willing to lend your support. Let’s leave this matter at that for now. Once we return, we will do our best to ally with other factions.”

“You’re too polite,” the crowd chimed in one after another as they gradually took their leave.

After seeing everyone off, Xiao Ding turned and headed to another room. It was dark and gloomy inside. The moment he walked through the door, a voice rang out.

“You all are thinking too simply. There are too many factions and too many different agendas. Uniting these factions is virtually impossible.

“Even if a fight really broke out, with the combined might of the Royal Court and the Five Great Sects, it would only be a temporary skirmish. As long as there is no internal chaos among them, we have absolutely no chance.”

Xiao Ding’s eyes flickered. “Internal chaos… is easier said than done. They must have reached a consensus as well. There’s no opportunity.”

“If there’s no opportunity, then we create one. They were never a monolith to begin with. However… I’m afraid we’ll need to rely on some external forces.”

“External forces?” Xiao Ding furrowed his brows.

The figure spat out two words, “Deceitful Gods!”

***

“So this is the Mirror of Possibility?” Su Chen looked at the translucent mirror Luo Shuhang handed him. Water-like ripples danced across its surface, reflecting Su Chen’s face, yet his reflected expressions and features were constantly shifting.

“Without the Water of Prophecy, strictly speaking, it can’t be considered a true Mirror of Possibility,” Luo Shuhang said hesitantly. “The scope of its predictions is too narrow; it can only target objects in motion.”

Since the Water of Prophecy required by his profession had already been wiped out, Su Chen didn’t care about the extent of the mirror’s functions.

After seeing Luo Shuhang out, he returned to the training room and attempted to gradually fuse the mirror before him into his body.

The process was much simpler than he had imagined. The mirror wasn’t a physical entity; the moment it touched his skin, it blended in seamlessly, merging with him completely.

Su Chen felt the subtle changes within his body and suddenly flicked his finger, shooting out an arc of lightning.

As soon as his gaze fell upon it, Su Chen had a strong premonition, as if he could vividly see the scene of the lightning arc striking the wall and exploding.

“…To possess such an ability even before it becomes a part of my Holy Profession will provide no small advantage in battle,” Su Chen mused, clicking his tongue in marvel.

“I’ll need to find time to enter the Copper Heart and complete that observation-type requirement. Since it’s purely just observing for two and a half years, I can crank the environment’s time flow to the maximum. It should take about three months to finish.

“During that process, I can also conveniently complete that conceptual-type requirement along the way. It shouldn’t be a big problem.”