Chapter 189 - 170: South Sea and Fengming Mountain

Chapter 189: Chapter 170: South Sea and Fengming Mountain

Once these Great Vajra Realm experts appeared, they would emerge in batches. By then, the balance of power in the world would undergo a massive shift. He needed the strength to protect Dao Yi Mountain, his family, and his loved ones when facing this batch of legendary figures from the past.

Therefore, this trip to the South Sea was not just to battle Yuan Ruhua and reclaim the title of number one in the world. It was also an opportunity to turn this clash into a form of cultivation. He aimed to use the pressure of their fight, amid the gradual recovery of the world’s spiritual energy, to step into the Broken Realm!

While Chen Sha was en route to the South Sea, Martial Artists across the world spent almost every day in eager anticipation, wondering when the newly minted number two in the world, Chen Sha, would finally arrive at the Tide-Watching Pavilion to challenge Yuan Ruhua.

This impending duel was the most hotly debated topic across the martial arts world. As a result, Putuo City—a large coastal city in the South Sea closest to the Tide-Watching Pavilion—had been flooded with wandering Martial Artists from the Jianghu over the past two months. They stood on the city walls day and night, gazing out at the horizon.

At the far edge of the sea, a tiny black speck could faintly be seen. That was the architectural marvel where Yuan Ruhua resided—an ancient tower rising from the sea, known as the Tide-Watching Pavilion.

About five or six years ago, that ancient tower did not exist. But ever since Yuan Ruhua claimed the title of number one in the world, a foundation had suddenly jutted up from the depths, upon which he built his courtyard.

Seagulls soared above the crashing waves and the rolling expanse of the ocean. Atop the Tide-Watching Pavilion in the middle of the sea, a tall, white-robed man stood motionless. His gaze drifted south toward the direction of Dao Yi Mountain, as if he, too, was waiting for someone’s arrival.

Meanwhile, in another part of the Divine Land.

While Chen Sha made his way to the South Sea, the former headquarters of the Demon Saint Sect lay in ruins. The members had scattered like frightened birds, leaving behind only an empty, desolate palace.

The reason was simple. Ever since Demon Saint Long Zaitian died, the major Demon Sect factions he had subjugated over the years immediately disbanded and returned to their respective territories. The once-thriving alliance evaporated overnight. Terrified of Chen Sha’s power, the other major Demon Sect factions now viewed the Demon Saint Sect as a deadly hotspot. They feared Chen Sha would show up one day and level the place, just as he had done to the Buddhist Sect.

Because of this, only Young Master Qing and a handful of others remained.

Suddenly, footsteps echoed through the grand hall of the Demon Sect. The man in black, the Chess Master, walked in alongside Ma Rulong. Upon entering, they found Young Master Qing sprawled haphazardly across the Demon Sect Sect Leader’s throne, a wine jug in hand and a sickly pallor on his face.

Ma Rulong frowned coldly and said, "Your Blood Decay Syndrome strictly forbids alcohol, yet here you are drinking yourself to death. Do you want to die that badly?"

With bloodshot, drunken eyes, Young Master Qing glanced at the two men. "I won’t live for more than another year or two anyway. How I choose to live is no one else’s business."

Ma Rulong fell silent. It was blindingly obvious that after suffering two successive blows, Young Master Qing had spiraled into absolute despair.

First, the First-Grade Hall foundation he had spent five or six years building—a force capable of dominating a region of the martial arts world—had been annihilated overnight by Chen Sha. Then, the terminal Blood Decay Syndrome he suffered from could have been cured by his grandfather, Ancient Transformation Dragon, on Dao Yi Mountain, but Chen Sha had killed Ancient Transformation Dragon. Afterward, on the Chess Master’s orders, Ma Rulong had personally invited Young Master Qing to the Demon Saint Sect. The original plan was for Young Master Qing to rely on the power of Ma Rulong’s master, Long Zaitian, and the forces of the Demon Sect to exact his revenge. But now...

Long Zaitian had been killed by Chen Sha, and the Demon Saint Sect had scattered like leaves in the wind.

How could Ma Rulong not understand Young Master Qing’s feelings? He felt the exact same way.

Right then, the Chess Master’s eerie, indifferent voice reached their ears. "Well said. How you live is your own business. But have you truly given up on yourself? I refuse to believe that the dragons I have chosen possess such weak Heart Nature."

Young Master Qing shot him a sidelong glance, sizing up the Chess Master. "Chen Sha is now the number two in the world. His only remaining opponent is Yuan Ruhua. I’m afraid even you don’t dare clash with him head-on anymore. Have you still not given up?" He let out a cold sneer, noticing that both the Chess Master and Ma Rulong carried nothing. "It seems you returned empty-handed from Dao Yi Mountain this time."

The Chess Master ignored Young Master Qing’s sour mood and replied calmly, "I have never denied that Chen Sha’s destiny is bizarre. His abnormal rise was entirely outside my calculations. However, I have never lost faith in the individuals I have chosen."

Young Master Qing laughed mockingly. "You actually still have faith in us? Take a look for yourself. I’m a complete cripple. The man standing beside you is nothing but a lowly Grandmaster. And if I recall correctly... you also set your sights on Li Jianzhou...

"Could it be that you just enjoy picking people who get trampled under Chen Sha’s feet?"

"None of your destinies were supposed to turn out this way," the Chess Master said coolly. "When I first met all of you, you were destined to become the future overlord of the martial arts world. Ma Rulong was meant to be a titan of the Demon Sect. And Li Jianzhou’s fate was even more extraordinary... he was supposed to be the Dao Yi Sect Leader."

Young Master Qing’s expression shifted. "Are you implying that Chen Sha stole our destinies?"

"No!" the Chess Master declared with absolute certainty. "Your destinies were never stolen by anyone. Even now, you remain exactly as you were when I first met you—blessed with immense luck and boundlessly infinite potential for the future."

"A cripple with infinite potential?" Young Master Qing scoffed.

"You have been defeated by Chen Sha multiple times, yet you have not been killed," the Chess Master retorted. "Bear in mind, ever since he descended the mountain, countless Great Innate experts and Unparalleled Powerhouses have died by his hand. Yet you are still alive. Is that not enough proof that your destiny hasn’t ended? The same goes for Li Jianzhou. In fact... I can already sense it. After receiving my guidance a while ago and heading to his ’land of opportunity,’ his fate has already aligned into the ’Flying Dragon in the Sky’ formation."

"What exactly did you give him?" Young Master Qing asked, half-doubting.

"I gave him nothing," the Chess Master said plainly. "What he obtained was a stroke of fortune he was already destined to encounter in the future. I merely pointed him in the right direction so he could claim his fortune early. As for what that fortune entails, even I do not know."

Young Master Qing began to understand. "You mean, just like when you guided me to find that treasure trove."

"Exactly. That treasure trove was something you always had a chance of obtaining," the Chess Master confirmed. "The only difference is that without my guidance, you might have only stumbled upon that great luck in your forties or fifties. I simply helped you find it ahead of time. And as for strokes of great luck like that... you still have several more awaiting you in your lifetime..."

"I still have more great luck awaiting me?!" Young Master Qing demanded, springing up from his seat. "What is it?"

"As they say, appearances are born from Heart Nature, and destiny is forged by oneself," the Chess Master said calmly. "I can only read the ebb and flow of your luck and the general direction of your auspicious stars from your physiognomy. If you wish to claim this great luck, you must go to those places and seek it out yourself..."

"Where is it?!"

"In the Southern Divine Land, the Fengming Mountain Range!"