Chapter 756: Conspiracy (Five Thousand Characters)

"You say not only us, but even the Heavenly Corpse Cloud Sect, the Evil Wolf Brigade, and the volcanic nation's elites were all defeated and brutally expelled from the Western Realm?!" Upon hearing this, Sect Master Youtianhuang of Heaven Phoenix Sect leapt abruptly to his feet from the Imperial Throne, stunned.

He had just received word that all of Heaven Phoenix Sect's disciples and Elders had been expelled from the Western Realm, and had instinctively assumed it was the combined force of Ning Tian Continent's top factions—the Corpse Cloud Sect, the Evil Wolf Brigade, and the volcanic nation—that had swallowed their territories; he was preparing to personally confront their leaders when he received this news.

"Yes, Sect Master—not only did Young Emperor fail, but even our Second Elder, at Five-Star Sovereign Peak, was defeated; Young Emperor nearly lost his life, and only his soul core and Sovereign Sea were recovered—the body was utterly destroyed." The frontline intelligence officer knelt trembling on the ground, his body shaking uncontrollably—he had verified this intelligence repeatedly before daring to report it.

For this news was simply too unbelievable: Heaven Phoenix Sect was one of Ning Tian Continent's top factions, and its Sect Master, Youtianhuang, had already reached the terrifying Eight-Star Sovereign realm.

Twenty years ago, when Youtianhuang was still a Seven-Star Sovereign, he had sought to annex the Western Realm, assuming it was merely a backwater region with only a few One-Star Sovereigns—how could he have known that upon entering the Western Realm, he was immediately blocked by Zhu Ye?

At that time, Zhu Ye possessed only Six-Star Sovereign strength, yet he was a Seven-Grade Spirit Array Master; they clashed to a mutual stalemate, and reluctantly, Youtianhuang abandoned the Western Realm, tacitly acknowledging Zhu Ye—the Seven-Star Spirit Array Grandmaster—as its rightful master.

When Youtianhuang learned the Western Realm had been struck by a celestial continent, and that its terrifying guardian had defeated Zhu Ye—who then vanished—he realized this was the perfect moment to seize the Western Realm, so he was the first to send troops to invade.

Who could have imagined! The waters of the Western Realm ran deeper than he ever imagined—there were even stronger factions lurking behind it!

"No—if the Western Realm harbored a stronger faction, how could it have remained completely silent for so many years? Could this be connected to the Western Realm's anomaly twenty years ago?" Youtianhuang's expression darkened; his sudden desire to reclaim the Western Realm twenty years ago had never been impulsive—it stemmed from the anomaly in Wan Zhu Lin.

He had intended to investigate, but the moment he entered Wan Zhu Lin, he was ambushed by a Spirit Array, discovering that Zhu Ye had sealed off the forest as if hiding something—hence their battle.

"Or is it because of the recent celestial tomb, drawing attention from other external factions? Is there a connection between the anomaly in Wan Zhu Lin and the sudden descent of the celestial tomb?" Youtianhuang frowned; since the mysterious shattered continent had fallen from the heavens, the entire Ning Tian Continent had grown turbulent, as if a hidden hand in the darkness manipulated events.

Now Youtianhuang felt it too.

Ning Tian Continent was merely a peripheral land in the Great Thousand World; Xiao Yan and others would first encounter Ning Tian Continent upon entering the Great Thousand World. Its Spiritual Energy was thin, so its overall strength was weak, rarely attracting attention from powerful elites of other Supreme Continents.

But it was not absolute—the Great Thousand World was vast; for Sovereigns above Nine-Pin, traveling between continents was inconvenient but not impossible, and even Supreme Sovereigns could manifest a projection on another continent with a single thought.

Now, several top factions of Ning Tian Continent had jointly invaded the Western Realm because Youtianhuang and other faction leaders, all at Seven-Star Sovereign strength or higher, suspected the celestial tomb descending from the heavens was an Earth Supreme Secret Treasury, guarded by an immensely powerful being who had defeated Zhu Ye.

In truth, their speculation was not entirely wrong—except that the Earth Supreme within that Secret Treasury was still alive.

"You want to know?"

Just as Youtianhuang was pondering whether to personally journey to the Western Realm, a strange voice echoed from all directions around him.

"Who?!" Youtianhuang's face changed; this was his palace—how could someone have infiltrated without his knowledge?!

With a sharp *shiiii*, a shadow suddenly materialized from empty space. Youtianhuang's eyes flashed with lethal intent; his Spiritual Energy erupted, and the overwhelming pressure of an Eight-Star Sovereign crashed down, summoning a colossal Sovereign Form behind him that warped the surrounding space.

"Don't be so tense—I mean no harm. I've come to tell you something." The black-robed figure slowly lifted his hood.

Seeing the man's true face, Youtianhuang's eyes narrowed. "Zhu Ye?! You dare come to Heaven Phoenix Sect—are you seeking death?!"

The black-robed man was none other than Zhu Ye, the Spirit Array Grandmaster who had nearly been killed by Xiao Yan and had all his treasures stolen.

"Hmph, you've come at the perfect time. Hand over what you took from Wan Zhu Lin." Youtianhuang smirked; in a positional battle, an Eight-Grade Spirit Array Master was stronger than an Eight-Star Sovereign, for the Array Master could pre-deploy countless Spirit Arrays—he had lost to Zhu Ye precisely this way.

But if the opponent launched a surprise attack, a regular Eight-Star Sovereign was stronger than an Eight-Grade Spirit Array Master.

Yet, facing Youtianhuang's words, Zhu Ye remained calm, slowly pulling up a chair and sitting down, glancing at him before saying: "You want it? Fine. Go get it from the Soul Sect's Yan Zunzhe."

That's what they called "a dead pig doesn't fear boiling water." Zhu Ye would gladly give it—if he still had it.

Hearing Zhu Ye's words, Youtianhuang slowly retracted his Spiritual Energy. "Soul Sect? Who is Yan Zunzhe?"

Zhu Ye made no secret of it—he recounted the events of the Heavenly Tomb and his defeat by Yan Zunzhe.

The anomaly in Wan Zhu Lin twenty years ago had been triggered by the Celestial Cube stolen by Xiao Yan—but now, that Celestial Cube had fallen into Xiao Yan's hands.

"An Eight-Grade Peak Sovereign—or even a Nine-Pin Sovereign at early stage?!!" Youtianhuang's heart jolted; Ning Tian Continent had remained fractured for so long because no one on the entire continent had ever surpassed Eight-Star Sovereign strength.

Generally, a Nine-Pin Sovereign could dominate a low-tier continent—like the Infinite Continent's Infinite Ancestor, who ruled it with Nine-Pin Sovereign power. But ordinary Nine-Pin Sovereigns rarely ventured to peripheral low-tier continents, for such lands lacked the resources needed to break through to Earth Supreme.

To break through to Earth Supreme, one must travel to one of the Ten Supreme Continents—vast, immense lands where even Earth Supremes were merely regional warlords, let alone rulers of entire continents.

Hence, Youtianhuang was stunned to hear of a Nine-Pin Sovereign's existence.

"So the shattered continent descending from the heavens truly hides an Earth Supreme Secret Treasury?"

Zhu Ye's eyes flickered with a strange glint; he feigned solemnity and nodded heavily. "That shattered continent is likely a fragment of the Remnant Continent, shattered long ago by the Domain Beyond's demonic clans. Hidden upon it is the inheritance of an Earth Supreme—the Soul Sect's Yan Zunzhe seeks that inheritance."

"So it's the Remnant Continent… no wonder."

The Remnant Continent was a name given by later generations; its original name had been forgotten, for it was one of the Supreme Continents defeated and shattered fifty thousand years ago during the Domain Beyond's invasion.

In ancient times, the Remnant Continent was among the largest in the Great Thousand World, one of the Supreme Continents—until the Ancient Cataclysm, when it fought the Domain Beyond's Demon Emperor and was shattered into countless fragments.

Such shattered fragments were treasures in the Great Thousand World, for they held countless ancient ruins; those with great fortune might uncover ancient treasures or inheritances.

Now, only the Ten Supreme Continents remain in the Great Thousand World—but in ancient times, there were far more: Jiu Ming Continent, Tian Luo Da Lu, Diming Continent, and others survived because their ancient masters repelled the Domain Beyond's Demon Emperor; those that failed were either shattered or still ruled by the Domain Beyond, their names erased from the Great Thousand World's memory.

Some powerful factions now send agents to scour the heavens, collecting these drifting Remnant Continent fragments to form vast Trial Grounds, where their disciples train and seek the inherited ruins left behind.

Thus, when Youtianhuang heard the Heavenly Tomb was a fragment of the Remnant Continent, he had no suspicion—and Zhu Ye's words were nine-tenths truth, one-tenth lie.

"Your goal is to reclaim what was stolen?" Youtianhuang stared at Zhu Ye. The situation was clear: Zhu Ye had come seeking an alliance, to join forces against Yan Zunzhe.

Though a Nine-Pin Sovereign was only one rank above an Eight-Star Sovereign, that gap was like a chasm between heaven and earth—even pre-placed Spirit Arrays could not overcome it.

Zhu Ye nodded gravely. "I only want my things back. And even if Heaven Phoenix Sect holds the air of Ning Tian Continent's top sect, how many chances do you have against this outsider, the Soul Sect's Nine-Pin Sovereign Yan Zunzhe?"

Hearing this, Youtianhuang fell silent. Though he had never heard of the Soul Sect, the mere existence of a Nine-Pin Sovereign gave him pause. Even defeating a common Nine-Pin Sovereign would cost him dearly—sacrificing countless lives, and even then, he might lose.

After all, wasn't Zhu Ye himself proof of Yan Zunzhe's strength? And the man sought the Earth Supreme Secret Treasury—conflict was inevitable.

Seeing Youtianhuang fall silent, Zhu Ye's lips curled in a hidden smile. "The Earth Supreme Secret Treasury might contain Spiritual Spirit Liquid."

Upon hearing the words "Spiritual Spirit Liquid," Youtianhuang's eyes instantly flashed with greed. Spiritual Spirit Liquid was the essence formed from the Sovereign Sea of a deceased Earth Supreme—a power far purer and stronger than Sovereign Spirit Liquid by countless times.

If he obtained Spiritual Spirit Liquid, Youtianhuang could break through to Nine-Pin Sovereign—and if it came from a perfected Earth Supreme, he might even dare to challenge Earth Supreme!

"Fine!" Youtianhuang gritted his teeth, his eyes hardening. "I agree. Heaven Phoenix Sect joins your alliance. But let me be clear—if there is Spiritual Spirit Liquid, I claim my share."

Zhu Ye narrowed his eyes and nodded heavily. "Good. I've already secured the Corpse Cloud Sect, the Evil Wolf Brigade, the volcanic nation, and the Dragon-Seer. Now with you, we unite Ning Tian Continent's top sects and elites—killing a Nine-Pin Sovereign won't be hard."

"You even convinced that hermit old ghost, the Dragon-Seer? You must've made a heavy move." Youtianhuang smiled ambiguously.

"Everyone has desires," Zhu Ye said. "In seven days, send a portion of your forces to attack the Western Realm, drawing the Soul Sect and Western Realm's attention. Then, we'll sneak in and strike directly at Yan Zunzhe—I've left a tracking Array on him."

"Once Yan Zunzhe is dead, the Spirit Puppets won't matter." Zhu Ye's gaze sharpened, a cold sneer forming. "Hmph. My things aren't so easy to take."

Soon after Zhu Ye departed, space twisted, and a gaunt, stick-thin old man leaning on a cane emerged from the void. As he appeared, a thick stench of blood surged from him, lingering long after.

The old man was the Sect Master of the Corpse Cloud Sect—Xue Shi Yun.

Seeing the old man appear, Youtianhuang's expression remained calm. "That man wants to use us as his pawns."

Hearing this, Xue Shi Yun chuckled. "His words aren't to be trusted entirely—but regardless, that mysterious Yan Zunzhe must be formidable, or he wouldn't have lost to him. Even if the two of us joined forces, defeating an Eight-Grade Spirit Array Grandmaster wouldn't be easy."

"Whether it's the mysterious inheritance of Wan Zhu Lin or the Earth Supreme inheritance on the Remnant Continent, both will inevitably clash with the Flame Sovereign. Eliminating the Soul Temple first is also acceptable."

The Blood Corpse Cloud let out a sinister laugh: "Hehehe, this fool doesn't know our four Factions have long secretly allied to swallow the Western Realm. Once we deal with the Soul Temple, we'll kill Zhu Ye—and both inheritances will be ours."

—

At this moment, atop a peak on Ning Tian Continent, an old man with white hair and beard sat cross-legged, wearing a simple cloth robe. Upon closer inspection, it was clear a faint dragon tattoo marked his forehead, like a tight band constricting it.

If one looked closely, the old man's appearance bore a striking resemblance to Xin Xiangyang, the Regional Lord of Xin Region—except the old man was far older. This man was none other than the Dragon-Seeking Elder spoken of by Zhu Ye.

Suddenly, he opened his eyes and saw Zhu Ye standing beside him, having appeared without warning.

Seeing Zhu Ye return from Youtianhuang Sect, the Dragon-Seeking Elder closed his eyes again, inhaling and exhaling Heavenly Earth Spirit Qi in cultivation, and asked via telepathy: "You know the four Factions—Youtianhuang Sect, Blood Corpse Cloud Sect, Evil Wolf Fleet, and Volcano Nation—have long united, eager to attack Wan Zhu Lin and seize its Secret Realm. Yet you still ally with them?"

Zhu Ye offered a cryptic smile, sat on the ground, and gazed upward at the heavens: "Compared to a previously undiscovered Lower Plane, Wan Zhu Lin is no longer important."

"A Lower Plane never discovered by anyone—you should know what that means."

The Dragon-Seeking Elder fell silent. He understood perfectly. An undiscovered Lower Plane meant far more than merely possessing a Plane Embryo—it was a completely sealed ancient treasure land, filled with countless precious resources.

It might even harbor unique Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures—a natural, untouched vault!

The Great Thousand World teems with Heaven Supremes, and some of them became Heaven Supremes in their youth by discovering an undiscovered Lower Plane, seizing its resources and Plane Embryo.

Remember, the Great Thousand World is a higher realm: its Spiritual Energy is superior, its cultivation system is more advanced, and even its forging techniques, Sealing Arrays, and weapons are vastly superior. A cultivator from the Great Thousand World entering a Lower Plane is a dimensional downgrade strike.

Even if your Cultivation Realm or talent is low, you can use your knowledge from the Great Thousand World to dominate your peer level, relentlessly plunder the Lower Plane's resources to strengthen yourself, and ultimately dominate the Lower Plane, seize its Plane Embryo, and ascend to the rank of Heaven Supreme.

This practice is nearly universal consensus in the Great Thousand World. Some powerful Factions, upon discovering a Lower Plane, select gifted Disciples and reincarnate them as native inhabitants of that Lower Plane—so they may grow stronger and better seize the Plane Embryo.

"Youtianhuang Sect, Blood Corpse Cloud Sect, Evil Wolf Fleet, and Volcano Nation are merely cannon fodder—even united, they cannot match the Soul Temple."

Zhu Ye sneered: "Hmph. Youtianhuang and the others think they're the oriole—but they're not even the mantis. They're merely the cicada, bait to lure the mantis into the trap."

"All we need do is deliberately let the Soul Temple's people escape—they'll naturally take Zhu Mu Fang back to their Lower Plane. Then we'll know its exact location."

No sooner had he finished speaking than a powerful aura subtly surged within Zhu Ye, its Spiritual Energy fluctuation far exceeding Seven-Star Sovereign—even surpassing Eight-Star Sovereign, reaching Ninth Rank Supreme Peak!

Yet this aura was suppressed by a Spirit Array, so his outwardly displayed Cultivation Realm appeared only as Seven-Star Sovereign.

"Your Supreme Form should have sensed it too—the Flame Sovereign possesses Dragon Phoenix Bloodline. Though not true Dragon Phoenix, this proves a Pseudo Dragon Phoenix with bloodline reaching Divine Beast level exists in his Lower Plane. Its bloodline can break the Spiritual Array Seal on your Dragon Cuffs."

First, five thousand characters to clarify: I'm not dead, not abandoned—just attending a wedding. More tonight!

(End of Chapter)