Chapter 234: Guests Have Arrived

The sect leaders of Ice Province and Monster Province are more interesting.

When Gu Zhan descended to Ice Province with two True Immortal Elders, the Lord of Ice Province, Old Ancestor Han Yuan, was in seclusion.

His chief disciple went to report: "Master, a group of people has arrived outside, the leader saying he is from the Gu Family, asking you to come out to receive him…"

Before he finished speaking, Old Ancestor Han Yuan burst out of the seclusion chamber, slamming through without opening the door, going straight through the wall.

Broken stones smeared the chief disciple's face.

"Gu Family? Is it the Gu Family that pulls a cart with nine dragons?!"

"Well… it seems so."

Old Ancestor Han Yuan, without a word, rushed out in his inner garments.

No wonder he acted so undignified.

The matter of Guilty Province has long spread throughout Sanqian Zhou.

In Sanqian Zhou, the name 'Gu Family' carries more weight among sect leaders than the term 'Immortal Realm' does.

Those big shots of the Immortal Realm Immortal Kings are far away and may not bother with you.

The Gu Family has indeed set up a stage in Sanqian Zhou—killing the Fire God Temple Master with a single finger, and wiping out the four residual immortals as they pleased.

Not to mention the old ancestor who could crush a nine-colored heavenly tribulation with a casual hand.

After Old Ancestor Han Yuan came out, seeing Gu Zhan's punch-worthy face, he froze for a moment.

"You are…"

"I'm Gu Zhan." Gu Zhan crossed his arms, surveying the icy plain outside the Ice Province Imperial Palace,

"This place is not bad, cool. Our young master said that Ice Province has submitted, and from now on Ice Province will be a second-tier vassal state of the Gu Family, annually handing over thirty percent of spirit ore production, the rest you may keep for yourself. As repayment—"

He took out a small vial from his storage ring and casually tossed it over.

Old Ancestor Han Yuan caught it and opened the stopper.

A drop of liquid swirling with golden patterns hovered silently at the bottom of the vial.

A trace of saintly divinity emanated from it; merely being near caused his long-dried meridians to begin faintly warming.

Old Ancestor Han Yuan's hand trembled.

"This is…"

"A down payment." Gu Zhan yawned, "Well done, there's more to come. Our young master said that for provinces helping set up the formation, after completion each province will receive another ten drops to aid in breaking through to the Saint level, that is, above the sect leader. As for Ice Province's earth vein map and law nodes—"

Old Ancestor Han Yuan almost dropped the vial, quickly steadied it, and tucked it away like a treasure, saying, "Senior, please wait a moment, this old man will go fetch it!"

He turned and trotted quickly into the Scripture Pavilion, hauling out Ice Province's earth vein map with such efficiency, three times faster than when he had married his dao partner.

Monster Province was much the same.

The sect leader was a nine-tailed celestial fox that had cultivated into human form, her desire to break through to the sect leader realm etched into her bones.

She didn't even bother with pretense, dropping straight to her knees.

……

……

Elsewhere.

Endless Void.

Somewhere beyond the Boundary Wall of Sanqian Zhou.

An ancient divine palace constructed from stellar fragments floated silently amidst the chaotic qi flow.

Within the palace, a towering existence sat with eyes closed in meditation.

His whole body was shrouded in a layer of deep blue light, his visage indistinct, only a pair of eyes occasionally opening and closing, emanating a profound, abyssal glow.

Zhenyuan Immortal King.

One of the Four Immortal Kings of the Immortal Realm stationed in Sanqian Zhou.

Unlike the overt garrison of the Hate Heaven Sword King, Zhenyuan Immortal King's duties are more covert; he appears to be the most inconspicuous of the Four Immortal Kings, but in fact reports directly to the Giant Immortal King.

He opened his eyes.

A thread of divine sense came from within the Boundary Wall, faint but the message was clear.

Zhenyuan Immortal King received the entirety of that divine sense.

Then he remained silent for a full thirty breaths.

"Interesting."

He rose to his feet, and in those abyssal-like eyes flickered a barely perceptible greed.

【48> He attempted to probe Cloud Province's situation with an Immortal King's divine sense, reaching through the Boundary Wall.

He tried to use the Immortal King's divine sense, through the Boundary Wall, to spy on the situation of Yun Province.

The divine sense extended outward.

At the moment his divine sense touched the Boundary Wall between Sanqian Zhou and Cloud Province—

It was bounced back.

Zhenyuan Immortal King's footsteps halted.

It bounced back?

He tried again.

This time he increased the force, using his own Immortal King's origin as a guide, forcibly piercing the Boundary Wall.

Pa—

The divine sense was bounced back again.

Moreover, this time the rebound force was greater than the force he had projected.

Zhenyuan Immortal King's pupils contracted sharply.

Something had sealed off a portion of the Boundary Wall of a part of the world of Sanqian Zhou.

It is not the world will of Sanqian Zhou itself that is rejecting him.

The world will does not possess this kind of power.

It is man-made.

Someone has spread a domain, wrapping Sanqian Zhou seamlessly. The strength of this domain……

Zhenyuan Immortal King's brows knotted into a dead knot.

"Immortal King domain."

He whispered these four words: "At least…… Jue Dian Immortal King."

Inside Sanqian Zhou, there hides a Jue Dian Immortal King?

How is that possible?

What about the Hentian Sword King? How could he allow a Jue Dian Immortal King to run rampant on his territory?

Zhenyuan Immortal King suddenly recalled something.

A few months prior, the four Immortal Kings met and questioned Li Hentian about the loss of the Lei and Huo provinces.

At that time, Li Hentian was evasive, only saying that a third party was involved.

Third party.

Jue Dian Immortal King.

The world's origin was anchored.

These pieces of information linked together, forming a shocking image in Zhenyuan Immortal King's mind.

That third party…… has returned!

He is stealing Sanqian Zhou!

No! There is another possibility!

This is Li Hentian stealing Sanqian Zhou, deliberately using a third party to conceal himself!

Zhenyuan Immortal King's first reaction was to immediately report to the Colossal Immortal King.

But immediately after, a second thought overrode the first.

If he could personally take down the opponent…… no, even if he merely obtained the opponent's details and then reported to the Colossal Immortal King…… no!

It should be those Supreme Immortal Kings!

If successful…… this merit would be enough to let his status in the immortal realm soar.

Moreover——an Immortal King domain capable of sealing the entire Boundary Wall of Sanqian Zhou is weak!

Its effect in blocking detection is excellent.

But to say it could block an Immortal King's true form or avatar descending……

It is far from enough.

Zhenyuan Immortal King made a decision.

He will not impulsively descend with his true form.

That would be too foolish.

But he can use an avatar.

An Immortal King's avatar does not drain much vitality from the true form.

To probe the opponent's depths, to ascertain their identity and weaknesses.

If he can defeat them, he can then use the avatar as an anchor to descend with his true form!

If he cannot prevail…… he can still retreat unscathed.

After returning…… he will go report to the Supreme Immortal Kings!

"Interesting, too interesting."

Zhenyuan Immortal King's mouth curled into an arc.

He formed a seal with one hand; a wisp of Immortal King origin separated from within him and condensed before him into a phantom identical to him.

The avatar opened its eyes.

In the same deep abyss pupils as his true form, a hint of predator's excitement appeared.

"Go."

Zhenyuan Immortal King gave orders to the avatar,

"Bypass the main Boundary Wall, break in through the weak point of the laws at Sanqian Zhou's North Pole. Find their core stronghold, ascertain the opponent's identity and purpose."

"If encountering a Jue Dian Immortal King interception, do not clash head-on; retreat immediately."

"If only encountering a True Immortal or below——"

Zhenyuan Immortal King's gaze turned cold.

"——kill without mercy, seize the loot and leave."

The avatar turned into a wisp of deep azure light, pierced the chaotic currents, and sped toward the North Pole of Sanqian Zhou.

……

……

Sanqian Zhou, outside the Boundary Wall.

Gu Cangsheng sat cross-legged in the void, his Chaos Undying Golden Body operating at the ninth level.

The gray-purple Immortal King domain was like an invisible giant net, enveloping Sanqian Zhou airtight.

From his position, he could not see the interior of Sanqian Zhou.

But Gu Yuan maintained real-time communication with him via the Tongxin Immortal Talisman.

"Grandfather, Uncle Xuan Ce said at most another three days are needed to complete the first-stage anchoring."

Gu Yuan's voice came through the Immortal Talisman.

"Mm, good."

Gu Cangsheng responded with a sound, and his hand holding a walnut suddenly stopped.

His cloudy old eyes narrowed slightly, and his gaze turned toward the North Pole.

There, a subtle fluctuation appeared in the domain net he had set up.

It was as if something was probing to burrow inside.

"Yuan'er."

"Mm?"

"Grandfather, over here, there may be guests coming."

Gu Cangsheng tucked the walnut into his pocket and slowly rose.

He paced two steps toward the North Pole, and his old farmer's frame looked especially tiny amidst the chaotic qi flow.

Yet the void beneath his feet silently collapsed with each step he took.

"An Immortal King's clone!"

Gu Cangsheng chuckled, revealing a mouthful of old teeth missing a corner.

"What audacity."