Chapter 1543: War Begins

When Jiang Li Tianwang's words fell, the pupils of everyone in the great hall contracted sharply, and even the other four Li Tianwang present could not help but turn much more solemn.

When facing that legendary sect master of the Faceless Holy Sect who had once invaded the Dark World and slain numerous Great Demon Kings, even they, these Li Tianwang existences, held profound respect for him.

In the Dark World's former heyday, the so-called Great Ghost Domains numbered as many as one hundred and eighty-three, meaning that at the Great Demon King level, the Dark World possessed one hundred and eighty-three of them—not the seventy-two Great Domains of today.

And when that legendary sect master of the Faceless Holy Sect led the strong ones of the ten Outer Shenzhou into the Dark World, that battle shattered over a hundred Great Domains, and countless Great Demon King existences perished at the hands of that sect master. This is why, even after so many years of recovery, the Dark World has still not returned to its prime.

Back then, the ten Outer Shenzhou were even excited, thinking that if things continued this way, the balance between the two sides would be completely reversed.

But no one expected the upheaval to come so swiftly and violently.

As the undisputed dominant force of the ten Outer Shenzhou, the Faceless Holy Sect was suddenly destroyed, and the many Li Tianwang existences within the sect vanished overnight, including that legendary sect master.

The Faceless Holy Sect's headquarters was banished into the depths of layer upon layer of void, impossible to trace.

And the sudden destruction of the Faceless Holy Sect was, for the ten Outer Shenzhou at the time, undoubtedly like the heavens collapsing and the earth splitting apart; those surviving Li Tianwang-level powerhouses were terrified to the bone, utterly desperate.

Having lost the Faceless Holy Sect, the ten Outer Shenzhou suffered losses in an instant that even exceeded those of the Dark World.

But fortunately, the Dark World was also greatly weakened at the time, hiding in the shadows licking its wounds, which allowed the ten Outer Shenzhou to survive that most chaotic and panicked era. Yet after that, the ten Outer Shenzhou could only hold fast behind the boundary wall, never daring to set half a step into the Dark World again.

Even to this day, a considerable disparity in strength still remains between the two sides.

All of this traces back to that legendary sect master.

Therefore, when Jiang Li Tianwang now put forth speculation about whether more of that legendary sect master's phases still existed, it brought an immense shock to nearly everyone.

If this matter proved true, it would cause violent upheaval throughout the ten Outer Shenzhou.

Every Li Tianwang existence would be moved by it.

Bright King Qi Huang's face turned solemn as he asked, "Dare I ask Jiang Li Tianwang, how many phases did that legendary sect master of the Faceless Holy Sect actually possess? And what were they?"

The other King Realm powerhouses in the Holy Hall also looked curiously toward Jiang Li Tianwang.

Under their gazes, a smile surfaced on Jiang Li Tianwang's face as he said, "Your question is probably the most mysterious one in the ten Outer Shenzhou since the Faceless Holy Sect's destruction."

"Even Jiang Li Tianwang doesn't know?" Wang Xuanjin said in surprise.

Jiang Li Tianwang was the Divine Fruit Li Tianwang, the current leader of their Academy Alliance, and also the pillar of the Li Tianwang Alliance of the ten Outer Shenzhou. His mighty power could pierce through past and present, glimpsing traces from the river of time—and yet even he did not know how many phases that legendary sect master possessed, nor what those phases were?

Jiang Li Tianwang shook his head, his expression turning slightly heavy as he said, "The span of years during which the Faceless Holy Sect was destroyed cannot be glimpsed by anyone. I once tried as well, but all I saw was fog, impossible to penetrate."

"And after the Faceless Holy Sect's destruction, any information about that legendary sect master vanished without a trace, as if this sect master had never existed in the world at all."

In the Holy Hall, the King Realm powerhouses felt as if a nameless chill was flowing over their bodies, stirring a trace of terror within their hearts.

At their level, they already counted as the pinnacle of the ten Outer Shenzhou, yet even so, they felt as though they were being toyed with by an invisible and terrifying great hand.

"After that sect master killed his way into the deepest part of the Dark World in the ancient era, what exactly happened? Why did the Faceless Holy Sect suddenly collapse afterward? The Li Tianwang-level powerhouses within the sect at the time were so numerous—how could they have perished along with it?" Bright King Qi Huang said in a low voice.

Jiang Li Tianwang slowly shook his head and said, "The answer to that, I'm afraid, must be sought within the ruins of the Faceless Holy Sect's headquarters hidden in layer upon layer of void."

"Then how does the Unity Society know the information about the Divine Fruit Crystal Phase?" Wang Xuanjin asked a critically important question.

Ji Li Tianwang, languid and charming in her bearing, stretched lazily, her curves fully revealed, and said in a lazy drawl, "The Unity Society has existed longer than even our Academy Alliance. It's not all that strange that they would have some ancient secrets we don't know."

"If we do clash with the Unity Society this time, we can try to see if we can uncover any useful intelligence."

Her voice paused, then she suddenly looked at Wang Xuanjin with great interest and said, "I heard that in this Sky Mirror Tower trial, a Primordial Seed and a Ten Thousand Phases Seed appeared?"

Wang Xuanjin nodded. With a sweep of his sleeves, light and shadow wove before him, forming two figures—one male, one female—who were precisely Li Luo and Jiang Jiang Qinge.

"The Primordial Seed is called Jiang Jiang Qinge, and the Ten Thousand Phases Seed is called Li Luo. They are a pair of like-minded young husband and wife with deep feelings for each other," Wang Xuanjin said with a smile.

"Oh my, what exceptionally handsome little fellows." Ji Li Tianwang's dewy peach blossom eyes lit up as she looked the two figures up and down.

"Still a congenital Primordial Seed, a touch superior to my acquired Primordial Seed," Jiang Li Tianwang said with a smile as he also regarded the two young figures.

That's right—Jiang Li Tianwang had once obtained the Green Wood Holy Seed, and ultimately pushed this Holy Seed to its utmost limit, evolving it into an acquired Primordial Seed.

"Jiang Li Tianwang is too modest. Even a congenital Primordial Seed, without sufficient opportunity, may not necessarily reach your level," a King Realm powerhouse in the great hall said deferentially.

This drew agreement—after all, Jiang Li Tianwang was the Divine Fruit Li Tianwang, truly the most pinnacle level under heaven. Throughout the ages, although Primordial Seeds were rare, not every one that appeared could ultimately advance to Li Tianwang, let alone Divine Fruit Li Tianwang.

"This Li Luo's Ten Thousand Phases Seed also holds great potential. I see he is only at the Marquis Realm now, yet he has already revealed four phase palaces, and his phases are all divided into primary and auxiliary phases. By that count, doesn't that mean he carries eight phases at the Marquis Realm?"

"If in the future he enters the King Realm and then the Li Tianwang Realm, and gains two more phase palaces, that would ultimately be six phase palaces, with a total of twelve phases? Tsk, tsk—even within the Faceless Holy Sect of old, this would have been an extremely rare occurrence." The speaker was Baili Li Tianwang, whose voice was the most distinctive, brimming with a sense of divine resonance. Merely hearing him speak brought peace to one's heart, along with a feeling of sudden enlightenment, capable of enhancing one's own cultivation speed.

Wang Xuanjin said, "Both of them are currently in closed-door cultivation within the Sky Mirror Tower, at a critical juncture. I wonder if we can divert the Sky Mirror Tower's energy to give them a boost."

Other King Realm powerhouses in the Holy Hall spoke up: "Diverting the Sky Mirror Tower's energy will affect the timing of its next opening, which may not be quite appropriate. Besides, this Li Luo has no deep ties to the Academy Alliance—he himself is from Li Li Tianwang's lineage, and in the future he likely won't remain with our Academy Alliance."

The high-ranking members of the Academy Alliance in the great hall began to argue over this point.

In the end, Jiang Li Tianwang waved his hand, his voice gentle yet full of power as he said, "The founding purpose of the Academy Alliance is to resist the Dark World. Therefore, regardless of whether they are members of the Academy Alliance, as long as they can contribute to this goal, our Academy Alliance should lend them aid."

"They are both very promising youngsters. If they can grow in the future, they will raise the strength of our ten Outer Shenzhou to a new level, and when the time comes to resist the Dark World's invasion, we will have that much more certainty."

"Xuanjin, do as you suggested—mobilize the Sky Mirror Tower's energy and give them as much support and assistance as possible. As for the Sky Mirror Tower's next opening, let it be delayed by five years."

Once Jiang Li Tianwang spoke, the many high-ranking members of the Academy Alliance ceased their debate and responded in agreement one after another.

Wang Xuanjin also nodded in acceptance. Jiang Li Tianwang's bearing as a leader was indeed compelling, and with this assistance, Li Luo and Jiang Jiang Qinge would surely achieve extraordinarily remarkable progress in this closed-door cultivation.

"Everyone, go make your own preparations."

"After all these years, it's time our Academy Alliance stretched its limbs a bit, and made this Unity Society rein itself in properly."

Jiang Li Tianwang's calm yet dignified voice echoed through the great hall, yet faintly carried with it the sound of clashing arms and iron-blooded warfare.

For this signified that, from this moment on, the two great powers of the present age would go to war.