Chapter 1031

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Protagonist:

Xu Zhangqing

Qiong did not answer directly, merely smiling faintly.

Immediately afterward, a faint, barely perceptible pressure emanated from the depths of the void — not Qiong's, nor that of anyone opposite.

Though that pressure was distant, it sufficed to let every foreign race present feel it.

"As expected, it is him."

The thin-winged woman spoke in a low voice, her tone carrying obvious wariness.

The voice in the mist fell silent for a long while before resounding again, its tone restrained considerably yet still bearing a trace of unwillingness: "Were it not for the Tianyuan Realm, how would we have been reduced to today's plight?

The Hundred Dragons Patrol originally had nothing to do with us, yet it was stubbornly drawn over by the Tianyuan Realm.

Now the Star Core is shattered, the Star Realm collapsing, some people……"

The voice in the mist paused; the tentacles' dancing grew even more frantic, as if touching upon an untouchable topic: "Some people became Wanderers, unable to return even to their own Star Realm.

This debt — is it to be written off just like that?"

Hearing this, Qiong's smile faded a few degrees.

He naturally knew the old affair of the Hundred Dragons Patrol; it was a calamity that swept across several Star Domains, forcing countless powerhouses into its vortex.

Some perished, some vanished.

Many paid a tragic price for it.

However, Qiong ultimately could not abandon the Tianyuan Realm's interests, and said in a deep voice: "I said it — to enter the Tianyuan Domain, you must first ask the Nine Extremes Heavenly King.

If the various seniors are confident they can slip past right under that one's nose, by all means try."

The void fell silent once more.

Those several figures exchanged a meaningful glance with one another.

Finally, the pitch-black mist withdrew first; those tiny tentacles retracted into the mist one by one, their surging speed gradually slowing.

The remaining Outer Realm foreign races did likewise.

"Fine. We wait."

The voice in the mist grew a few degrees colder, yet ultimately did not force its way in: "I would like to see whether the Tianyuan Realm's leftover scraps are enough for your Three-Eyed Clan to eat their fill."

Qiong did not reply, merely standing with hands clasped behind his back in the void, watching those figures depart.

Only after everyone had vanished into the depths of the Star Sea did the vertical pupil at his brow close, transforming once more into a fine golden slit.

……

……

Not long after, Qiong returned to the Tianyuan Realm, yet sensed something amiss.

His third eye opened; his gaze spread downward from the cloud tops, sweeping across the Eastern Domain's lands.

Then, his whole person froze.

The Qingmu Sect's Mountain Gate now had thoroughly changed appearance.

That towering Green Wood still stood erect, luxuriant in branches and leaves, spiritual light flowing.

But all around, six towering Immortal Peaks floated in mid-air, arrayed in a ring-embrace posture guarding the Green Wood at the center.

Tiexue Peak's sharp edge split the cloud layers.

Shuixian Peak's illusion array flickered in and out of visibility.

Chi Huo Peak's fire curtain resembled an inverted lava waterfall.

Jin Gang Peak's mountain body refracted ten thousand rays of cold light.

Hou Tu Peak's brown Earth Qi permeated like mist and fog.

Xuanming Peak's dark green nether patterns resembled ghostly eyes of the dead.

Six Immortal Peaks, each exuding an aura no weaker than the Spirit Transformation stage, intertwined into a vast atmospheric net pressing down over a radius of a thousand li.

Just how long has it been since I left?

How did the Qingmu Sect become like this?

Qiong suppressed the shock in his heart, his figure flashing, transforming into a golden streamer that descended into the Qingmu Sect. Upon seeing Xu Zhangqing, he asked: "How is the cultivation of that batch of spiritual plants coming along?"

Xu Zhangqing was in the hall reviewing border battle reports; hearing this, he set down the jade slip in hand. He spoke no polite words, raising his hand to retrieve a batch of Three-Eyed Spirit Marrow from his storage item.

Each was roughly a foot long, its roots still wrapped in a layer of moist spiritual soil, stems a semi-transparent pale blue, surfaces engraved with three spiral spirit patterns, the lines clear as if newly carved, faint spiritual light flowing along the patterns.

At the center of each spiritual plant a point of crystalline white light, like the prototype of the Three-Eyed Clan's vertical eye, gazed quietly at the void; with every pulse it emitted rich divine soul fluctuations, faintly linking with the surrounding space.

The spiritual plants' bodies were wreathed in pure Wood Dao Rhythm and Creation Power, untainted by a trace of mundanity.

Only then did Xu Zhangqing speak: "The first batch of cultivated spiritual plants have long since matured, sufficient for your short-term use.

Subsequent batches are still being cultivated; next season's yield will at least double."

Qiong reached out to touch the three spiral spirit patterns on the spiritual plants' surfaces; the vertical pupil at his brow brightened slightly, as if sensing the divine soul power contained within the spiritual plants.

A moment later, he exhaled in relief.

Immediately he stowed all the spiritual plants away; when he looked up again, his expression had returned to its habitual composure.

Seeing the other party not leave, Xu Zhangqing asked: "Clan Leader Qiong, is there anything else?"

Qiong pondered back and forth, ultimately choosing to lay everything out: "Sect Master Xu, there are some matters I must make clear to you, but before that — do you know the Floating World Four Domains?"

Xu Zhangqing nodded: "I know a little."

Qiong gave a slight nod and continued: "That makes things easier. Just a short while ago, a batch of Outer Realm foreign races approached the Tianyuan Domain and confronted me at the Star Domain's edge."

"I invoked the Nine Extremes Heavenly King's name, temporarily suppressing those fellows back."

He paused, his tone growing more solemn: "Once or twice I can still block them, but with too many times, there will always come a moment I cannot endure."

The old matter of the Hundred Dragons Patrol, you know clearer than anyone."

After that great calamity, many Star Realms collapsed, some Foreign Races even became Wanderers, without even a place to set foot."

Their resentment toward the Tianyuan Domain is not something a few words can dispel."

Xu Zhangqing raised his head, gaze calmly watching Qiong: "Matters outside are indeed troublesome."

But during this period after you left, matters in the Central Region are actually even more troublesome."

He activated the Jade Slip, Spiritual Light projecting scene after scene."

The Boundary Monument at the Eastern Region Border was corroded by Demon Qi until it was riddled with holes."

The casualty list of Patrol Cultivators is now even more dense."

Several forward Outposts were uprooted by demons, the Survivors who escaped back were all injured."

And now, demons crossing the border are becoming more and more numerous, the frequency of harassment is also becoming higher and higher."

Before it was still small groups of three or five minor demons, now medium-sized teams led by Demon Kings personally have appeared; these Demon Kings no longer raid and leave like before, but have begun building Nests on the border, as if preparing for a Great War."

Qiong watched with his own eyes, immediately furrowing his brows."

Xu Zhangqing's voice was not loud, yet every word was clear: "Demons are growing fiercer, harassment frequency higher and higher."

Without surprise, a vicious battle will come soon."

This is also why I am so urgently recalling the Six Major Immortal Peaks to the Eastern Region."

Qiong heard this and suddenly understood."

So those suspended Immortal Peaks he saw earlier were not mere decorations."

But Xu Zhangqing's final struggle before the Great War arrives."

However, is relying on just these enough?"

"The Nine Extremes Heavenly King is approaching the Tianyuan Domain."

Qiong revealed a hint of information, his tone carrying a thread of certainty: "Therefore it will not be long before he arrives at the Tianyuan Realm."

He originally thought this sentence would give Xu Zhangqing some confidence."

The Nine Extremes Heavenly King, Patrol Envoy of the Floating World Four Domains, a top expert acting on behalf of Heavenly Rules."

With this person holding the fort, how much of a wave can Demon God Kong Fang stir up?"

However, Xu Zhangqing's reaction was unexpectedly surprising!"