Chapter 180: Linglong: I Have Chen Zheng! The Taiyi Sect Will Know It Will Be Furious

Ancestor Horse Divine Sect's power is immense; within the sect, true Ancient Giants are as common as dogs, Myriad Ancient Giants roam the land, ruling over the boundless territories on the surface of the Ancestor Horse Great World, making it the overlord of one realm.

The Ancestor Horse Divine Sect is also extremely distant, separated from the Xuan Huang Xuan Xuan Huang Da Shijie Shijie Xuan Xuan Huang Da Shijie Shijie by the Infinite Great World, the Apocalypse Great World, and several other Great Thousand Worlds.

But for an existence like the Linglong Immortal Venerable, a true immortal–level being, the distance between Great Thousand Worlds is no obstacle; a thought can reach it.

This can be seen from the last time Chen Zheng encountered the Great Chaos Heaven inside the Cluster Stars Gate; the Linglong Immortal Venerable threw out a strand of hair that could directly be tossed back onto the Xuan Huang Xuan Xuan Huang Da Shijie Shijie Xuan Xuan Huang Da Shijie Shijie.

Therefore, as soon as Chen Zheng, Qiu Xiyu, and others stepped into the spacetime wormhole opened by the Linglong Immortal Venerable, without even feeling the process of traveling through spacetime, they had already arrived in the Ancestor Horse Great World.

Everyone stood on a huge square platform; at its center was a radiant large circle emitting a strong spacetime aura.

Chen Zheng and the people of the Linglong Blessed Land thus stood within that large circle on the platform.

"What a rich pure yang energy! The Ancestor Horse Divine Sect is certainly not comparable to any sect on the Xuan Huang Xuan Xuan Huang Da Shijie Shijie Xuan Xuan Huang Da Shijie Shijie."

Chen Zheng had just arrived on the platform, not yet having time to survey the surroundings, when he smelled the rich pure yang energy in the air.

Obviously, this pure yang energy is the handiwork of the Ancestor Horse Divine Sect's Supreme Elder–level powerhouses, allowing sect disciples to absorb it at any time; even if they do nothing all day, merely breathing in the pure yang energy constantly enhances their cultivation.

This clearly shows the Ancestor Horse Divine Sect's vast wealth and generosity.

Such treatment—being able to absorb pure yang energy at any time—is something Ascension Gate disciples could only dream of.

Not to mention pure yang energy, even the White Yang Pill is unaffordable for most Ascension Gate disciples.

However, this amount of energy, Chen Zheng could suck it dry in one breath; it wouldn't even be enough to stuff between his teeth.

He paid no attention, instead extending his divine sense to survey the unfamiliar surroundings.

All around the platform lay a vast plaza, packed with a sea of people, black and pressing, all humans, numbering at least three to five million.

Among the crowd, there was not a single martial artist; all were cultivators—Heavenly Human Realm true persons, Golden Core Realm Ancient Giants, Longevity Secret Realm Myriad Ancient Giants were everywhere.

Three to five million cultivators would simply scare countless people on the Xuan Huang Xuan Xuan Huang Da Shijie Shijie Xuan Xuan Huang Da Shijie Shijie out of their wits.

Even if all cultivators from the Ten Immortal Dao Gates and the Seven Demonic Path Meridians were added together, they still wouldn't reach that number.

Even above the crowd floated numerous lofty thrones, on which sat powerful beings whose aura surged like abyss and sea, rippling with space, or time, creation, heavenly decrees…; they were clearly Supreme Elder–level figures.

Supreme Elders of the Ancestor Horse Divine Sect!

At that moment, those Supreme Elders seated on the thrones, together with the countless cultivators below, all turned their gazes toward Chen Zheng and the Linglong Blessed Land crowd—eyes curious, surprised, contemptuous, or astonished—as they whispered among themselves.

"Finally here—are they the true transmission disciples of the Linglong Blessed Land? How can there be so few, with such low cultivation? Only a handful are Golden Core Realm or above—truly pathetic. Not even one of our Ancestor Horse Divine Sect's Thousand Peaks measures up. Even our sect's weakest mountain peak boasts over three hundred true transmission Myriad Ancient Giants; all peaks combined, Myriad Ancient Giants and above number at least four hundred fifty thousand!"

"Heh, you think the Xuan Huang Xuan Xuan Huang Da Shijie Shijie Xuan Xuan Huang Da Shijie Shijie is still in its heyday of the Ancient Three Sovereigns era, with countless mighty ones and masters gathering, able to rival the Immortal Realm? They were long ago crippled by the Divine Clan, declined to inhuman shape. Now, if not for the Supreme Imperial Heaven and the Linglong Immortal Venerable this master–disciple pair holding up the facade, the Xuan Huang Xuan Xuan Huang Da Shijie Shijie Xuan Xuan Huang Da Shijie Shijie would already rank at the bottom of the Three Thousand Great Worlds; how could it compare to our Ancestor Horse Great World, whose mighty strength places it at 478th, outweighing countless Great Thousand Worlds like grains of sand in the Ganges?"

"The Xuan Huang Xuan Xuan Huang Da Shijie Shijie Xuan Xuan Huang Da Shijie Shijie has indeed declined—look at those over ten female disciples of the Linglong Blessed Land, merely at the first layer of Divine Ability Mana Realm; such low cultivation, in our Ancestor Horse Divine Sect, would only qualify as the lowliest outer disciple, yet in the Linglong Blessed Land they are exalted true transmission disciples—isn't that strange?"

"Tsk tsk, what exalted being is the Linglong Immortal Venerable? She is a true immortal equal to our sect leader; yet her disciples are so pitiful. I think the wager between our sect leader and the Linglong Immortal Venerable need not be contested—she has no chance of winning, destined to lose the Great Catastrophe Technique to our leader. Moreover, when we exchange blows with the Linglong Blessed Land disciples, even casually sending out a senior brother or sister of the eighth or ninth layer of Divine Ability can surpass realms and sweep them all away—pure bullying of juniors."

"Huh? Hey, look—there are two males among those female disciples? Isn't the Linglong Blessed Land supposed to accept only female disciples? Perhaps they feared losing face, so they hastily dragged in two males to make up the numbers, just for show…"

From all sides of the platform came those piercing discussion voices, making Piao Yun, Cang Hai, Qiu Xiyu, and the other Linglong Blessed Land folks feel their faces burning with shame, unable to bear it.

At this moment, they felt like a bunch of beggars stripped naked, standing bare on the platform, able only to let the Ancestor Horse Divine Sect's emperors below mock them at will.

They were too disappointing.

Also too embarrassing.

Not only did they lose face for the Linglong Immortal Venerable, but also for the entire Xuan Huang Xuan Xuan Huang Da Shijie Shijie Xuan Xuan Huang Da Shijie Shijie.

Recalling the ancient years, the Xuan Huang Xuan Xuan Huang Da Shijie Shijie Xuan Xuan Huang Da Shijie Shijie was extraordinarily glorious, the center of the Three Thousand Great Worlds, its strength standing first among all worlds by a great gap, causing all beings to yearn for it.

Furthermore, it let the native beings of the Mysterious Yellow World take pride in this, enabling them to hold their heads high wherever they went and be greatly respected.

But now, the Xuan Huang Xuan Xuan Huang Da Shijie Shijie Xuan Xuan Huang Da Shijie Shijie has completely fallen to the bottom; even an Ancestor Horse Great World ranked 478th among all worlds is far beyond it, leaving it only to be despised by everyone.

How could this allow Qiu Xiyu and the others to lift their heads, how could they not feel guilty?

Yet the women were simply unable to refute.

They could only endure it silently.

Even Huang Meng and Xuan Sha lowered their heads, wishing they could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

Although they came from outside territory, strictly speaking, the many star fields and nebulae outside the Mysterious Yellow, as well as the boundless alternate spaces, all belong to the same universe as the Mysterious Yellow.

They too are essentially people of the Xuan Huang Xuan Xuan Huang Da Shijie Shijie Xuan Xuan Huang Da Shijie Shijie, sharing honor and disgrace; facing the white eyes of the Ancestor Horse Divine Sect's people, they naturally feel shame as well.

Chen Zheng, however, remained calm, as if he hadn't heard the discussion voices of the Ancestor Horse Divine Sect's people.

He had long guessed that this would be the situation.

The Eternal World is not a place for reasoning; weakness is original sin.

The weak being harshly humiliated and mocked by the strong, forced to kneel like dogs under oppression—these are utterly normal occurrences.

Moreover, how arrogant the Ancestor Horse Divine Sect's people are now, they will soon be just as miserable.

He will later give everyone an unforgettable memory for a lifetime.

"The people of the Linglong Blessed Land are honored guests of my Ancestor Horse Divine Sect; your noisy clamor—what propriety is this?"

Suddenly, a majestic voice echoed between heaven and earth, shaking everyone's souls; countless Ancestor Horse Divine Sect members couldn't help but tremble all over, instantly closing their mouths, bowing their heads, bending their waists, in perfect unison.

Even those Supreme Elders on the thrones dared not be negligent; they all rose to their feet, respectful demeanor, as if welcoming some earth-shattering great figure.

Swish!

Under the gaze of myriad eyes, all the clouds and mist on the firmament seemed to be swept aside by an invisible hand, revealing the azure sky.

Above the azure sky, a towering figure materialized out of thin air—a man of indeterminate age, tall and straight.

The man wore a black-gold robe, a bronze crown upon his head, long slender eyebrows, deep eyes that embraced all rivers—seeming able to encompass the entire heavens and universe within his gaze.

This man is the ruler of the Ancestor Horse Great World, the Ancestor Horse Sect Leader who controls the fate of hundreds of millions of billions of living beings.

A true immortal, a genuine immortal!

What is a true immortal?

A true immortal is one who cultivates to the end of the Longevity Secret Realm, the tenth layer, a supreme existence nearly invincible among mortals, infinitely approaching 'Heaven'!

Heaven, in the minds of all cultivators of the myriad worlds, is not the cosmic starry sky, nor the sky above one's head, but the Immortal Realm.

The Immortal Realm is Heaven.

The Zu Ma Sect Leader is only one step away from breaking all shackles, entering a higher immortal secret realm, attaining the position of a heavenly immortal, and ascending to the immortal realm; thus he is infinitely close to heaven.

Such a true immortal‑level existence can cause hundreds or thousands of star systems to vanish in a snap of the fingers.

If he goes all out, no one knows how terrifying he truly is; the universe might not withstand it and could explode.

"It's just a trifle, Fellow Daoist Zu Ma, no need to worry."

The Zu Ma Sect Leader had just appeared when a light, airy female voice drifted forth, echoing through the world.

Chen Zheng recognized this voice instantly; turning his head, he saw a beautiful youth dressed as a man stepping out of the void, his features flawless, as if heaven's perfect masterpiece, his bearing like that of a banished immortal—transcendent and unworldly, utterly unlike any mortal being—none other than the exquisite immortal who had yesterday tied a blue silk around his finger.

"Greetings to the Sect Leader! Greetings to the Linglong Immortal!"

As the Zu Ma Sect Leader and the Linglong Immortal appeared, countless followers of the Zu Ma Sect below bowed in unison, shouting loudly, like subjects greeting an emperor, crying 'Long live!'—their voices shaking the nine heavens.

"No need for formalities."

The Zu Ma Sect Leader waved his hand, and a lofty throne appeared beneath him, upon which he seated himself.

The Linglong Immortal glanced at Chen Zheng on the platform, gave him a slight smile, and a throne also appeared beneath her, on which she seated herself.

"Fellow Daoist Linglong, forgive my frankness: in this wager between us, letting our disciples spar, with the Great Cataclysm Art and the Zu Ma Myriad Gods Grand Immortal Art as the stakes, I fear you will lose." The Zu Ma Sect Leader chuckled.

He had merely glanced and seen through the cultivation of everyone in the Linglong Blessed Land on the platform; only Huang Meng, Xuan Sha, and Cang Hai had reached the Tenth Layer of Divine Ability—the Heaven‑Defying, Fate‑Changing Realm—and their reserves were not particularly vast, far inferior to many heavenly prodigies of his Zu Ma Sect, so he deemed the bet a sure win.

As for Chen Zheng, he was merely at the Eighth Layer of Divine Ability—the Wind‑Fire Cataclysm Realm—and he paid it no heed.

"Is that so? Perhaps I might not lose either." The Linglong Immortal said calmly.

"Haha, Fellow Daoist Linglong is joking." The Zu Ma Sect Leader laughed heartily, not taking her words to heart, then continued: "Your sect has only two hundred twenty‑eight true‑transmitted disciples, whereas my Zu Ma Sect boasts hundreds of thousands; if we let them fight directly on the platform, it would be unfair."

Having said that, he shifted tone: "Recently, the demons on the thirty‑second layer of the subterranean world in my Zu Ma Great World have grown restless, gathering an army of hundreds of thousands of demons that wish to burst forth from underground, seize our sect's territory, and burn, kill, and plunder on the surface. Why not do this: I will not let Fellow Daoist Linglong suffer a loss either, and will dispatch the same number of disciples as your Linglong Blessed Land—two hundred twenty‑eight—so that our disciples may together venture into the thirty‑second layer of the subterranean world, attack that demon army, and see which side slays more demons to win; what do you think, Fellow Daoist?"

"Very well, I will follow your lead, Fellow Daoist."

The Linglong Immortal paid no heed to this trifle, casually agreeing, as if she were certain of victory.

"Very well, then I will issue the orders."

The Zu Ma Sect Leader nodded, his lips moving slightly as if transmitting a divine thought to someone.

Below.

A white‑haired Supreme Elder stirred slightly, swiftly flying from the throne to the platform, announcing the Zu Ma Sect Leader's recent decision to the many disciples around, urging them to sign up.

Instantly the crowd surged; true‑transmitted disciples, male and female, flew onto the platform, and in less than a breath they had gathered two hundred twenty‑eight, each bearing an arrogant demeanor, completely disregarding Chen Zheng and the others on the opposite side.

Facing Chen Zheng and company, they indeed had grounds for arrogance, for each was a mighty cultivator who had reached the Tenth Layer of Divine Ability—the Heaven‑Defying, Fate‑Changing Realm—not ordinary tenth‑layer cultivators but renowned geniuses, having mastered either thirty‑forty or fifty‑sixty divine abilities, far surpassing the likes of Wan Lianshan and Yujizi on the Longevity Candidates list.

Especially the two similar‑looking male and female, their spirits soaring, their gazes looking down on Chen Zheng and the Linglong Blessed Land crowd, every gesture exuding an air of looking down on the world, eliciting many exclamations from the Zu Ma Sect disciples.

They are named Jiang Ming and Jiang Yue, a brother‑sister pair whose strength is terrifyingly extreme; the elder has cultivated ninety‑nine divine abilities, the younger eighty‑five, their power is staggering—like Simachong, they can slay myriad‑age titans in the flip of a hand.

These two are clearly the Zu Ma Sect's strongest heaven‑chosen prodigies, true bearers of great fortune.

"Very well, come over; I will explain the rules for this expedition to the thirty‑second layer of the subterranean world to slay demons."

The presiding Supreme Elder waved his hand at the Zu Ma Sect disciples on the platform and at Chen Zheng and company.

Seeing everyone come to left and right as instructed, he swept his sleeve, and a stack of tokens flew out, landing in each person's hand, saying: "This contest measures which side slays more demons. This token will record the points you earn for killing demons: slaying a first‑layer Divine Ability demon grants one point, a second‑layer demon two points, and so on; finally we will total the points."

"Remember, if you encounter a demon you cannot overcome, crush this token I gave you; it will transport you back, preserving your life."

"All of you, go in."

Having spoken, the presiding elder pointed forward, and a spatiotemporal portal appeared before everyone.

(End of chapter)