「Early morning. The summit of the Divine Fist Sect’s main peak.」
As was his custom, Wu Tianhai, the Sect Leader of the Divine Fist Sect, was practicing his fist techniques.
With every move he made, powerful gusts from his fists swept across the summit, stirring the white clouds above and causing them to change shape.
Finally, Wu Tianhai thrust out a punch.
"BOOM!"
A massive explosion reverberated through the mountains.
The summit of the mountain two hundred zhang before him abruptly shattered, rubble tumbling down its slopes.
"Hah..."
Wu Tianhai relaxed his stance, slowly straightening up.
CLAP. CLAP. CLAP.
Applause rang out from behind Wu Tianhai, accompanied by a man’s voice full of praise. "I never would have thought, Brother Wu, that your mastery of the fist dao has beco so subli. To think you could obliterate a mountaintop with just a casual punch."
Wu Tianhai turned to face his good friend and smiled. "That’s nothing special. Any Martial Cultivator in the Nascent Soul Realm could do the sa. But I have to wonder, Brother Chen, what brings you to see ?"
Chen Xincheng, Sect Leader of the Red Lotus Sect, chuckled. "Can’t I just co to have a chat and so tea with you, Brother Wu?"
"Hahaha, co off it. You never show up without a reason, let alone flattering like this today. So, out with it. Why are you really here?" Wu Tianhai bood with laughter.
"Alright, I suppose there’s no hiding anything from you." Chen Xincheng shook his head. "In that case, I won’t beat around the bush. I’ve co to propose we undertake a great venture together, Brother Wu."
"A great venture?"
Chen Xincheng’s eyes burned with fervor as he looked at Wu Tianhai. "Brother Wu, would you like to reach the Ascension Realm?"
"Oh?" Wu Tianhai narrowed his eyes. "Go on."
’What a pointless question,’ Wu Tianhai thought. ’As a Cultivator, who wouldn’t want to reach the Ascension Realm?’
’Once you enter the Ascension Realm, you beco the strongest in the entire world. As long as you don’t wish to die, no one can kill you!’
’But when soone casually asks if you want to reach the Ascension Realm, they either want to harm you, or they’ve found a great opportunity and want you to seize it with them.’
’My friendship with Brother Chen runs deep; we even faced life and death together in our youth. It’s highly unlikely he would want to harm .’
"Brother Wu, you are already at the peak of the Immortal Realm, just a single step away from the Ascension Realm. The North Sea has eight Flood Dragons. Moreover, the Lord of the North Sea, Bai Ruxue, is not only in the Mid-stage Immortal Realm; rumor has it she has obtained True Dragon Essence Blood, and her bloodline has nearly reverted to its ancestral origin.
If you refine your body with the Essence Blood of these nine Flood Dragons and supplent it with a Dragon Heart, your Realm will surely ascend to the next level, Brother Wu!
The Ascension Realm will be within your grasp!"
The more Chen Xincheng spoke, the more fervent his eyes beca.
But as Wu Tianhai listened, his brow furrowed, and he sighed.
"So that’s what this is about.
I’m well aware of what you’re suggesting, Brother Chen. But the North Sea is about to sign a treaty with our World of Ten Thousand Laws. The Confucian Academy itself is spearheading the effort.
Once that treaty is signed, the North Sea will remain neutral, helping neither side.
With that official status, what pretext would we have to attack the North Sea?
To say nothing of the fact that the Lord of the North Sea and those eight Dragon Kings are no pushovers. Surely you don’t think we can kill them just as we please, Brother Chen?"
’So that was it.’ Wu Tianhai had wondered what the matter was, only to find his friend had designs on the North Sea.
’It’s not as if I haven’t considered it before.’
’If I could obtain the Essence Blood and Dragon Hearts from Bai Ruxue and the other Flood Dragons, I could definitely break through my bottleneck.’
’But how is that even possible?’
’Given the might of the North Sea, even if my Divine Fist Sect and the Red Lotus Sect joined forces, we would be no match for them.’
"Heh heh heh..."
Chen Xincheng chuckled.
"If it were just our two Sects, I naturally wouldn’t be entertaining ideas about the North Sea. But, Brother Wu, what if a dozen or so Immortal Realm Sect Leaders went to the North Sea, bringing their Elders with them?"
"..." Wu Tianhai’s brow furrowed. "Brother Chen... you an..."
"Exactly what it sounds like.
Even if the Confucian Academy has decided to represent the World of Ten Thousand Laws and sign a treaty with the North Sea, so what?
Many within the Confucian Academy itself have conflicting views on the North Sea, to say nothing of the nurous Sects in the World of Ten Thousand Laws that have been eyeing the Dragon Race with greed."
"Are you saying, Brother Chen, that the treaty between the World of Ten Thousand Laws and the North Sea isn’t going to be signed?" Wu Tianhai rubbed his fingers together, a gleam of eager delight in his eyes.
Chen Xincheng didn’t answer directly, instead saying with a smile, "During the first Great Human-Demon War, the Dragon Race sided with the Demon Race’s World. After the World of Ten Thousand Laws achieved a great victory, the Human Race Ancestors sealed away the Dragon Race’s Qi Fortune.
Ever since, whenever a Python has tried to travel the rivers to face its tribulation, our Human Race Cultivators have intercepted and killed it. Over ti, the enmity between the Dragon Race and our Human Race has grown incredibly deep.
Today, the Dragon Race has not a single True Dragon; only the Immortal Realm Bai Ruxue holds the fort.
But in truth, Bai Ruxue could beco a wild card, one capable of leading the Dragon Race back to the glory it knew ten thousand years ago.
If Bai Ruxue truly reaches the Ascension Realm, the shackles on the Dragon Race’s Qi Fortune will be shattered. Once the Dragon Race grows powerful again, who can guarantee they won’t co to settle old scores?"
And the Dragon Race is known for holding grudges."
Wu Tianhai smiled. "From the sound of it, it seems quite a few people in the Confucian Academy want to make a move on Bai Ruxue."
"Exactly."
Chen Xincheng dropped all pretense and spoke plainly.
"Before the Dragon Race becos a true power, if the World of Ten Thousand Laws eradicates the North Sea Dragon Race, the three or four Flood Dragons in the other three seas will be of no concern.
Once it’s done, setting aside the countless treasures within the North Sea...
...the dragons themselves are treasures. Their bodies alone can help you beco an Ascension Realm Cultivator, Brother Wu, greatly bolstering the strength of our Human Race.
The Human-Demon War has begun anew, and the Confucian Academy has already sent envoys to sign a treaty with the North Sea. But that treaty is dood to fail.
The North Sea wishes to remain neutral, but they’ve overlooked one crucial point.
To maintain neutrality, one must possess sufficient strength.
Relying on a single Immortal is not nearly enough.
If we exterminate them this ti, it will be at least ten thousand years before the Dragon Race can produce another Bai Ruxue."
Listening to Chen Xincheng, Wu Tianhai shook his head. "I imagine those old geezers at the Confucian Academy ca up with all this, didn’t they? They drone on and on about benevolence and righteousness, but when it’s ti to act, their thods are filthier and more ruthless than anyone’s."
"You shouldn’t put it that way." Chen Xincheng stepped forward. "Those venerable masters at the Confucian Academy are simply thinking of what’s best for our Human Race."
"So, what do you say?" Chen Xincheng asked invitingly. "Will you join on a trip to the North Sea, Brother Wu?"
"Then let’s go!"
Wu Tianhai didn’t hesitate for a mont.
"Let the first battle of this new Human-Demon War begin with the slaughter of dragons!"
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