CHAPTER 505: CHAPTER 252 DIFFICULT TO SAY (REQUEST FOR MONTHLY TICKET)

「July 1st!」

The news that Shen Changqing had invited Shimohe to a battle at Saint Buddha Mountain had fully spread in just a few days. The news spread not just through South Nether Prefecture; even in other prefectures, those who were well-informed learned of this matter. Instantly, the Jianghu was shaken. Many people headed towards South Sea City at the earliest opportunity, solely to witness the upcoming battle.

Currently, the news that Shimohe had truly broken through to the Domain Realm had not yet completely spread. In the eyes of others, the battle at Saint Buddha Mountain was a duel between two Great Grandmasters of the current age. If they could witness it firsthand, they might gain some enlightenment that could lay the foundation for their own breakthroughs in the future. It was precisely for this reason that these people flocked there with such eagerness.

"Shen Changqing is challenging Shimohe. I’ve heard that unusual signs emerged from the Myriad Buddhas Sect a while ago; it’s possible Shimohe has made another breakthrough. Isn’t Shen Changqing taking too great a risk by challenging him now?"

Inside the Imperial Palace, Gu Xuanji looked at the report and spoke indifferently.

Sitting opposite him was Dongfang Zhao. Recently, the latter had been frequently visiting the palace to discuss important matters.

"Since we know about the unusual signs from the Myriad Buddhas Sect, Shen Changqing, as the Defender Envoy of South Nether Prefecture, must also be aware. Yet he still dares to issue the challenge; he must have his own considerations," Dongfang Zhao shook his head slightly. He had also been paying close attention to matters in South Nether Prefecture, especially the continuous natural disasters, which were particularly striking. Shen Changqing was investigating the source of the disasters, and so was he. Unfortunately, there had been little progress so far.

Gu Xuanji said, "The natural disasters in South Nether Prefecture... they should be caused by Shimohe, shouldn’t they?"

"Shimohe? Does Your Majesty know something?" Dongfang Zhao showed a look of surprise. It seemed that the other party was privy to some details he himself did not know.

Upon hearing this, Gu Xuanji smiled faintly and said, "What? Is there truly something in this world that Defender Dongfang doesn’t know?"

"Your Majesty jests. There is far too much in this world that I, your humble servant, do not know. If Your Majesty understands, please enlighten me."

"If We have not guessed incorrectly, the natural disasters in South Nether Prefecture are caused by Shimohe’s Refinement of the prefecture’s fortune. This Great Grandmaster is no simple character; he possesses an Ancient inheritance. It’s a pity the Ancient era vanished too swiftly, leaving behind few legacies. Otherwise, our Human Clan would not be at such a disadvantage against the Demon Evil."

Gu Xuanji shook his head with a touch of helplessness as he finished speaking. He truly felt it was a pity. If the Ancient inheritances were complete, the Human Clan would undoubtedly be far stronger than this.

Dongfang Zhao’s thoughts churned. Refining the fortune of South Nether Prefecture—

"Don’t ask Us too much," Gu Xuanji interrupted. "We only know fragments of information. As for the specifics, do not press further. There should be plenty of people in your Demon-Subduing Division who frequently visit various Ancient Ruins. If you have time, you can ask them. Perhaps you’ll learn something."

Seeing this, Dongfang Zhao did not press further.

"The matter of South Nether Prefecture can be set aside for now. Shen Changqing’s challenge to Shimohe at this time implies he is confident. However, regarding Your Majesty personally leading the campaign, will you truly not reconsider?"

"Reconsider?" Gu Xuanji shook his head, a smile on his face that seemed both self-deprecating and mocking. "Do you think We still have time to reconsider?"

Dongfang Zhao fell silent.

Gu Xuanji said, "Our time is short, and so is yours. The Demon Evil Clan poses a fatal threat to Great Qin, and the Demon Evil puppets of Great Zhou and others like them are also enemies of Our Great Qin. If We cannot sweep them away completely, how can We rest easy? If this situation is allowed to persist, then after Our death, Great Qin will likely shatter completely!"

"With the Demon-Subduing Division present, we will undoubtedly do our utmost to maintain the stability of Great Qin," Dongfang Zhao stated in a deep voice.

Upon hearing this, Gu Xuanji shook his head slightly. "With the Demon-Subduing Division here, We are naturally reassured. However, in the current circumstances, the Division alone cannot achieve much. It would be better for Us to seize this opportunity to expand our territory for you all, thereby strengthening the foundations of Our Great Qin."

"Since Your Majesty has already made your decision, I, your servant, will not try to persuade you further. It is just that the threat of the Barbarian Clan still looms. If Your Majesty personally leads the campaign, the Barbarian Clan will likely not let such an opportunity pass," Dongfang Zhao said.

Great Qin’s enemies were not merely the Demon Evil and Great Zhou; the situation was more complex. Although Great Liang and Dayue could send troops to assist, both powers were also plagued by Demon Evil rampaging within their own territories and thus could not truly offer their full support. Otherwise, they would easily risk their own internal stability.

"Those mere Barbarians are but a skin disease, a trivial affliction!" Gu Xuanji’s eyes grew colder, and a formidable aura emanated from him. "If not for other considerations, We would have crushed the Barbarian Desolation long ago and exterminated the entire Barbarian Clan. How could We have allowed them the chance to run rampant in Our Great Wilderness Prefecture!"

As for the Barbarian Clan, he had never afforded them the slightest serious consideration. Ever since the founding of Great Qin, the Barbarian Clan had been beaten back, forced to cower in the Barbarian Desolation. Although they had invaded the borders in the past, the price they paid was always disproportionately heavy. If not for various restraining factors, with Great Qin’s might, he would have long since annihilated the Barbarian Clan, not allowing them to make trouble to this day.

As he finished speaking, the chill in Gu Xuanji’s eyes lessened somewhat, and his voice regained its composure. "The Barbarian Clan is not the issue. After the battle in South Nether Prefecture, the situation should clarify. If the Demon-Subduing Division is victorious, we can consider sending him to Great Wilderness Prefecture to oversee the situation there. A Great Grandmaster stationed there would be a significant deterrent. I expect the Barbarian Clan would not dare to cause any major upheaval."

"That could indeed work," Dongfang Zhao nodded.

There indeed wouldn’t be any problem with Shen Changqing taking up the post of Defender in Great Wilderness Prefecture. However, whether Shen Changqing would agree was still a question. Subsequent arrangements would depend on negotiations. A direct order was out of the question. After all, attempting to pressure such an expert with so-called commands would only be counterproductive.

Gu Xuanji changed the subject, "The battle at Saint Buddha Mountain has caused quite a commotion. In your opinion, should the Demon-Subduing Division or the Imperial Court dispatch some experts? If an unexpected situation arises, they could help manage it."

Dongfang Zhao shook his head. "I believe that is quite unnecessary, Your Majesty. A decisive battle between Great Grandmasters is not something ordinary individuals can interfere in. That is South Sea City; if any real problem arises, the local Defender Envoy will handle it. Moreover, the journey is far. Even if we were to send people over, it’s unlikely they would arrive in time."

"Hmm."

「Elsewhere...」

Inside the Qingyu Sect, Chang Yin looked at the others and said, "Lord Shen has issued a challenge to Shimohe. We are currently considered allied with the Demon-Subduing Division, so it is time for us to show our stance."

As his words fell, Yun Yi said calmly, "The Sect Master is correct. Although the crux of this battle lies in the outcome between Lord Shen and Shimohe, our Qingyu Sect must also make its position clear. Whichever side loses, chaos and slaughter are bound to ensue. Therefore, I believe that the Qingyu Sect need not send many people, but those who go must possess sufficient strength."

The crowd fell silent. Sufficient strength... that phrase seemed somewhat ambiguous. What level of strength would truly be considered ’sufficiently strong’? Moreover, they knew Yun Yi was not merely posturing. If a victor truly emerged, subsequent large-scale battles were inevitable. After all, no one would simply surrender and relinquish everything after a defeat. A battle was inevitable.

Seeing everyone’s silence, Yun Yi said slowly, "In that case, let this old one represent the Qingyu Sect."

"Grand Elder, I am the Sect Master of the Qingyu Sect. It is I who should go," Chang Yin interjected.

Upon hearing this, Yun Yi shook his head. "Sect Master, you are the hope of the Qingyu Sect and must not easily court danger. This old one is just a bag of old bones with not many years left. If I can strive for a glimmer of hope for the Qingyu Sect, it would be putting my old self to good use. Let there be no more discussion on this matter. It is decided!"

"The Grand Elder is truly noble!"

The other Elders bowed their heads, simultaneously sighing in relief inwardly. If someone else went, then naturally, they would not have to. To be honest, watching the battle at Saint Buddha Mountain would be beneficial; witnessing firsthand a life-and-death struggle between experts at the Great Grandmaster Realm would surely grant them many insights. But participating in the battle was an entirely different matter. In a battle of that magnitude, even Martial Artists at the Grandmaster Realm could perish instantly if they were not careful. Thus, they naturally did not wish to be the ones to go.

Similar situations to Qingyu Sect’s were also occurring among other Sects. Those Sect Forces that had attended the Hundred Sects Alliance meeting knew this was an opportunity to show goodwill to the Demon-Subduing Division. At the same time, if their own Sect showed no sign of support during the battle at Saint Buddha Mountain, there was no guarantee the Demon-Subduing Division wouldn’t settle scores with them later. Of course, there was another possibility, which was that Shimohe would come out victorious and the Demon-Subduing Division would officially withdraw from South Nether Prefecture. But this was a possibility that no Sect Force, especially those that had participated in the Hundred Sects Alliance meeting, dared to gamble on lightly.

「South Sea City.」

Atop its city walls, Yun Venerable gazed towards the great mountain before him, which resembled a colossal Buddha statue. Though his expression was calm, his heart was in turmoil. Ever since he had received news of the Challenge Letter, his mind had never been at peace. Even though he had long known that a battle between Shimohe and Shen Changqing was inevitable, he hadn’t expected it to come so soon. As for whether Shen Changqing had the strength to suppress Shimohe, even Yun Venerable did not have absolute certainty.

Let’s hope no complications arise, he thought. But the recent anomaly at the Myriad Buddhas Sect very likely indicates that Shimohe’s strength has advanced further. This battle... its outcome is truly difficult to predict. If Shimohe’s strength had increased, then Shen Changqing’s had undoubtedly also improved. Although the matter of Great Liang and Dayue sending over ten high-ranking Demon Evils was clandestine, Yun Venerable was also well aware of it. Having obtained the Spiritual Power from ten high-ranking Demon Evils, Shen Changqing’s strength had likely increased considerably. Otherwise, Shen Changqing would not have chosen this moment to issue a challenge to Shimohe. Clearly, both were supremely confident. Shen Changqing believed his strength had advanced and was sure he could suppress his opponent. Shimohe, likewise, believed that after his breakthrough, no one in South Nether Prefecture could rival him. Both were exceedingly confident, hence their public declaration to duel at Saint Buddha Mountain. But as for the actual outcome, Yun Venerable could not be certain.

In the recesses of his heart, he naturally hoped for Shen Changqing’s victory. No matter what, Shen Changqing was one of their own from the Demon-Subduing Division.