Chapter 1044: Eighth-grade Duke, Zhao Jinwu

Heavenly Star Plains.

Towering pagodas dotted the plains. However, a gloomy and solemn atmosphere blanketed the numerous powers outside, a far cry from before the juniors had entered the Spiritual Resonance Cave.

The pagodas had been built by the powers that controlled the continent, and at this moment, countless beams of light shot up into the air from within them. The beams interweaved to form a net that covered the sky.

At the same time, experts from the various powers had closed off all routes in the air as they watched the area with dark expressions on their faces.

The news that Others had invaded the Spiritual Resonance Cave had spread. Everyone felt shocked and angry at this development. After all, the Others had essentially snuck in right under their noses without being detected.

The implications were terrifying. If the Others could sneak past an actively monitored encirclement and enter the Spiritual Resonance Cave, they could very well do the same to the cities under their jurisdiction.

Furthermore, they had sent their young talents into the Spiritual Resonance Cave. However, the Other that had managed to infiltrate the cave was a True Devil Other as strong as a Duke! More surprisingly, it had managed to bypass the restrictions set by the cave.

This was something that none of them had ever seen before!

Moreover, they had sensed yet another frightening presence within the Spiritual Resonance Cave earlier. Whoever it was, they were powerful enough to send chills up their spines.

The strongest amongst the group of guardians hailed from the various Heavenly Emperor powers, including the Hall Master of the Gold Blood Hall from the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Li and Zhao Jinwu from the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Zhao. They were eighth-grade Dukes, but even they felt a sense of fear and unease towards the presence earlier. This could only mean one thing—a King had appeared!

But why would a King do so?

They understood immediately that something had gone wrong in the Spiritual Resonance Cave. Things had to end as soon as possible.

Additionally, news of this had been reported back to their headquarters without delay.

In the sky above, all the experts from the various forces each occupied a direction. A middle-aged man with a robust and well-built body was the first to break the silence. His voice was loud like thunder, each word causing the worldly natural energy of the surroundings to shudder.

"I've informed the kids in the Spiritual Resonance Cave to exit as soon as possible. However, my Mythical Bird Art did not detect any traces of the True Devil Other after scouting. There's no trace of the King either. If I'm not wrong, they have probably chosen to retreat. I am unable to understand their goals." This man was named Zhu Gang, the leader of the group from the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Zhu. He was also an eighth-grade Duke that was well known in the Heavenly Origin Divine Continent.

When the others heard his words, they finally relaxed a little. The King was gone and the pressure had undoubtedly lifted.

However, the key concern that lingered in the minds was: what exactly had attracted the King over?

A voice suddenly broke out accompanied by snide laughter, attracting the attention of the other experts. "I heard from some of the guys that exited the Spiritual Resonance Cave early that they heard the True Devil Other was after Li Luo and Li Lingjing from the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Li. Could all of this have been caused by them?"

Heads turned and all eyesfocused upon another male who stood tall in the air, hands held behind his back. He had a large and heroic physique with a head of dazzling, golden hair. He was emitting a faint but radiant glow, making it hard for anyone to stare at him directly.

It was Zhao Jinwu, the representative leader for the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Zhao. He too was an eighth-grade Duke.

As soon as Zhao Jinwu finished speaking, the fiery Li Jinpan from the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Li yelled back angrily, "Zhao Jinwu, stop spouting nonsense. How can two Heavenly Pearl juniors attract the attention of a True Devil Other?

"I bet you're just afraid that your juniors from the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Zhao will be crippled by our juniors!"

Zhao Jinwu laughed mockingly. "Dream on. Since when have the juniors from the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Li ever gotten the upper hand? Who's the one who suffered a humiliating defeat during the last Spiritual Resonance Cave opening?"

Li Jinpan was furious when he heard those words. The void behind him turned turbulent, then seven Duke Bergfrieds that were as tall as mountains faintly appeared behind him. Each of them emitted enormous energy fluctuations that seemed to be able to suppress even the sky.

"You're still stuck at the seventh-grade after so many years. I guess you've wrung out all of your pathetic potential after all." Zhao Jinwu laughed out loud as he observed the Duke Bergfrieds.

He then took a step forward, and the void behind him cracked open in response. Dazzling, golden light burst through, and eight golden Duke Bergfrieds that possessed an overbearing presence materialized, enveloping the whole Heavenly Star Plains.

The pressure from Li Jinpan's side was instantly suppressed and overwhelmed.

"Hmph, so what if I'm just a seventh-grade Duke? Back when my Third Brother was still around, you didn't even dare to squeak, Zhao Jinwu!" Li Jinpan did not give in with his words despite having his momentum stalled. Zhao Jinwu's face darkened immediately when he heard those piercing words. He felt both annoyed and ashamed as he knew very well how insignificant he was back when Li Taixuan roamed freely.

"The past is the past. Li Taixuan has been away from the Heavenly Origin Divine Continent for many years and might not have made any progress. Otherwise, why wouldn't he have returned to the Heavenly Origin Divine Continent?!" As Zhao Jinwu retorted, the eight Duke Bergfrieds behind him erupted and shook the sky, representing his anger reaching its peak. The sounds of rumbling and the pressure emanating from it caused the void to shudder and crack continuously, as though it was unable to withstand it. However, another burst of light spilled forth at this moment, streaking across the sky like a rainbow. It immediately nullified the pressure rolling off the eight Duke Bergfrieds that floated behind Zhao Jinwu.

"Zhao Jinwu, a discussion is conducted with words, not your hands and legs. Are you a barbarian?" A faint laugh echoed through the air.

Zhao Jinwu looked over and retorted indifferently, "Li Jiluo, since you're the Mountain Ruling Chief that the Dragon's Blood Lineage has been grooming, aren't you able to do something as simple as keeping that bad-tempered beast of the Dragon's Fang Lineage under control?"

Indeed, it was as he had said. Li Jiluo, the Hall Master of the Gold Blood Hall, had taken the stage as well.

As the leader representing the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Li, he would not sit by idly and watch Zhao Jinwu chastise his bloodline.

Li Jiluo laughed it off when he heard Zhao Jinwu's stinging words. "The Dragon's Blood Lineage may be the Mountain Ruling Lineage, but we do not control the Dragon's Fang Lineage. Zhao Jinwu, stop trying to incite trouble."

Zhao Jinwu snorted coldly. He waved the sleeves of his robes and the void behind him gradually calmed down. The eight Duke Bergfrieds also vanished.

At this moment, a somewhat frigid voice rang out. "What Zhao Jinwu said earlier is quite right. If the appearance of the True Devil and King were truly due to Li Luo and Li Lingjing and the juniors from the various powers were harmed because of it, they'll have to be held responsible." The gazes of the crowd turned and they focused upon a beautiful woman with an ambivalent expression, similarly standing with her hands held behind her back. The experts from the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Qing also stood attentively beside her.

She was also no stranger to those present.

Qin Lian, the Hall Master of the Fire Lotus Hall from the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Qing.

When Li Jinpan heard her words, he couldn't hold himself back and was about to retort yet again. However, Li Qingpeng stopped him. Putting on a warm smile, he said, "Hall Master Qin Lian, please do not believe in mere rumors. Don't you think it's quite ludicrous that a King could be provoked so easily? Right now, everything that has been said are just unfounded accusations. We'll know once the juniors are out. We'll surely have our answers after asking them."

Qin Lian, on the other hand, remained expressionless as she simply stared at the huge gate with eyes full of undisguised hatred.

The others did not talk anymore either. Everyone simply waited patiently.

A while later, lights shot out from the huge gate. Many other beams of light followed, and soon after, the juniors finally managed to return.

All the various powers scanned the crowd and searched for those that belonged to them.

Li Luo was mingling within the crowd. He recalled the warning from Zhu Dayu earlier and thus, he rapidly looked towards the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Li. His goal was to dash over immediately.

However, he noticed an icy stare watching him as soon as he was about to move. A strange force trapped him in place, leaving him unable to take even a single step.

Li Luo's expression changed a little, then he looked around. A familiar and icy face was staring at him.

Qin Lian!

Li Luo cursed in his heart. What was this shrew doing, staring at him?

At the same time, Zhao Jinwu had spotted Zhao Shenjiang and the rest. However, his face changed as he could not find Zhao Yan anywhere.

He was the mightiest genius that the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Zhao had sent into the Spiritual Resonance Cave!

Zhao Jinwu instantly felt that something was amiss.

"Shenjiang, where's Zhao Yan?" Zhao Jinwu asked.

Before Zhao Shenjiang could answer, Zhao Jingyu shouted out, "Uncle Jin, Zhao Yan was killed by Li Lingjing and Li Luo!"

Zhao Jinwu was shocked. His expression changed into a gloomy glare boring down upon Li Luo, and he shouted in a thunderous voice, "How dare you do such a thing, you brat!"

As his voice rumbled, the void behind him split open with energy pouring forth. A golden claw with three talons descended from the sky, directly targeting Li Luo!