Chapter 158.1: This Is My Home, I'll Rent It to Whomever I Please

The twenty prodigies gathered, each harboring their own thoughts. Aside from Ling Jiao, the others at least maintained a polite facade toward Qi Yuan. Inwardly, they were all deeply curious.

Just which Yin Spirit's descendant is this bizarre, turtle-shell-carrying-man?

There were only a handful of Yin Spirits across the entire Eastern Lands, after all.

Soon after, Feng Lan appeared, with the graceful and slender Feng Yue Fairy following behind him. Her jade-like hands were fully wrapped in white gloves.

All the prodigies turned toward Feng Lan, respect evident in their eyes.

"Greetings, Senior Feng Lan!"

Such courtesy was only natural toward a Violet Palace powerhouse.

Feng Lan nodded, then glanced at the eccentric-looking Qi Yuan. He instinctively grimaced, a strange look flickering in his eyes. Clearing his throat, he said, "All of you are the pride of the Eastern Lands, each carrying the hopes of your respective sects. I will give a brief overview of the situation in the Moonwatch Continent."

As he spoke, twenty jade slips fell into everyone's hands, each containing detailed information about Moonwatch Continent.

"There are three factions on the Moonwatch Continent. The native inhabitants, the Moluo Clan, and us. The former are of little concern, but the Moluo Clan is very strong. Fortunately, the Eastern Lands and the Moluo Clan have reached an agreement: those at fifth-tier and above will not intervene."

Fifth tier referred to the Violet Palace realm.

"Then who exactly are our enemies on Moonwatch Continent?" Gu Xiaoyao asked.

Qi Yuan also glanced at Gu Xiaoyao, regarding him with caution. After all, the man had a perfect Heavenly Dao class.

"The Moluo Clan is the strongest among the three factions. As such, we will temporarily form an alliance with the native inhabitants," Feng Lan added calmly, "of course, in reality, both are our enemies."

Everyone nodded. Qi Yuan read through the jade slip as well, gaining a clearer understanding of Moonwatch Continent's tangled situation. Both the Canglan World and the Moluo Clan were steadily encroaching upon the continent’s territory.

"The three Venerables have already established strongholds on Moonwatch Continent, guarded by many Nascent Soul cultivators," Feng Lan explained. "Keep in mind, don’t make enemies of them."

Moonwatch Continent had been discovered and occupied by the three Venerables. The twenty slots granted through the Prodigy Battle were essentially a way to share the spoils with the other major powers of the Eastern Lands.

They served three purposes. First, it was a trial for themselves. Second, to investigate the true state of Moonwatch Continent. Third, to earn greater influence through their contributions there. Put plainly, they were working for those three Venerables. Strong performers would receive greater rewards, and their sects could send more people to claim territory, using it as a refuge from the coming great calamity.

All twenty prodigies responded in unison. "Understood."

"Very well," Feng Lan said. "In that case, you may enter Moonwatch Continent."

In the next moment, a door appeared before them, and everyone’s gaze fell upon it. A look of surprise crossed Qi Yuan’s eyes. To be honest, this was his first time traveling to another world in this manner.

"Let's go," Gu Xiaoyao said.

One by one, the group stepped through the door. All that greeted them was a mass of white light. Their eyes registered nothing but emptiness. Suddenly, a dizzying sensation of heaven and earth spinning around them struck. The feeling lasted for dozens of breaths before it stopped.

Anticipation and slight unease filled Qi Yuan's eyes. He didn’t know whether Moonwatch Continent was the world he had once visited, nor whether he would encounter old acquaintances there. What year was it there?

The white light faded, replaced by a dry, scorching presence. Everyone felt the oppressive heat at once, as though a wave of heat had swept over them. They found themselves in what appeared to be a desert.

Expressions varied across the group, curiosity toward the unknown world written on every face.

"So this is Moonwatch Continent?"

"It's hot..."

Meanwhile, Ling Jiao glanced at Qi Yuan and couldn't help remarking, "Some people really insist on wearing such thick clothes in this heat. Do they think this is still the Canglan World?"

The Canglan World brimmed with spiritual qi, filling heaven and earth. As long as one had deep enough reserves, divine techniques could theoretically be cast infinitely. In contrast, Moonwatch Continent had no ambient spiritual qi. Once the spiritual energy in their dantians was exhausted, it was extremely hard to replenish.

Even with spiritual stones, absorption was far more difficult than in the Canglan World. Thus, everyone conserved their spiritual power, using them sparingly. Even now, none of them used divine techniques to cool the surroundings.

Qi Yuan paid Ling Jiao no attention. He hadn’t heard her at all. Instead, he crouched down, gazing at a withered blade of grass. The moment he touched it, something astonishing happened. As if nourished by spring rain, its yellowed leaves turned tender and green, brimming with vitality.

Countless tufts of grass emerged and grew wildly one after another. In an instant, the arid sand beneath Qi Yuan's feet transformed into lush green land. The grass sprouted fresh shoots, like the manicured plants in Wang Duoyu's estate [1], as if greeting Qi Yuan with a cheerful hello.

In the mortal zone, such a scene would have been hailed as a miracle. Yet the prodigies only felt it was baffling, especially Ling Jiao, who sneered coldly. "Wasting spiritual power on something so trivial, what a joke."

Lord Great Wisdom said, "Fellow Daoist, you are willing to sacrifice your own spiritual energy just to save a withered blade of grass. It speaks volumes about your character. You’re someone worth befriending."

Only then did Qi Yuan rise to his feet. He replied calmly to Ling Jiao, "If spiritual energy isn't used for this, should I waste it on you instead?"

Ling Jiao gritted her teeth and was about to retort when someone with an aged voice cut in. "Since everyone has arrived, allow me to greet you. I am True Lord Luo Mu. I have been awaiting you all."

A Nascent Soul cultivator appeared, his expression neither warm nor cold.

The assembled prodigies all bowed respectfully. "Greetings, True Lord Luo Mu."

After all, everyone had come under the banner of the three Venerables.

True Lord Luo Mu said, "Come with me. Representatives from seven local powers have gathered at our stronghold, seeking an alliance. You may each choose whom to ally with, and face the Moluo Clan together."

Then, he gave a brief explanation on the current situation. Seven empires lay near the stronghold, all resisting the Moluo Clan, yet their strength was far from sufficient. Left with no alternatives, they sought cooperation with the cultivators of Canglan World.

"You call that an alliance?" Ling Jiao chuckled. "It’s nothing more than ceding land in exchange for aid. The natives of the Moonwatch Continent are truly weak."

The locals offered a territory as a bargaining chip in exchange for protection. Hearing this, the prodigies felt an unspoken heaviness.

Weakness itself was a sin in this world. Caught between two terrifying foes, Moonwatch Continent could only struggle to survive. Yet to the outsiders, its struggle and humiliating concessions were laughable.

In the meantime, Qi Yuan's mind was unusually calm, as if the surrounding voices hadn’t reached him at all.

Gazing upon the azure sky, he murmured, "Twenty-one days, is it?"

The moment he set foot there, he knew it was one and the same Moonwatch Continent. His home. Quietly, his body and soul were reclaiming this world. To fully take control and become the Heavenly Dao of this realm would require exactly twenty-one days.

***

The representatives of the seven empires had gathered on the stronghold, their faces grim. Although on the surface they had come to seek cooperation, in truth they were about to sign treaties that would shame their nations for eternity. If their countries fell, there would be nothing left to say; if they survived, they would be remembered as traitors for all time.

Luo Xi stood among them, his white monk’s robes immaculate. His features were handsome; his only flaw was his baldness. Not a single hair remained on his head or brows. Deep worry clouded his face.

"I've heard that twenty major forces from the Canglan World have sent their younger generation to ally with us," Luo Xi said softly. "Do any of you know their backgrounds?"

After all, knowing their strength and conduct was crucial for the mission.

"I do not." An elderly man shook his head, then looked at Luo Xi. "Your Fenggui Empire refuses to cede territory. I fear this alliance will amount to nothing."

Luo Xi's expression darkened. "Fenggui only has three cities left. Of our ten great generals, eight died defending the nation against the Moluo Clan. As the younger generation, how can we hand over land our elders protected with their blood?"

The old man sighed. "If you offer no tangible benefits. Why would outsiders truly help us?"

In fact, they understood the value of territory very well. However, when a nation stood on the brink of annihilation, retreat was the only way to survive the immediate calamity.

Luo Xi said with bitterness, "The queen has said that she would rather serve as a slave than surrender even an inch of land."

They couldn’t give away the land that was soaked in their ancestors’ blood just like that. The seven representatives fell into heavy silence.

Just then, True Lord Mu announced, "The prodigies of the Canglan World have arrived."

1. A fictional character from the film Hello Mr. Billionaire. 《西虹市首富》. References to it are a way to evoke over the top luxury and perfectly manicured surroundings. ☜