Chapter 540: Don't Attack! It's Me!

"

Slurp

."

"Girls should eat more gracefully."

"Who are you to tell me what to do?"

"..."

Within the imperial city, numerous restricted areas existed, some heavily guarded while others were so exclusive that even the guards were forbidden to enter. One such place was the Divine Fire Hall. Aside from the emperor, no one else was allowed to step foot into the hall or its surrounding grounds.

The Divine Fire Hall was the residence of the guardian for each generation of the Xia imperial family. Being an eighth-realm cultivator and the Dao Master of the Great Dao of Incinerating Heaven, the guardian held a status within the imperial family that, in some respects, surpassed that of the emperor. Even the emperor required an important reason to enter this sacred space.

But at this very moment, a beautiful and commanding woman sat casually in the center of the Divine Fire Hall, using a copper cauldron to prepare a hotpot. With her chopsticks, she picked up some thin noodles from the steaming pot, slurped them loudly, and let out a satisfied sigh.

Across from her sat a handsome middle-aged man clad in a purple-gold robe, radiating a deep and refined aura. Yet, despite his dignified appearance, his expression was one of helplessness.

This man was none other than the Crown Prince Mingde from back then. He was now the guardian of the Xia imperial family and also Di Nufeng's father.

After a moment of silence, Mingde sighed and said, "It's been eighty years, and this is the first meal I've shared with you."

"Yeah, what a memorable meal this is, yet you won't even catch a Qinghong bird for me to eat," Di Nufeng said, shaking her head.

"Honestly, if you really wanted to eat it, it wouldn't be impossible," Mingde said with a wry smile. "But using a Qinghong bird for a hotpot? Isn't that... a bit of a waste for such a rare delicacy?"

"

Slurp.

" Di Nufeng responded by slurping another mouthful even more delightfully.

A few drops of oil splattered onto Mingde's robe, causing the veins on his forehead to bulge visibly. Yet, all he could do was sigh again, "

Haaaaa

."

"That's just how we people from Mount Shu are," Di Nufeng said after swallowing. "How can you know it won't taste good in a hotpot if you don't try it?"

"If you are willing to leave Mount Shu and come back and stay with me in the imperial city, I'll catch one for you," Mingde suggested again.

"Don't even think about it," Di Nufeng said, wiping her mouth. "It all depends on whether my disciple can win the Assembly of Immortal Sects. If he does, I'll be competing with you for control of the Great Dao."

"

Heh

," Mingde chuckled softly. "I still don't understand the sudden ambition."

"Didn't I tell you? Things aren't going well for Mount Shu, and Yan Zi is preparing to compete for control of the Dao," Di Nufeng replied. "I can't afford to slack off for her sake..."

She cleared her throat and spoke seriously. "My plan is to first fight for control of the Great Dao of Incinerating Heaven and attain the eighth realm. Then, I'll kill the Sword Emperor of the West Sea so that Yan Zi can smoothly take control of the Great Dao of the Cloud of Determination."

"Doesn't your plan sound a bit too complicated?" Mingde asked. "It's almost as convoluted as the scheme you had when you wanted to start a rebellion just to save your disciple."

Di Nufeng glared at him and said, "How did you find out about my top-secret plan?"

"The top-secret plan that even those talking spirit beasts of the Mount Shu Sect know about?" Mingde said with a laugh and a sigh.

"We have a traitor among us..." Di Nufeng muttered in a serious tone.

"You really aren't suited to be emperor; otherwise, I'd have no problem helping you ascend the throne," Mingde said solemnly. "While people say you're unruly, you actually have a strong sense of justice. You're just not good at managing affairs, which makes you perfect for the role of a guardian—free to do as you please and only stepping in when necessary."

"That sounds pretty much like what I do on Silver Sword Peak..." Di Nufeng glanced around, eyeing the cold, chilling hall. "But you call staying here for eighty years free to do as you please?"

"It's different. I am—" Mingde paused, leaving the sentence unfinished.

I am atoning for my sins

, Mingde finished the sentence inwardly.

For him, every day he lived was a form of penance, and it would only end with his death.

"I don't care what you're doing. Anyway, you called me here for a meal, and I've finished eating," Di Nufeng said suddenly as she stood up. "Now I'm going to watch how my disciple wins the championship."

...

"Counting the previous batch, that makes a total of sixteen. If we can gather the same amount over the next six days, we should be in a good position."

A shining pearl lay on the ground, emitting a soft, bright glow.

At this moment, Chu Liang took advantage of the night to tally up the day's gains with his teammates.

After the initial chaos, the illusory realm settled into a calm, and at night, few teams dared to act recklessly.

The Competition of the Hundred Sects had always been this way. The first day after arrival brought the most significant wave of eliminations.

Having just arrived in the illusory realm, the participants were unfamiliar with their surroundings and would inevitably encounter enemies nearby, which would then lead to these chaotic fights.

Once the initial chaos subsided, the surviving factions would secure a decent number of soul crystals and establish relatively safe zones, bringing the situation under control.

The cultivators inside the illusory realm couldn't see the full picture, but the audience outside could. By the end of the first day, nearly forty teams had been eliminated, and many of the remaining teams had suffered significant losses.

Nearly half of the participants had already been eliminated.

The next wave of eliminations wouldn't occur until the seventh day, when teams with insufficient soul crystals could no longer afford to hide. They would have to emerge and fight for an opportunity, while also giving others a chance.

In the five days that followed, aside from the most powerful teams continuing their hunts, there would typically be only sporadic clashes.

The Mount Shu Sect was naturally prepared to sweep through those teams.

By the last day, time would be running out, and every cultivator in the illusory realm would be desperate. The risks would become unpredictable, and every year, strong teams would falter at the last moment. Those teams would want to avoid scrambling for soul crystals when the time came.

Fortunately, on the first day, the team from the Mount Shu Sect encountered an ambush from the three sects, resulting in a significant haul of soul crystals. This was basically a gift from Mother Nature.

This significantly reduced the workload for the coming days.

If they could take down one team a day, they would have thirty-six soul crystals by the seventh day, which would then allow them to easily secure a spot in the top ten. At that point, they could lay low during the most turbulent period without taking any risks.

"You've worked hard," Jiang Yuebai said softly.

Chu Liang had only briefly described his encounter earlier in the day, but defeating three teams single-handedly was no easy feat no matter what.

"It's nothing," Chu Liang smiled.

"Be careful," Xu Ziyang, who was on guard duty at the perimeter, warned suddenly in a low voice.

Chu Liang and the others immediately rose to their feet, sensing the approaching presence. They spread out their divine sense and saw a shining orb floating toward them from a distance.

"This looks a bit familiar," Chu Liang remarked.

As they drew closer, they realized it was a young monk, his bald head reflecting the moonlight with a bright sheen.

This monk was none other than Pushan from the Buddhist Cloud Monastery.

"Young Hero Chu?" Pushan called out from afar, having recognized the team from the Mount Shu Sect. He waved and shouted, "Don't attack, it's me!"