Chapter 220: World’s Number One Expert (2)

Soon, Fang Xia returned to the jade chamber beneath Cloudhill, and Wu Yuan withdrew his consciousness from the array.

Bu Yu and Huan Jian were both ecstatic after watching the battle. "We won, we won the battle!"

“The credit goes to Wu Yuan. We were able to win because he activated the Soulquake Divine Art at the crucial moment.” Fang Xia said with a smile.

Bu Yu and Huan Jian turned to Wu Yuan in surprise. The two of them had yet to try controlling the array.

The Soulquake Art was a formless and intangible attack on the soul, making it difficult to understand just by observing the projection.

"It is Ancestor who is truly formidable," Wu Yuan shook his head with a smile. "The Soulquake Art only gave him a fleeting window of opportunity. Even a ninth-stage Qi Sea cultivator would struggle to get the timing right.

“Fang Xia, I have no intention of stealing the credit that is rightfully yours," Wu Yuan chuckled lightly, his eyes meeting Fang Xia's.

Fang Xia turned his gaze towards Wu Yuan and the others. "This battle may have come to an end, but our war with Great Jin has only just begun."

Wu Yuan, Bu Yu, and Huan Jian all nodded in agreement. Great Jin made a strong show of force this time, but after reading the information provided by the Pleiades Guild, they now had a better understanding of the three holy sanctuaries.

Among the three holy sanctuaries, the Jin royal family had the fewest Heavenly Rankers, relying heavily on Imperator Jin for the past century. On the other hand, the Yuanxia Palace and Starsea Pavilion boasted a legacy spanning thousands of years, continuously producing powerful Heavenly Rankers.

Although the loss of six of their Heavenly Rankers was significant, it did not shake their foundations. The three holy sanctuaries of Great Jin would not easily let this go.

Huan Jian suddenly spoke up, “Ancestor, why didn’t you kill Jin Ji?"

Wu Yuan softly explained, "Jin Ji cultivates wind essentia, granting him exceptional skill in escape techniques. Only someone who cultivates lightning arts can match him in that aspect. Furthermore, in his bid to prioritize speed, Jin Ji resorted to a forbidden art. Although it inflicted significant damage to his qi sea, it greatly increased his speed. Even with the ancestor's combat prowess, it would be challenging to catch up."

Huan Jian and Bu Yu were surprised by Wu Yuan's extensive knowledge, not expecting him to possess such insight.

Wu Yuan simply smiled mysteriously, choosing not to elaborate further. Having read the eight immortal slips, the knowledge he had surpassed even Fang Xia.

Fang Xia chuckled. "Wu Yuan is correct. At the time, I had other concerns. My injuries were severe. If I had left the array to pursue Jin Ji, the Arctic King and Emperor Dong Pan could have swarmed me. It would have been perilous."

"I’ve seized six array flags from the array Jin Ji wielded. He can’t do much with the array disk alone," Fang Xia explained. "As for the man himself? Though he poses a threat, it isn’t an urgent one."

Wu Yuan, Bu Yu, and Huan Jian nodded. Presently, the Cloudstride Sect relied almost entirely on Fang Xia. Should any harm befall him, all would be lost.

"Next, I must take some time to recover from my injuries. Huan Jian, you shall assume leadership of the sect. Command our stationed forces not to initiate war. Furthermore, spread the news of our triumph, let it be a form of reassurance for the ten provinces, especially the seven provinces that have recently joined us."

"Understood," Huan Jian replied.

"Once my strength is renewed, I will organize the artifacts left behind by the six Heavenly Rankers, creating the beginnings of the Cloudstride Sect’s treasury," Fang Xia stated with a smile. "And once I nurture the Earthfire, I will forge pieces of spirit equipment for all of you."

Soon, the group dispersed. Fang Xia and Bu Yu each retreated to a cave in the jade chamber. Meanwhile, Wu Yuan and Huan Jian departed from the jade chamber.

...

After the Heavenly Rankers who had gathered outside Cloudhill departed, the mind confusion array that had enveloped Cloudhill and Cloudhill City dissipated, leaving countless citizens and martial artists astonished by the aftermath of the great battle that had unfolded a few li away.

It was as if the world had nearly come to an end. Even the roaring Cloud River had transformed entirely.

During the battle between Fang Xia and the purple roc, the sounds of fighting and destruction had reached the ears of numerous martial artists and common folk, not just within the city, but even those on the mountain. Yet, only those who bore witness to the battle firsthand could truly comprehend the sheer brutality of the fight.

"Between Cloudhill and the Cloud River, Ancestor Fang Xia faced off against seven Heavenly Rankers of Great Jin, emerging victorious, with six of them meeting their demise!"

“Fang Xia, the world’s number one expert!”

These two pieces of news were swiftly transmitted from the upper echelons of the sect. The population of Cloudhill and Cloudhill Province was immediately consumed by a mixture of awe and excitement.

"Heavens!"

"He eliminated six Heavenly Rankers?"

"Those are Heavenly Rankers that can fly and tunnel into the earth, he killed six of them from Great Jin at once?"

"The world's number one expert! Ancestor Fang Xia!" The disciples of the Cloudstride Sect were whipped into a frenzy as word about this remarkable feat rapidly spread across the ten provinces under their dominion.

In order to foster unity within a sect, it was crucial to show both power and benevolence! For the original three provinces under the Cloudstride Sect’s jurisdiction, there was no need for any extra measures. However, chaos continued to erupt within the recently acquired seven provinces, leaving little room for benevolence. In such circumstances, a straightforward display of power was the best course of action.

...

"Six Heavenly Rankers from Great Jin fell!"

"Cloudstride's Fang Xia, the world's number one expert." The news of the tumultuous battle, coupled with these two significant revelations, spread across the world with unprecedented speed. It resembled the rise of Imperator Jin two centuries prior.

Backed by the Wu Sect, Starcom Consortium, Pleiades Guild, and numerous other factions, Fang Xia's fame and stature rapidly caught up to that of Imperator Jin. Only then did the title of the world's number one expert begin to carry true weight.

Simultaneously, all major powers throughout the world tacitly accepted that the Cloudstride Sect was now considered a sacred martial sect, standing shoulder to shoulder with the other nine top-tier major factions.

...

In the distant Great Jin Empire, high above the Holy Capital, a green figure sliced through the air like a gust of wind. His countenance was drained of all color, his mind consumed with terror.

They're dead. All of them! Zhao Yi and Hai Jian, they’re all dead.

Jin Ji shook his head. He looked down at the bustling Holy Capital below with a hollow gaze.

Jin Long is also dead.

A wave of sorrow washed over him.

The Jin royal family, unlike the martial sect, struggled to replenish its ranks. Sacred martial sects sought to recruit exceptional talents from far and wide, singling out prodigies from countless millions of lives, producing generation after generation of Heavenly Rankers.

On the other hand, the Jin royal family, despite their best efforts at procreation, was scarce in numbers. Over 200 years, only three Heavenly Rankers were produced throughout the entire lineage of the Jin royal family.

Thus, Jin Ji had previously attached great significance to Jin Qing. Each Heavenly Ranker held immeasurable value for the Jin royal family.

The Yuanxia Palace was dealt the greatest blow this time.

Jin Ji sighed inwardly.

Three Heavenly Rankers died.

And they were all mid-stage Qi Sea cultivators, critical pillars of the faction. The Yuanxia Palace had a deep foundation that even Jin Ji could not measure, but he estimated that not more than ten Heavenly Rankers remained in their faction.

If Zhao Xing were to learn of this, he would surely lose his sanity. Only my father possesses the power to quell their fury

. Jin Ji's complexion turned ashen.

Having activated forbidden arts, my Qi Sea has been damaged. I must seek Father's counsel.

Though Jin Ji was an eighth-stage Qi Sea cultivator, his reverence for his father remained unshaken. In his heart, there was nothing his father couldn’t do.

Whoosh!

Swiftly crossing the Holy Capital, Jin Ji continued his journey westward, covering dozens of li. Finally, he landed on a towering mountain, its peak shrouded in mist and enveloped by ancient trees.

This was a forbidden area that belonged to the Jin royal family, known as the Royal Forest Residence. Apart from those of the royal clan, no one was permitted to enter. Ordinary martial artists who entered the mountain found themselves inexplicably back in the world outside. This mountain peak concealed crucial secrets.

Whoosh!

As Jin Ji soared above layers of dense fog and forests, his Soul Force detected the presence of numerous black snakes dwelling amidst the thick underbrush. Some were only a few meters long, while others stretched over ten meters in length. And there were even rare specimens that reached an astonishing twenty to thirty meters.

The mountain peak appeared to be an ominous snake-infested mountain. Yet, Jin Ji had grown accustomed to this eerie environment, swiftly arriving at the mid-section of the mountain where a cavern, several dozen zhangs wide, came into view.

"Father!" Jin Ji called out, his voice echoing through the cavern.

A thunderous roar erupted from the depths, accompanied by the smell of blood. Soon after, the colossal, triangular head of a snake emerged from the cavern, rivaling that of a small house. The snake’s sinuous body was so long that he couldn’t see where it ended.

The snake stared at Jin Ji, exuding a frightful aura. However, it instilled no fear in him.

"Uncle Black," Jin Ji greeted.

Since his earliest years, Jin Ji had fostered a deep relationship with the colossal snake.

"Jin Ji," the serpent hissed in human speech, "Why does your aura appear so unsettled? Did you activate a forbidden art? And why have you returned alone? Where is Jin Long?"

𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

"He is dead," Jin Ji replied with a pained smile.

"Dead?" the serpent was taken aback.

That little rascal whom he taught for dozens of years died on his first expedition?

"I recall that Master entrusted you with the Septet Ignis Array," the serpent growled, looking at Jin Ji with disapproval, "It was the most precious treasure acquired from the treasure realm. Did you lose it to Fang Xia?"

"I have failed you, Uncle Black," Jin Ji bowed his head in shame.

In terms of power, he stood on equal footing with the enormous snake before him. However, both he and Jin Long had received cultivation guidance from the snake after becoming qi refiners. Thus, a sincere reverence for the snake had taken hold within Jin Ji's heart.

The snake shook its head with a sigh, withdrawing from the entrance of the cave, "Go on in. Master has ventured deep into the treasure realm, I’m not sure whether he will see you."

"Thank you, Uncle Black," Jin Ji nodded gratefully, then swiftly darted into the cave. As he delved deeper, the walls of the cave widened, revealing luminescent pearls that illuminated the path on either side.

After some time, Jin Ji found himself standing in an unfathomably immense purple palace. The great hall stretched out before him, flanked by jade platforms that emanated a density of spiritual qi surpassing the outside world by more than a hundredfold.

Jin Ji made his way toward the center of the hall, then prostrated on the ground. “Father, I’ve disappointed you with my uselessness.”

Before his voice fell, a flurry of green lights converged, and an illusory figure clad in resplendent purple robes materialized on a nearby jade platform.

"Jin Ji, you have truly let me down," a frigid voice pierced the air.