Chapter 996: Racket! Annihilated! (2)

The expressions of Sovereign Bei You, Sovereign Heng Yang, and the others shifted slightly. Had he truly killed Sovereign Shi Qing over a mere disagreement?

"Grandmaster, Brother Heng Yang," Wu Yuan's gaze swept over the assembled Sovereigns. "I've already slain Sovereign Qing Ling, as I'm sure you've all confirmed by now."

"Indeed."

"Our Eternal Sun Immortal World's agents in the Greenridge Immortal World have verified that the Greenridge Immortal Voidrealm has collapsed..." Sovereign Heng Yang quickly reported. As the leader of the immortal world, he was the most well-informed among them.

"Sovereign Qing Ling is dead."

At these words, the assembled Sovereigns couldn't help but take another look at Wu Yuan, their gazes subtly changed. They knew Wu Yuan was powerful, but seeing him slay Sovereign Qing Ling with their own eyes still felt somewhat unreal.

"I killed Shi Qing's mana body because he didn't know when to back down," Wu Yuan said coolly. "He came representing Overlord Gu Nian..."

Wu Yuan swiftly recounted the events, though he twisted the details slightly, omitting the matter of the Azure Saint Token. Instead, he claimed the Immortal Court had threatened him, demanding he cease his attack on the Greenridge Immortal World, or face the Immortal Court's wrath.

"What?"

"They dare to threaten you? What fools!"

"Damned Immortal Court scum." Sovereign Heng Yang, Sovereign Zhen Guang, and Sovereign Zhu Yue were instantly enraged.

They didn't believe Wu Yuan would lie – after all, what benefit was there in offending the Immortal Court for no reason?

In these Sovereigns' view, while their Taiyuan Divine Court might not match the Immortal Court, they were at least factions of the same tier within the Ling Jiang Universe. And within the Greenridge Macrocosm, the Taiyuan Divine Court faction was destined to dominate the others.

How dare the Immortal Court be so arrogant? Naturally, this united them in shared indignation.

Only Sovereign Bei You saw through to the heart of the matter, having guessed part of what had actually transpired. He understood very well the enmity between his grand-disciple and the Immortal Court.

To say nothing else, the Immortal Court's frenzied assault on Wu Yuan's body refiner self in the Creation Dao Realm alone was an unforgivable grudge!

So although he suspected Wu Yuan was likely distorting the truth, Sovereign Bei You didn't point it out, and didn't even bother to question Wu Yuan in private.

"Grandmaster, Brother Heng Yang," Wu Yuan continued, "Please continue guarding this ore vein celestial body. Maintain vigilant defenses, then begin mining... Grandmaster, you can return to the immortal nation and mobilize some late-stage Astral Monarch powerhouses to assist with the mining."

"Alright."

"This ore mountain." The eyes of the gathered Sovereigns instantly lit up.

"Regarding the distribution of the ore, I propose that I take 45%, Sovereign Zhen Guang takes 20% for discovering it, Grandmaster, Brother Heng Yang, and Brother Zhu Yue each take 10%, and Sovereign Yan Chong takes 5%. How does that sound?" Wu Yuan said directly.

Sovereign Yan Chong usually remained at the divine court headquarters, but was nominally a member of the Eternal Sun Immortal World.

Additionally, when Wu Yuan had first become a Sovereign, Yan Chong had gifted him treasures, so Wu Yuan was willing to allocate 5% to him.

"20% for me?"

"10% for me?"

"Ming Jian, you're only taking 45%? That's far too little, you should take at least 90%..." Sovereign Heng Yang and Sovereign Zhu Yue spoke up in quick succession.

It wasn't that they didn't desire the treasure. Everyone loved treasures, but they clearly understood that they hadn't contributed to obtaining this ore mountain's bounty. If anything, Sovereign Zhen Guang deserved a share for discovering it. The rest? It should all belong to Wu Yuan.

"Ming Jian, you're taking too little," Sovereign Bei You shook his head.

"Grandmaster, everyone," Wu Yuan smiled. "This ore mountain is indeed a great treasure, but it's not that important to me.

“Furthermore, mining the entire ore vein will take a very long time, and my true self and mana body don't have time to oversee it long-term," Wu Yuan shook his head. "The subsequent mining will rely on your efforts and presence over the long term, so it's only right that you receive a share of the treasure.

“Moreover, when you made me your leader, I made a promise. Today, that promise is fulfilled." Wu Yuan spoke with utter frankness.

He disliked owing karmic debts.

Back when he first became a Sovereign, Sovereign Heng Yang, Sovereign Zhen Guang, and the others had pooled together over ten high-grade Dao Instruments. Wu Yuan had always remembered their kindness. This distribution of the ore mountain's treasures could be considered repayment of that debt.

Of course, he owed an immense debt of gratitude to Grandmaster Sovereign Bei You, and Wu Yuan also kept it always in mind. But his current strength was insufficient; when his power grew even further in the future, he would naturally make plans to repay it.

"Since Ming Jian has spoken, you all shouldn't argue further," Sovereign Bei You said. "Let's distribute it as Ming Jian suggested."

Sovereign Heng Yang, Sovereign Zhu Yue, and Sovereign Zhen Guang exchanged glances, no longer demurring.

"Ming Jian, thank you," Sovereign Heng Yang said in a low voice, a hint of excitement in his heart.

Sovereign Zhen Guang and Sovereign Zhu Yue felt the same.

10%? 20%? It might not sound like much. But the entire ore mountain was comparable in value to a Xiantian artifact. Even just 10% could be exchanged for at least ten or twenty top-grade Dao Instruments. At minimum, it would increase their wealth and assets several times over, perhaps even tenfold or more.

"Ming Jian, what will you do next?" Sovereign Bei You looked at Wu Yuan. The others also turned to Wu Yuan.

"I'll go to the Greenridge Continent first," Wu Yuan smiled slightly. "Having slain Qing Ling, I must now eradicate the roots."

The Greenridge Continent was the core of the Greenridge Immortal World, just as the Cang Feng Continent was to the Cang Feng Eldritch World.

"The Greenridge Continent?"

"You're going alone?"

"Didn't the Immortal Court say the other six Sovereigns of the Greenridge Immortal World were now under their command?" Sovereign Heng Yang, Sovereign Zhen Guang, and the others hesitated.

Invading the stronghold of a vast faction was incredibly dangerous. The slightest misstep could lead to one's demise.

"The Immortal Court? They can't do anything to me. Grandmaster, everyone, don't worry," Wu Yuan smiled. "The Greenridge Continent has indeed established layers upon layers of defense arrays. If Sovereign Qing Ling were still there to oversee them, I truly wouldn't dare to invade them recklessly.

“But now, with only mid-stage and early-stage Sovereigns remaining, even if I can't break through the Greenridge Continent's defenses, I at least have confidence in escaping unscathed," Wu Yuan laughed.

Sovereign Bei You and the others worried for him. But Wu Yuan wasn't afraid. When he slew Sovereign Qing Ling earlier, he hadn’t even shown his full strength. His Xiantian artifact, the Origin Realm Pearl, had yet to be revealed.

"Alright."

"Be careful." Sovereign Bei You and the others no longer tried to dissuade him.

Whoosh~

Wu Yuan took a single step, entering the Spacetime Intersection Layer.

Wu Yuan only needed four breaths to get from the Sacred Flame Ravine to the Greenridge Continent.

"Ming Jian seems a bit obsessed," Sovereign Heng Yang said dubiously.

"Something does seem off," Sovereign Zhu Yue couldn't help but agree.

𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

"Bei You, does Sovereign Ming Jian have some great grudge against the Greenridge Immortal World?" Sovereign Zhen Guang couldn't resist asking.

They weren't fools, and naturally sensed something amiss with Wu Yuan's behavior, as if he harbored a deep hatred for the Greenridge Immortal World and was eager for revenge.

Sovereign Bei You shook his head. "I'm not sure, but Ming Jian’s actions aren’t wrong. One should always eliminate evil thoroughly. Having already killed Immortal Sovereign Qing Ling and incurred their enmity, he should destroy the Greenridge Immortal World in one fell swoop."

Sovereign Bei You harbored a suspicion that it was likely related to the six Sovereigns of the Greenridge Immortal World pledging allegiance to the Immortal Court.

This Sovereign Hai Xuan is simply... rushing headlong to his doom.

Sovereign Bei You sighed inwardly.

Based on Sovereign Bei You's understanding of Wu Yuan's temperament, if the six Sovereigns of the Greenridge Immortal World had begged for mercy, Wu Yuan would most likely have spared them, at most requiring them to swear a Great Dao oath.

But daring to pledge allegiance to the Immortal Court? That sealed their fate.

Wu Yuan never showed mercy to his enemies, always exterminating them completely.

"We're almost there," Sovereign Heng Yang suddenly said. "Sovereign Ming Jian has released a projection in the Sovereign Temple."

"Oh?"

"A memory projection?"

"Let's take a look." Sovereign Bei You and Sovereign Zhen Guang immediately sent a strand of consciousness into the Eternal Sun Plane of the Taiyuan Voidrealm.

Wu Yuan’s avatar was already present in the plane.

...

In the Vacuum Spatial Layer, several figures emanating extremely powerful auras were flying at high speed. It was Sovereign Voltari, Sovereign Sha Fan, and the others on their return journey. They had not departed far from the Voltari Temple headquarters, and were now almost back.

"Damn it, ah!" Sovereign Shi Qing's expression abruptly changed, his Yuan Soul faintly trembling.

"What's wrong?"

"Shi Qing? What happened?" Sovereign Voltari, Sovereign Sha Fan, Sovereign Sang Cheng, and the others hurriedly inquired.

"My mana body was destroyed by Ming Jian," Sovereign Shi Qing's eyes held a trace of fear. "With a single sword strike!"

Silence fell.

The Sovereigns of the Voltari Temple were all shocked, both by Ming Jian's boldness, and even more so by his power. One sword strike, and Sovereign Shi Qing's mana body perished?

"The Immortal Emperor summons us," Sovereign Voltari suddenly said in a low voice. "Let’s enter the Immortal Court Voidrealm for now."

Whoosh~ Whoosh~

The five Sovereigns arrived at the Voltari Plane in the Immortal Court Voidrealm.

An elderly man in white robes was already waiting at the far end of the temple.

"Immortal Emperor, my mana body was destroyed," Sovereign Shi Qing said, rather indignantly.

He couldn't help feeling aggrieved. In his view, if he hadn't mentioned the matter of the Azure Saint Token, he wouldn't have brought this calamity upon himself. It was all Overlord Gu Nian's fault.

"Shi Qing, recount the general course of events once more," the white-robed elderly man, Overlord Gu Nian, said slowly.

Soon after, Sovereign Shi Qing recounted what had happened, omitting only the matter of the Azure Saint Token.

Sovereign Voltari, Sovereign Sha Fan, and the others listened in bewilderment and shock.

"What?"

"Ming Jian and Wu Yuan had agreed to divide up the entire macrocosm long ago?"

"How dare they!"

"The territory of my Voltari Temple will be occupied by the Cang Feng Eldritch World in the future?" The group of Voltari Temple Sovereigns all revealed angry expressions.

They could accept losing to Ming Jian. They could accept ceding their territory to the Taiyuan Divine Court too. But if their territory were to ultimately be occupied by the Cang Feng Eldritch World, with whom they had fought for endless ages, how could they possibly accept that?

"I've underestimated this Ming Jian. Originally, I had intended to cede the territories of the Voltari Temple and Greenridge Immortal World to him early on. In doing so, he would occupy the majority of the Greenridge Macrocosm's territory," Overlord Gu Nian said slowly. "This would surely have displeased Wu Yuan, perhaps even inciting conflict between the two.

“Alas!" Overlord Gu Nian shook his head lightly.

Sovereign Voltari, Sovereign Shi Qing, and the others finally understood. So this was Overlord Gu Nian's hidden agenda behind willingly ceding vast swaths of territory? Unfortunately, Ming Jian hadn't fallen for the trap.

"Hmm?" The usually mild-mannered Overlord Gu Nian revealed a trace of anger. "This Ming Jian."

"What's wrong?"

"What has Ming Jian done now?" The group of Voltari Temple Sovereigns were bewildered.

What could make the typically unflappable Overlord Gu Nian react like this? Even the death of Sovereign Shi Qing's mana body hadn't fazed him earlier.

"He has already invaded the Greenridge Continent," Overlord Gu Nian's gaze turned icy cold.