Word of the Remote Beginning Heavenly Sect barging into the Domain of Heaven Python and spilling blood soon spread across the human domains.
Heated discussions took place in many major sects and clans in the advanced domains.
“What?! Monk Goldbone from the Remote Beginning Heavenly Sect spilled blood in the Realm of Maelstrom?”
“That can’t be right! Isn’t the Realm of Maelstrom a subordinate realm of Nie Tian, the seventh Son of the Stars of the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace? Is the Remote Beginning Heavenly Sect crazy? This is a slap in the face for the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace!”
“Nie Tian is a Son of the Stars after all!”
“But the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace seems to be in a very bad place right now. Chu Rui is trapped in the Domain of Frigid Depths. Ji Cang and Mo Heng are still missing. Luo Wanxiang is in a prolonged session of secluded cultivation. It’s said that the sectmaster of the Remote Beginning Heavenly Sect entered secluded cultivation years ago, and has been seeking to enter the middle G.o.d domain. Even so, they have another G.o.d domain expert.”
“The Remote Beginning Heavenly Sect’s reserve power is second only to that of the four great sects. I guess they actually have what it takes to challenge the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace in this unrest they’re facing.”
“Nie Tian seems to have been a.s.signed to some task elsewhere. Where is he now?”
“I wonder whether he and the Qi warriors from the Domain of the Falling Stars, the Domain of Heaven’s Boundaries, and the Domain of Heaven Python will yield to the Remote Beginning Heavenly Sect eventually.”
“Who knows?”
...
In the Water Moon Sect’s territory in the Domain of Vast Darkness.
Under the crescent moon, s.h.i.+ps that were as large as mountains could be seen sailing among islands in a boundless rippling sea.
The beautiful, densely-vegetated islands seemed to be located in a particular formation.
A forest of palaces stood towering on one of the islands. It was the headquarters of the Water Moon Sect.
“Sectmaster Xie...” Seated at Xie Qian’s command, a Void domain Qi warrior from the Domain of Vast Darkness sighed in deep frustration before relaying what he had experienced in the Realm of Maelstrom.
The Water Moon Sect was the leader of the sects and clans in the Domain of Vast Darkness.
At this moment, the leaders of those minor sects and clans had all teleported to the Water Moon Sect’s headquarters, where they kept silent after taking seats in the grand hall.
Every single one of them looked grim.
“That’s all that happened.” The man who had witnessed the abrupt appearance of the Remote Beginning Heavenly Sect’s stars.h.i.+p and Monk Goldbone injuring Meng Li and killing a junior from the Thousandsword Mountain Sect in the Realm of Maelstrom was a middle Void domain disciple of the Soul’s Retreat Sect named Yu Fusheng.
Due to the Water Moon Sect’s friendly relations.h.i.+p with Nie Tian, the Domain of Vast Darkness was directly connected to the Realm of Maelstrom. For this reason, Yu Fusheng had been able to go to the Realm of Maelstrom to trade for spiritual materials and tools.
He hadn’t expected that he would be there to witness the Remote Beginning Heavenly Sect’s intrusion.
An early Saint domain expert straightened his back slightly to look Xie Qian in the eyes and asked, “If the Remote Beginning Heavenly Sect is bent on going to war with Nie Tian, what should we do?”
Standing solemnly behind Xie Qian, Xie Wanting and Xie Yunhai listened attentively.
At this moment, Xie Wanting stepped forward and said in a pleasant voice, “Martial Uncles, Seniors, our sect has formed an alliance with Nie Tian, hasn’t it? Being allies means we’ll advance and retreat together, right? Now, the Domain of Heaven Python is in a crisis. Don’t tell me that, as their ally, we’re just going to sit back and watch.”
Many leaders of the local clans and sects were shamefaced after hearing these words.
However, they then thought of the possible result of them going against the Remote Beginning Heavenly Sect, and the shame rapidly faded from their faces.
Receiving others’ urging gazes, the Saint domain expert reluctantly turned to Xie Qian again. “Big Brother Xie, the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace is on the decline. You should be aware of the Remote Beginning Heavenly Sect’s strength and reserve power. However, we don’t even have a single G.o.d domain expert. We’d be courting death if we plunge into a battle against the Remote Beginning Heavenly Sect.”
Many others nodded in agreement.
Sitting in the host’s seat, Xie Qian ran his eyes over the faces of every sect and clan leader that was present.
After pondering in silence for a while, he took his time to say, “My sect is going to honor our alliance. As for you, I won’t force you to join us on our trip to the Domain of Heaven Python. The decision will be yours.”
Upon hearing that Xie Qian wouldn’t force them to do go, many local sects and clans of the Domain of Vast Darkness expressed that they had no intention of sending their experts to the Domain of Heaven Python as the Water Moon Sect would.
“Sorry, Brother Xie. We don’t want to be a part of this messy business between the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace and the Remote Beginning Heavenly Sect.”
“It’s not that we don’t want to help, but it’s just that my sect doesn’t even have any Saint domain members. We’d be courting death to go.”
“We don’t think we’re going to the Domain of Heaven Python either.”
After they finished speaking, Xie Qian was surprised to discover that not a single local force intended to go on this mission.
Apparently, none of them dared to offend the Remote Beginning Heavenly Sect, or thought that Nie Tian would win this fight against them.
In the Ice Soul Divine Sect’s headquarters in the Domain of Frigid Frost...
In a magnificent palace that stood atop a thirty thousand meter-high snowy mountain peak.
Recently, Han Qiong and Kong Shuangjing had spent all day fearing that Nie Tian would descend upon their headquarters with his subordinates to punish them for their previous deeds. However, news of the Remote Beginning Heavenly Sect marching their troops into the Realm of Maelstrom turned their mood around.
They hurried to awaken Ling Bingyun, the Ice Soul Divine Daughter, from her cultivation.
“The Remote Beginning Heavenly Sect made a move against Nie Tian!” Han Qiong said, looking as if he had just survived a holocaust. “I thought he’d come after us after he finished with their problem with the Primal Yang Sect. In fact, I’ve been having a headache over asking someone to mediate the tension between us. This works out for the best.”
“Now that Remote Beginning Heavenly Sect has made a move, I bet they have full confidence in winning,” Kong Shuangjing chimed in. “I suppose Nie Tian won’t have time to find fault with us any time soon.”
With a cold look in her icy eyes, Ling Bingyun, the Ice Soul Divine Daughter, said, “If the Remote Beginning Heavenly Sect has made their move, I suppose other sects that have G.o.d domain experts, such as the Profound Purity Palace, will join in too.”
“That’s right,” Han Qiong said. “The Profound Purity Palace is also very hard to deal with. They’re almost as powerful as the Remote Beginning Heavenly Sect. That Yu Suying is known for her cruelty and mercilessness.”
Kong Shuangjing let out a snort. “It’s hard to say whether Nie Tian will be able to survive this tribulation. Even if he does, he’ll suffer significant losses. I doubt he’ll have the energy to seek trouble with us anymore.”
“Exactly,” Han Qiong chimed in.
...
In the Realm of Split Void in the Domain of the Falling Stars.
A large number of experts were gathered in front of the grand palace that had risen from the depths of the earth.
Hua Mu, Qi Bailu, Fan Kai, Zhao Luofeng...
Almost every renowned expert in the Domain of the Falling Stars was gathered here to discuss some important issues.
Dong Li was among them.
She had long since returned from the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace, where she had purchased all sorts of precious materials for those who had been looking forward to breaking through into the Saint domain with the contribution points in Nie Tian’s Star Medallion.
Such efforts had been to benefit those like Yue Yanxi, who were at the late Void domain and only a step away from entering the Saint domain.
However, shortly after she had returned and distributed the large number of spiritual materials to those experts so that they could enter secluded cultivation to focus on their breakthroughs, she had learned about the Remote Beginning Heavenly Sect’s unexpected invasion, and the fact that they had demanded that all sectmasters and clanmasters go to the Realm of Maelstrom to wait for the arrival of the sectmaster of the Remote Beginning Heavenly Sect.
Fan Kai from the Heaven Palace Sect, who enjoyed a high prestige among the crowd, pondered for a while before asking, “Where is Nie Tian now?
“If he’s unavailable, should you take his Star Medallion and go inform the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace of the situation?”
With a bitter smile, Dong Li said, “On my way back from the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace, I heard that all thirteen of their subordinate domains are in turmoil. Chu Rui, the elders and Sons of the Stars were all arranged to put down rebellions in them. That was why Wu Zhuri and Qi Jiaoyang were able to escape after Fang Yuan escorted them back to their headquarters.
“Considering the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace’s situation, they wouldn’t be able to spare people to help us even if they learned about what happened in the Realm of Maelstrom.”
What she said was true.
“So how about we try to contact the Void Spirit Society?” As soon as Fan Kai said these words, he regretted saying them. He hastily turned to Hua Mu and added, “Brother Hua, you and Pei Qiqi are close. Do you think you can take a trip to the Void Spirit Society and get her to come to the Realm of Maelstrom?”
Pei Qiqi was the Void Spirit Society sectmaster’s most valued legacy disciple. If she was in the Realm of Maelstrom, even the Remote Beginning Heavenly Sect would have to rethink their deeds.
With a deep frown, Hua Mu said, “The thing is that I tried to contact her the moment I learned that the Remote Beginning Heavenly Sect invaded the Realm of Maelstrom, but people from the Void Spirit Society said that Qiqi is in secluded cultivation and can’t come out yet.”
Fan Kai smiled bitterly. “It can’t be this much of a coincidence.”
“What about the FIve Elements Sect then?” Qi Bailu asked. “Huang Jinnan, Lou Hongyan, and Hou Chulan. They’re all close to Nie Tian. What if we ask for their help?”
Dong Li let out a sigh. “Divine Sons and Daughters like them control limited power. They don’t have any G.o.d domain subordinates at their command. They’ll only make a difference if they can get their masters to come to our aid. Otherwise, they themselves can’t possibly get the Remote Beginning Heavenly Sect to give up on their invasion.”
Hearing this, Hua Mu said, “Let’s just hope Nie Tian’ll learn what’s going on and come back as soon as possible!”
“Yeah,” Dong Li chimed in. “Only if he comes back will we have a chance to frustrate the Remote Beginning Heavenly Sect and force them to retreat.”