Chapter 30: The Three Ancestors of the An Family, Conflict Arises in the Sacred Land Celestial Dynasty!
Azure Prefecture, Southern Region.
Xuanqing Sect.
The Grand Elder, Chen Xiu, looked at Yan Changkong in disbelief and asked, “Sect Master, are you sure we’re not going to Ningzhou?”
“This is a secret from Elder Lin Feng! A secret that could influence the entire cultivation realm… it’s about the chance for ascension…”
Yan Changkong sighed but then replied firmly, “Not going!”
“Let Elder Qi Yuan take a few disciples instead; consider it an opportunity for training. The sect will reimburse his travel expenses.”
Chen Xiu still looked confused. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! Sects and families from across the regions were sending their strongest fighters, hoping to snatch a sliver of chance away.
Even though the Xuanqing Sect wasn’t particularly strong, we still had some standing. With two emperors as our backing…
If Yan Changkong went in person, the other forces might still show some respect.
But Yan Changkong actually decided not to go? Was he being too cautious?
Seeing the Grand Elder still unwilling to back down, Yan Changkong patiently explained, “If there were truly great opportunities, why didn’t Elder Lin Feng sneak us a message sooner?”
“If he didn’t do that, it means he’s considering something!”
“Either there’s some hidden mechanism at play, or our Xuanqing Sect’s strength isn’t enough to seize this chance.”
The Grand Elder was left speechless, dumbstruck.
Yan Changkong continued, “Moreover, an uproar in the world means all major powers will be in action. Even if I were to compete, what are our chances?”
“Relying on others to give us face?”
“If it’s a massive opportunity, not even Elder Lin Feng showing up would change anything when the fights start! It doesn’t matter who you are!”
The Grand Elder showed a hint of shame.
Yan Changkong added, “The sect is rapidly developing right now, but we can’t get too carried away! We must remain calm.
“Play it safe!
“Grow steadily, and as we grow stronger, opportunities will always come knocking.”
The Grand Elder, now feeling ridiculous, was overwhelmed with shame!
Yan Changkong continued, “We can’t compete for this opportunity.”
“Let Elder Qi take a few promising disciples, treat it as a training exercise, to broaden their horizons.
“As long as we have someone present to grasp the secret Elder Lin Feng spoke of, that’s enough.”
Tears streamed down the Grand Elder’s face. How could he doubt such a forward-thinking Sect Master? Am I even human?
With a moved expression, the Grand Elder said, “Sect Master, stop! I’ll go speak to Elder Qi about this right away!
“In the future, I will support all your decisions!”
With that, he turned and dashed out of the hall, disappearing into the distance.
Moments later…
Yan Changkong took a deep breath and swallowed a calming pill.
Then, with a hint of fear, he mumbled, “Still going to compete? Going to watch those Great Ascension folks brawl?”
“Last time I almost got scared to d*ath!”
————
Three days had flown by in the blink of an eye.
Ningzhou, Heavenly Storm Realm.
In just a few short days, it had become the bustling center of the cultivation world.
Countless flying ships, floating palaces, and luxurious carriages soared through the sky, finally landing in Azure Prefecture’s Heavenly Storm Realm.
This time, the number of personnel from each major power far exceeded the last trip to Xuanqing Sect.
After all, the last time was just to probe the waters and check out the Emperor’s reputation like tourists.
But this time was different! This was a real showdown over the chance to uncover the secrets of ascension.
This was about fighting and snatching!
One slip of the tongue could spark a battle that shook the entire cultivation realm.
After all, nearly all forces were involved.
The superpowers aimed to monopolize the opportunity.
The top-tier forces wanted a slice of the pie.
Mid-tier forces hoped to pick up some scraps.
And even the low-tier powers wanted to see if there were any bones to gnaw on.
Even those groups ranked eighteen-levels down the list and various rogue cultivators were hopeful, ready to pounce at any chance.
As soon as there was an opening, they wouldn’t hesitate to make a move.
Everyone focused on the Emperor’s diary, all waiting for this day!
With all parties converging with thunderous momentum in the Heavenly Storm Realm,
the entire Heavenly Storm Realm seemed shrouded in a cold, ominous atmosphere; the air was thick with pressure.
And the An Family felt that pressure.
At this moment!
Inside the An family’s territory, hundreds of thousands of An family disciples lived here.
However, a huge portion of them were simply average folks with ordinary talents, living in the outer towns.
Only those with exceptional cultivation potentials could enter the family’s core area.
In the past, core disciples of the An family only needed to focus on cultivation.
They lived without worries, with resources pouring in continuously.
But now, even in the core city of the An family, everyone was on edge, their expressions grave.
Even though most knew that the An Family’s Cangwu Mountain held a secret revealed by the Eternal Emperor,
they had no idea what that secret was.
However, when even the ancestors were disturbed and shaken from their seclusion,
along with the careful arrangements from the family head, An Shanyuan,
it made all An family members realize that the family truly faced a life-and-d*ath crisis.
Some talented children had even been secretly sent out of the An family and relocated elsewhere.
“What on earth is the secret of Cangwu Mountain?”
“Yeah, we’ve lived here so long, but we haven’t sensed a thing.”
“No matter what the secret is, it’s all the Eternal Emperor’s fault!”
“d*mn it, if his diary hadn’t come out, how would our An family be facing this catastrophe?”
“Why worry? Our An family isn’t some easy target!”
“Let this be the opportunity for everyone to see our might. We’re resolved to stand with our family through thick and thin!”
In the core area of the An family, some youthful cultivators were brimming with righteous indignation, angrily discussing.
At this moment, inside an ancient hall of the An family,
the family head, An Shanyuan, stood timidly to one side, bowed respectfully as he recounted the situation and his arrangements for the An family.
Three emaciated elders with crane-like hair and youthful faces sat quietly in chairs, listening intently.
They carried no miraculous aura, resembling ordinary elderly men.
Yet, upon a closer thought, they felt anything but ordinary, emanating an air of mystery.
These three were the founding ancestors of the An family in Ningzhou.
Ten thousand years ago, they led their clan to settle here, developing and flourishing.
And they held the title of the most powerful cultivators in the entire An family.
Thousands of years ago, the three ancestors of the An family were also famed figures in the cultivation world.
Back then, they were already of the Great Ascension stage.
“Ancestors, the current situation is like this…” An Shanyuan said before standing quietly, awaiting further instructions.
After a moment of silence…
“Alas…”
Elder An Yujun sighed lightly, still maintaining a calm demeanor, fixing his gaze on An Shanyuan, and said, “You’ve done well!”
Elder An Yudu and Elder An Yuheng nodded with smiles, their faces still serene, calm as a lake.
An Yujun pondered for a moment and then added, “What’s meant to come will come. I’ve long anticipated that such a day would arrive.”
“Since it’s here, let’s think of a way to deal with it.”
An Shanyuan’s face shifted, hesitant to speak.
But seeing the elders had emerged from their seclusion made his heart settle, finding a sense of support.
He was no longer in such a panic.
An Yujun continued, “Let’s wait for the others. This matter shouldn’t be solely borne by our An family!”
“Strength in numbers; everyone working together is the way to overcome crises.”
An Shanyuan hurriedly added, “Old Ancestors, we’ve already sent word; they should be arriving soon.”
As soon as he spoke, loud laughter erupted from outside.
“Hahahaha!”
“An Yujun, you old fox, you really didn’t get it wrong!”
“Indeed, just came out from seclusion, and you all plotted against us!”
“Three old foxes, we have enough on our plate!”
An Shanyuan instinctively jumped, then let out a sigh of relief, his gaze shifting to the sky above the door.
It was empty, nothing at all.
The previous voices were mysterious, echoing in his ears as if they were right next to him, yet distant as if they were far away.
Hard to tell the direction or gender.
However, in the next moment, An Shanyuan saw dozens of shadowy figures cloaked in black hoods appear silently inside the hall.
They seemed to have been there all along.
The three ancestors of the An family stood, slightly cupping their fists in greeting.
An Yujun smiled, “Old friends, it’s been so many years; hope you’re all well!”
“Hey, we were well, but now who knows!”
After a moment, An Shanyuan hurriedly stepped out, while the three ancestors of the An family discussed matters with their guests.
————
Meanwhile, several hundred miles away from the An family, in a mountain range within the Heavenly Storm Realm, a battle had just erupted.
It caused quite a stir, and both sides had significant origins.
On one side stood the powerful Jade Pool Sacred Land.
On the other was the awe-inspiring Liyue Celestial Dynasty!
As for the cause of the fight? Quite simple.
Both sides’ advance troops arrived in the Heavenly Storm Realm to seize territory.
After all, with so many forces arriving, the Heavenly Storm Realm was already overcrowded.
They needed to secure a position early on!
Who would have thought that the troops from Jade Pool Sacred Land and Liyue Celestial Dynasty would arrive almost simultaneously and both set their sights on the same peak?
This peak not only had stunning scenery but also overlooked Cangwu Mountain.
Neither side was willing to back down, and both were significant powers, leading to an immediate skirmish.
During the battle, both sides suffered injuries, but they restrained themselves and no deaths occurred.
After stopping, both continued to remain on guard, waiting for reinforcements to arrive.
This standoff lasted several hours.
Once Que Ruyi arrived and learned of the situation, her expression darkened, saying, “You fight at the slightest disagreement!”
“What? Is everyone from the Liyue Celestial Dynasty so overbearing?”
The Liyue Celestial Dynasty side felt the pressure when their holy master appeared and instantly grew timid, not daring to speak.
Just at that moment, from the sky, nine dragon-shaped shadows pulled a luxurious imperial carriage toward them.
Ye Qingge, in splendid imperial robes, emerged with a frosty expression, scanning Que Ruyi.
Her cold voice, yet incredibly imposing, stated, “Indeed, everyone from the Liyue Celestial Dynasty, is just as overbearing!”
“What will you do about it?”
As the holy master of the sacred land, Que Ruyi wasn’t one to back down!
She turned her head, her gaze meeting Ye Qingge’s…
For a moment, their eyes locked, and it felt as though sparks were flying in the air.
A standoff!
At this moment, even the atmosphere felt like it froze in place.
