novelhk Chapter 25 Good and Evil Conference 5
Chapter 25 Good and Evil Conference 5
Upon hearing this, Daoist Ling Che's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and his tone revealed a hint of amusement: "Gambling? How could I miss out on such an interesting activity?"
Upon hearing this, all the Great Sages watching the battle around them perked up. Originally, they were just there to watch the excitement, but now they were all eager to join in, rubbing their hands together.
Xue Renxian and Zhuge Wuyou exchanged a glance, both finding it both amusing and exasperating. Zhuge Wuyou cursed inwardly, "You Demon Emperor! I merely wanted to gamble with Xue Renxian on the ownership of the newly emerged sacred lineage, how did this whole bunch of guys end up joining in the fun?"
Dao Shen Ling Che ignored all of this and immediately raised his hand to summon a disciple dressed in a blue robe behind him. He said in a deep voice, "Cang Xuan, you shall record the bets of all fellow Daoists here. The odds shall be determined according to the ranking on the Spirit God Ranking. You must ensure that there is no deception among the young or old."
In an instant, in addition to the points leaderboard displaying the rankings of cultivators at the five realms, a dazzling odds board appeared in the sky. The words on the board changed, causing the Great Sages below to discuss animatedly, each eager to place their bets.
The first and foremost event was the showdown between Xiahou Jun and Ding Dian on the Heavenly King Ranking.
Just then, a cold, emotionless voice resounded throughout the heavens and earth from the Spirit Ranking. It was the unique, unemotionless tone of the artifact spirit: "Xiahou Jun, ranked tenth on the Heavenly King Ranking, is proficient in mace and finger techniques; Ding Dian, ranked twelfth on the Heavenly King Ranking, is skilled in palm and fist techniques. In this match, Xiahou Jun's odds are 1 to 1.8, and Ding Dian's odds are 1 to 2. There is no upper limit to the bet."
Dao Shen Ling Che's gaze swept over the two people facing off below, a faint smile appearing on his lips, and he said loudly, "I bet Ding Diansheng one million top-grade holy stones."
"The Demon Emperor actually favors Ding Dian?" Upon hearing this, the Heavenly Void Sword Master of Wanxiang City couldn't help but look puzzled and asked, "But Ding Dian was previously defeated by Xiahou Jun. In terms of cultivation foundation, he seems to be slightly inferior."
In his view, the outcome of this duel was clear, with Xiahou Jun having a far greater chance of winning than Ding Dian. Could it be that he had misjudged the situation? After all, the Demon Emperor had already broken through to the Divine Realm, and his vision was far beyond what he, a Great Sage trapped in the Realm of Ten Thousand Deaths and One Life, could compare to.
Dao Shen Ling Che smiled faintly and explained, "Ding Dian cultivates the 'Twenty-Eight Constellations Celestial Illumination Scripture' of the Star Sect. Once the spirit of the constellations is cultivated in this scripture, its power will increase exponentially. Judging from his aura, he has already cultivated the spirit of the seven constellations of the Western White Tiger. The White Tiger is the master of killing and is the strongest in terms of offensive power among all the constellations. If he can integrate the power of the seven constellations and set up the White Tiger Killing Star Array, Xiahou Jun will be no match for him."
Upon hearing this, all the Great Sages present were startled and turned their gazes toward the arena.
Ding Dian rapidly formed hand seals, chanting incantations as a vast surge of holy energy erupted from his body, drawing upon the power of the stars above. In an instant, seven dazzling starlight beams fell from the sky, transforming into the spirits of the seven western constellations: Well, Ghost, Willow, Star, Net, Wing, and Chariot. These spirits hovered around him, facing the stars in the heavens.
"The seven constellations unite, and the White Tiger appears!"
Ding Dian let out a loud shout that reverberated in all directions.
The seven star spirits surged forth with countless star patterns, suddenly merging into a phantom white tiger nearly a thousand feet long. The white tiger roared to the sky, its terrifying sound waves almost tangible, cracking the surrounding space. Caught off guard, Xiahou Jun was thrown back by the sound wave, staggering a hundred miles, leaving a deep imprint on the arena beneath his feet.
"It's a secret technique of the Starry Constellation Sect! Such a powerful killing aura!" Xiahou Jun steadied himself and looked at the majestic white tiger phantom, a trace of solemnity flashing in his eyes. He gripped the Blood God Mace tightly with both hands, and the mace's body surged with blood-red light, a fierce aura soaring into the sky.
"Blood will devour the eight wastelands!"
With a furious roar, Xiahou Jun swung his Blood God Mace and slashed fiercely at the white tiger phantom.
A hundred-foot-long crimson mace, like a surging crimson tide, swept towards the White Tiger with a power capable of devouring the entire world. The White Tiger, not to be outdone, roared and lunged forward, its paws striking the crimson tide.
In an instant, the killing power of the White Tiger constellation collided violently with the aura of the Blood Demon.
Two completely different forces intertwined and annihilated, unleashing a world-destroying power. The space within thousands of miles of the arena was instantly reduced to nothingness by the collision of these two forces' more than a billion rules, leaving not even a trace.
On the stands, Dao Shen Ling Che stood with his hands behind his back, a faint smile playing on his lips, his voice carrying far and wide: "The outcome is decided."
Before the words were even finished, the dust that filled the arena receded like a tide, revealing the scene inside. Xiahou Jun knelt on one knee, his hands gripping the Blood God Mace tightly to barely support his body. A hideous wound on his chest was so deep that bone was visible. The sharp aura of the remaining star power was still tearing at his holy body. Crimson holy blood flowed down the gaps in his armor, pooling into small blood puddles on the ground. His aura was already chaotic and disordered.
On the other side, Ding Dian was not unscathed either. His right arm was severed at the shoulder, the cut a bloody mess, holy blood gushing out. However, he was surrounded by dazzling starlight, and a suit of armor covered with star patterns protected his body. It was the Starry Night Sect's treasure—the Myriad Star Holy Spirit Armor. As a supreme holy artifact, although its offensive power was far inferior to the Blood God Mace, its defense was top-notch. Therefore, although Ding Dian's aura was heavy, it was much more stable than Xiahou Jun's. With a flick of his finger, a perfectly smooth holy pill melted instantly in his mouth. A surge of life essence swept through his body, and the flesh at the severed limb writhed, instantly regenerating a whole right arm. He bowed to Xiahou Jun, his expression solemn: "Brother Xia, you are too kind."
Xiahou Jun gave a bitter smile, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and said loudly, "Brother Ding's use of the Star Spirit, drawing upon the power of the Seven Constellations to condense the White Tiger and the power of the celestial stars to create a devastating technique, would even require a Great Saint of the Immortal Realm to temporarily avoid its edge. My defeat is not unjust." He should know that wielding the Blood God Mace gave him the advantage in offense, and his failure to win this exchange clearly demonstrated that Ding Dian's strength was superior. Both were among the best of the Saint King Realm, and this fierce battle had exhausted their Saintly Essence. Although their lives were not in danger, they were too weak to fight another match, so they walked off the arena together, drawing murmurs from the spectators.
Following this, Saint King realm experts from various forces took turns ascending the stage, instantly transforming the arena into a dazzling spectacle. Some stirred up celestial phenomena, their Saintly rules weaving into a web; others unleashed astonishing Saintly techniques, divine beast phantoms roaring across the heavens; still others summoned top-tier Saintly artifacts, their radiance soaring to the sky, their Saintly might awe-inspiring. The Great Saints in the stands sat aloof on the clouds, their gazes sweeping indifferently over the arena. To them, this level of competition was like watching a dazzling fireworks display—brilliant, yet ultimately unappealing.
Unlike the arena battles among Saint King realm cultivators, the competition among Saint realm juniors presents a completely different scene—the challenge of the Illusionary Beast Tower. This tower was crafted by Ling Che himself using supreme divine power, consisting of seven levels, each more perilous than the last. Passing the first level earns one point, and with each subsequent level, the points increase tenfold. These points are used to allocate Saint Vein resources within the Kunlun Realm. Saint Veins are divided into four grades: upper, middle, and lower, suitable for Saint realm cultivators. The highest-grade Supreme Saint Vein contains extremely pure spiritual energy, from which even gods can greatly benefit.
At this moment, on the leaderboard outside the Beast Tower, Zu Longshan Yuanjun sits atop the list, his name already renowned throughout the entire arena. This young man's true form is an ancient remnant, the Five Elements Sacred Dragon, with pure blood, comparable to a pure-blooded divine beast. He possesses an innate, unparalleled talent for controlling the power of the five elements. Even more remarkably, from a young age, his mother, the Frost Snow Beast Queen, sent him to study at the Heaven and Earth Academy, one of the four great academies of the Eastern Region. He immersed himself in Confucian classics, his Confucian and Taoist cultivation already surpassing the ordinary. Thus, he was able to use his sacred beast body to simultaneously cultivate Confucian and Taoist combat techniques, forcefully breaking through the fifth level of the Beast Tower and becoming a leading figure among the younger generation of the Sacred Realm.
Upon seeing this, Ling Chedao's eyes flashed with surprise. He turned to look at the Phantom Dragon Emperor, the master of Ancestral Dragon Mountain, beside him: "This child has extraordinary talent, cultivating both Confucianism and Taoism as well as demonic arts. He is truly a prodigy. When did the Dragon Emperor acquire such an outstanding offspring?"
Upon hearing this, the Phantom Dragon Emperor's face immediately showed a hint of embarrassment. He quickly cupped his hands in response, "Your Majesty, the Demon Emperor, you are unaware that this child is the seven hundredth son of the old dragon. He has been raised by his mother, the Frost Beast Queen, since childhood. The old dragon is usually busy with many affairs and is indeed not very familiar with his situation." After saying this, he was also secretly ashamed. If it weren't for the fact that Yuan Jun's mother was the Great Sage Beast Queen, with a highly respected status, he probably wouldn't even remember this son's name.
Upon hearing this, Ling Che thought to himself, "As expected of the number one dragon in the Kunlun Realm, it only cares about breeding and not about teaching. Such a temperament is truly rare." He then ordered, "Summon the Frost Snow Beast King to come and see me."
"This humble servant greets Your Majesty the Demon Emperor." A clear and melodious voice rang out, and a tall, beautiful young woman slowly stepped out from the crowd. Dressed in a simple white gown, her temperament was elegant and refined. She bowed gracefully to Ling Che. Ling Che's gaze swept over her, and his mind stirred slightly. In an instant, he saw through her true form: "It's actually a transformed Ancient Frostwood?" He glanced at the Phantom Dragon Emperor beside him, whose expression was slightly tense, and felt both amused and exasperated. A Dark Shadow Dragon combined with a transformed Ancient Frostwood could actually give birth to a Five Elements Sacred Dragon. This combination was truly astonishing and could be considered an anomaly in the world.
"I observe that your son is cultivating the 'Heaven and Man Five Virtues Divine Order Scripture,' one of the ancient scriptures of Confucianism and Taoism. This scripture is obscure and difficult to understand, and it is difficult to enter the field without the guidance of a famous teacher. Which Confucian sect is he a disciple of?" Ling Che asked directly.
The title "Confucian Master" carries immense weight. Only those who have reached the pinnacle of Confucian and Taoist cultivation, or who have made significant innovations to Confucian and Taoist ideas, are qualified to receive this title. In the Kunlun Realm today, it is precisely because Ling Che has intentionally promoted the integration of various Confucian and Taoist ideas with the local Confucianism and Taoism that four Confucian Masters have emerged like never before. All of them are great Confucian scholars of our time, highly respected and virtuous.
As soon as he finished speaking, an elderly man with white hair stepped out from the crowd. Dressed in a scholar's robe, he possessed a gentle and refined demeanor. He was none other than Bai Yi, the former dean of the Heaven and Earth Academy. He bowed to Ling Chedao and said, "Demon Emperor, there is no need to ask further. Yuan Jun is my last disciple."
"Senior Uncle Bai?" Ling Che's eyes widened in surprise. "I never expected this boy to be your disciple. You haven't taken on any disciples for thousands of years. Why would you make an exception and accept this junior from the demon race?" Bai Yi was Ling Che's master's eldest brother, of extremely high seniority, and the most senior figure in both Confucianism and Taoism, now over five thousand years old. A pure human Supreme Saint's lifespan is only ten thousand years, and with his years spent cultivating within the Time Array, he had already lost much of his lifespan, and now his days were numbered. Ling Che's plan to take the Great Saints of the Kunlun Realm away from the Kunlun Realm was primarily to find an opportunity for Bai Yi to become a god, allowing him to break through the shackles of lifespan. Ling Che himself had once wanted to become Bai Yi's disciple, but was politely refused. Now, seeing Bai Yi make an exception for Yuan Jun, he was naturally curious.
Bai Yi smiled slightly, his gaze fixed on the direction of the Illusionary Beast Tower, his eyes filled with anticipation: "This child is destined to be with me. Furthermore, I have taught for thousands of years, enlightening countless humans, but I have never taught any young demons. Confucianism and Taoism emphasize inclusiveness and the enlightenment of all things. If he can pass on the great principles of Confucianism and Taoism to the demon race, it will fulfill my educational mission. That is why I made an exception and accepted him as my disciple."
Upon hearing this, Ling Che's Dao body immediately understood. Bai Yi had already achieved the three immortalities of Confucianism and Taoism through his life of establishing virtue, words, and deeds. He was only missing one final opportunity to break through the shackles, and that opportunity was clearly to educate the demon race and promote Confucianism and Taoism. This coincided perfectly with Ling Che's ideal of promoting the great revival of Confucianism and Taoism, making it a truly wonderful thing.
Just then, the scene of the sixth level of the Illusionary Beast Tower appeared in the sky, showing Yuan Jun's challenge. The tower's interior was vast and boundless, with 100,000 Bloodhorn Demon Rhinos galloping and roaring, each radiating the holy might of the Earth-Piercing Realm. A thick stench of blood clung to their horns, and the sound of their hooves caused the very space to tremble slightly. Yuan Jun was a Supreme Saint Realm cultivator; according to the Illusionary Beast Tower's rules, the beasts within were three realms lower than him. Even so, the combined power of 100,000 Earth-Piercing Realm holy beasts would force even an Immortal Realm Great Saint to retreat.
Fortunately, these phantom beasts were all simulated by the rules within the tower and had no independent consciousness; they only knew how to attack according to a fixed program, which gave the challengers a glimmer of hope. Yuan Jun stood before the formation, holding an ancient and simple seal, which was the Heaven and Earth Seal, one of the supreme treasures of Confucianism and Taoism. His body was surrounded by the sacred aura of Confucianism and Taoism, and he chanted incantations. The sound of the scriptures transformed into golden runes, enveloping his entire body. His figure flickered, like a stream of light shuttling through the group of Bloodhorn Demon Rhinoceroses. Each time the seal fell, it carried a vast and righteous aura, smashing several demon rhinoceroses into green smoke and dissipating.
However, the sheer number of 100,000 demonic rhinoceroses was overwhelming, and they were impossible to kill completely. Although Yuan Jun possessed extraordinary talent and profound foundation, his Saintly Yuan was rapidly depleting under this relentless onslaught. In just a quarter of an hour, his aura gradually weakened, and his movements slowed. Ultimately, he could no longer hold on and was struck in the back by a blood-horned demonic rhinoceros. His body flew backward, his radiance dimming, and he was instantly engulfed by the surging herd of demonic rhinoceroses. The next moment, Yuan Jun's figure appeared outside the Illusionary Beast Tower, his face pale and bloodstains at the corner of his mouth, clearly indicating that he had failed the challenge.
Seeing this, everyone in the stands nodded in approval. Although they hadn't succeeded, being able to withstand the attack of 100,000 Transcendent Realm phantom beasts for three quarters of an hour was a feat far surpassing others of the same level. He truly deserved to be called the number one in the Saint Realm.