Chapter 1530: You Smirk, I Smirk, Let’s Smirk Together
Chapter 1530: Chapter 1530: You Smirk, I Smirk, Let’s Smirk Together
"Brother Wei." Han Yutang felt deeply defeated and was in low spirits. Seeing Wei Xiaotian, his companion in misfortune, a sense of closeness spontaneously arose. Instead of calling him senior brother, he directly referred to him as brother.
"Brother Yutang, I’ve heard about today’s incident too. Although you were at fault initially, given Mu Hanyan’s mastery in Alchemy Technique and her control over the Cloud Dragon Nine Heavens Furnace, your prohibition wouldn’t have harmed her in the slightest. To her, it’s merely a joke, yet she insisted on inflicting serious injury on you, clearly intending to be your enemy.
Even if you let this matter rest, do you think she’ll spare you? If she gets the opportunity in the future, who knows how she’ll hurt you." Wei Xiaotian said indignantly.
"But Master is quite displeased with me, and I’m afraid..." Han Yutang, already unwilling to swallow his grievances, was swayed by Wei Xiaotian’s words. However, thinking about Ao Fangchen’s attitude made him hesitant.
"Yutang, you’re overthinking this. Your grandfather and uncle are like brothers to Elder Ao, and they wouldn’t side with outsiders. He just holds onto his status and refrains from meddling in the grievances between juniors and fears you’ll be at a disadvantage, so he advised you to let things go. If you manage to crush Mu Hanyan, Elder Ao certainly won’t criticize you." Wei Xiaotian spoke with a smile.
"Makes sense. Brother Wei is right." Han Yutang slapped his leg abruptly, feeling that Wei Xiaotian’s words hit the mark in his heart.
"By the way, Brother Wei, did you come specifically for this?" Han Yutang suddenly asked. He was a bit thoughtless; if Wei Xiaotian had come specifically to say this, he’d suspect some ulterior motives.
"Of course not. He was here to let you all know about something important. Upon hearing your situation, Xiao Tian came along to check on you." Bo Xuanji, who came together with Wei Xiaotian, spoke first.
"Please go ahead, Uncle Bo." Han Yutang said.
"There’s been strange phenomena in the Beast Spirit Illusion Realm recently, perhaps indicating an early opening. This time, I’ve come to alert the disciples of Divine Elder Peak to prepare early. Additionally, the Beast Spirit Illusion Realm usually opens once every ten years, and its early opening this time is unusual, possibly bringing forth extremely powerful Exotic Beasts, which might be dangerous, so extra caution is advised." Bo Xuanji warned.
"Will Mu Hanyan and her group also be attending the Beast Spirit Illusion Realm?" Upon hearing Bo Xuanji’s words, Han Yutang felt a stir within, but he maintained a calm exterior as he asked.
"Certainly, as the Holy Master has decreed, all cultivation resources of the Holy Court are to be accessible to descendants of the Guardian of the Gods from different countries, just as they are to Holy Court disciples; the Beast Spirit Illusion Realm is no exception." Bo Xuanji replied.
"Understood. Thank you both." A faint smile appeared at the corners of Han Yutang’s lips.
"Yutang, take care of your wounds. We will take our leave." Wei Xiaotian bid farewell and left.
As he turned, his gaze flickered over Han Yutang, revealing a subtle, disdainful sneer.
He did not notice that behind him, Bo Xuanji was watching his back with an equally disdainful smile.
West of Holy Sword Peak, beneath the verdant and quiet Beast Spirit Peak, a shimmering gateway akin to rippling water appeared before the gathered crowd as streaks of colorful light faded.
Passing through this gate leads to one of the Holy Court’s oldest and most mysterious sacred grounds: the Beast Spirit Illusion Realm.
At this moment, outside the gateway, over a thousand Holy Court disciples and more than a hundred descendants of the Guardian of the Gods from the Mainland Countries had gathered.
It wasn’t until arriving at Beast Spirit Peak that Mu Hanyan realized not everyone could enter the Beast Spirit Illusion Realm; only cultivators under the rank of Sword Saint and under forty years of age were allowed entry, as having too high a rank or being too old would not qualify.
Reportedly, this restriction stems partly from the Illusion Realm’s own prohibitions, and partly to prevent cultivators with excessive power or a heavy disposition for violence from provoking hostility from the Exotic Beasts.
The saying "those not of our kind are sure to harbor different intents" rings true for both humans and Exotic Beasts; while Exotic Beasts in the Illusion Realm are more docile than their counterparts in the Longyan Mountains, this is relative, as they maintain vigilance against humans and their fierce and violent nature should never be underestimated if their animosity is aroused.
Despite the many restrictions to enter the Illusion Realm, the Holy Court still had over one thousand prepared individuals, most of whom had reached or surpassed the Eighth Rank Sword Master, with over two hundred Great Sword Masters and even thirty-some members at the Great Sword Master Peak, just one step shy of advancing to Sword Saint, making them worthy of being called Semi-Saint.
Remember, these are under forty years old; if those above forty are considered, the Holy Court has so many Great Sword Master Peak powerhouses that they are beyond count. Such strength reiterates the lengthy dominance of the Holy Court Continent by the Holy Court, unparalleled by the Mainland Countries.
Of course, besides these powerful individuals, others with average strength, like Dan Tai Xuan, mixed with the crowd, appearing insignificant when compared, and barely noticeable unless scrutinized closely. Fortunately, his temperament had grown more composed and serene, showing no sign of dismay.
Upon seeing Mu Hanyan, Dan Tai Xuan nodded amicably, and Mu Hanyan returned the gesture, not saying much more.
"With the reappearance of Jiuyou Netherworld, the seal at the North Abyss Misty Plain struggles to hold, placing the Holy Court Continent in grave peril. This advance opening of the Beast Spirit Illusion Realm presents a tremendous opportunity. I hope everyone seizes this chance to tame Sword Pets and enhance your strength, so that when defending the continent, we can rely on more power." The Holy Master proclaimed loudly.
"Yes, Holy Master!" The crowd unanimously responded.
Mu Hanyan noticed that amongst these thousands of Holy Court disciples, some were genuinely moved to tears by the Holy Master’s words, while others were merely perfunctory. Reflecting on the visits to various peaks and valleys led by the Holy Master in recent days, she identified similar patterns among elders; some showed loyalty and devotion toward him, while others were arrogant, aloof, and clearly disdainful.
It seems her suspicion was correct; not every Holy Court member was loyal to the Holy Master, with many harboring personal intentions and not entirely following his orders. It wasn’t surprising, though, as the Holy Court had thrived for millions of years with internal conflicts, and traditionally, strong figures emerged with veteran elders whose age and qualifications rivaled the Holy Master, coupled with considerable strength, many among them were full of self-importance. Similarly, the Holy Court harbored numerous spoiled disciples abusing ancestral influence, like Han Yutang and previously Dan Tai Xuan.
Actually, it seems being the Holy Master isn’t an easy task after all.