Chapter 644 - 138: Weakness Is Original Sin
Chapter 644: Chapter 138: Weakness Is Original Sin
Above the grand hall.
Fei Jun’s expression was extremely cold. He had never heard of the Galo Sect, probably just another insignificant sect in the Yan Dynasty.
Only those sects considered second-class in each region would choose to teach the martial arts in remote areas, aiming to occupy these desolate lands in the future.
The Yan Dynasty stipulates that any pioneering sect has the privilege to select genius disciples from the untamed lands and possess a hundred-year right to these desolate territories.
This rule was set by the Yan Dynasty to encourage some sects to venture into overseas territories to expand more land.
Since the Xiang Kingdom could establish contact with the other party, it shows that before their Nine Palaces Sect arrived, this Galo Sect had already been here, and it was very likely to be a pioneering sect.
However, in the Martial Path, strength is the main language spoken.
Yan Dynasty’s rules are not absolute laws.
If the strengths of both parties are equal, then reason prevails, and the rules are followed.
But if the strengths are unequal, the rules become useless.
Compared to the Galo Sect, which is a second-class sect only in one region, their Nine Palaces Sect is considered a second-class sect throughout the Yan Dynasty.
Yan Dynasty has clear rankings for sects.
Having an Innate Third Realm within a sect qualifies it as a second-class sect, and the Nine Palaces Sect has a Supreme Elder in the Innate Third Realm.
The Galo Sect at most has a strong figure in the Innate Second Realm holding the fort.
Thinking of this, Fei Jun’s face turned cold as he looked at Di Hongtao, the High Priest of the Xiang Kingdom.
This person will be used as a warning to others.
Boom!
Fei Jun once again unleashed his aura, but this time it enveloped Yu Sanghua, bringing an oppressive aura from an innate martial artist, causing Yu Sanghua’s face to change drastically, as if a thousand weights had descended upon him.
He wanted to unleash his Martial Path Will at the first moment, only to find that it was directly imprisoned by the aura.
Others who saw Yu Sanghua’s body bent under the pressure, even trembling slightly, had a flash of helplessness in their eyes.
From the perspective of the state, they wished for Yu Sanghua to be suppressed, but from the angle of First-Grade Martial Artists, to be helpless against a martial artist from the Yan Dynasty made them feel a shared sentiment.
Training for most of their lives, they finally stood at the peak of martial arts in the Nine Kingdoms, only to realize in a flash that a lifetime of pride was easily crushed in the eyes of others.
Yu Sanghua’s face was twisted from the pressure, his back arched high, completely losing the dignity of a High Priest, akin to an elderly man bent under the weight of a heavy burden.
His body trembled like a sieve, his head lowered more and more with each shake.
Bang!
After a few breaths, Yu Sanghua could no longer bear the pressure and fell to the floor.
The dignity of the High Priest was utterly trampled.
Seeing this scene, Di Hongtao, the Left Prime Minister of the Liang Kingdom, sighed lightly in his heart, regardless of the grudges between the Liang and Xiang Kingdoms. At least at this moment, Yu Sanghua maintained his backbone as the High Priest of the Xiang Kingdom, never pleading for mercy.
"The martial arts prowess you pride yourselves on is nothing to me. If I wished, no one in your grand hall would walk out alive."
Fei Jun’s cold gaze swept across the room. He didn’t expect the Xiang Kingdom’s High Priest to have such a strong backbone, a glint of killing intent flashed in his eyes. In the next moment, his right finger flicked, and a sword qi shot towards the prostrate Yu Sanghua.
Thump!
The sword qi pierced through Yu Sanghua’s right leg, leaving a bloody hole. However, Yu Sanghua merely groaned, not uttering a single cry of pain.
"This time, I’ve only crippled your right leg, leaving you alive."
Yu Sanghua slowly got up at this moment, blood flowing from the hole in his right leg, soon filling the floor of the grand hall. Seeing Yu Sanghua’s pale face, the few others in the hall felt a surge of anger, but they suppressed it tightly.
As a First-Grade Martial Artist, the body has methods for healing, let alone a single blood hole, even if pierced thrice or six times, combat power can still be retained, and blood can be stopped quickly.
The continued bleeding from Yu Sanghua had only one explanation: the previous sword qi didn’t merely leave a bloody hole on Yu Sanghua’s leg. The energy within it destroyed the meridians in Yu Sanghua’s leg, thoroughly crippling it.
The dignified High Priest of a nation became a cripple, a fate more unbearable for Yu Sanghua than death.
Yet, there was no trace of resentment on Yu Sanghua’s face, and he even bowed to the upper part of the grand hall, "Thank you, Upper Official, for sparing my life."
Fei Jun scrutinized Yu Sanghua for a long time. Usually, he would kill such a tolerant person straight away, but having already spoken, it was not good to go back on his word now, so he decided to let the old man live a bit longer.
"The grievances among your Nine Kingdoms are not my concern. My purpose here is to select disciples for my Nine Palaces Palace. Any young martial artist sent by any state who is favored by my Nine Palaces Sect will be supported, possibly becoming the dominator of the Nine Kingdoms."
At Fei Jun’s words, the four monarchs of Zhao Kingdom began breathing heavily. The status of the hegemon of the Nine Kingdoms, something they hadn’t dared to dream of before, was now a possibility given by this powerhouse from the Nine Palaces Sect.
Yet, in the next moment, the four monarchs simultaneously showed helpless expressions. A disciple favored by the Nine Palaces Sect would undoubtedly be a genius disciple. When it came to genius disciples, they couldn’t compare to the Han Kingdom and Liang Kingdom.
"Besides, the Cloud Cauldron Mother Tree of Zhao Kingdom shall be taken over by my Nine Palaces Sect..."
Fei Jun continued, his eyes on the monarch of Zhao Kingdom. Cold sweat broke out on the monarch’s forehead, and within a moment, he responded, "It is the fortune of Zhao Kingdom that the Cloud Cauldron Mother Tree is valued by the Upper Official."
"Very well."
Fei Jun was quite pleased with the perceptiveness of the monarch of Zhao Kingdom. During his days in the Han Kingdom, he specifically learned about the distribution of innate energy on this island. From the information given by the Han Kingdom, it was confirmed that the Cloud Cauldron Mother Tree of Zhao Kingdom was innately wood-attributed energy.
Wood attribute energy is rare in the Yan Dynasty, often monopolized by those major sects.
"Ling Xiao City of the Liang Kingdom must also be handed over and will be taken over by my sect."
Fei Jun’s gaze turned to Di Hongtao, whose face also darkened. Ling Xiao City was the most prosperous city of the Liang Kingdom, and could not be easily relinquished.
Without Ling Xiao City, the strength of the Liang Kingdom would be reduced by twenty percent.
It’s important to know that Ling Xiao City is not only prosperous but also houses the Lingxiao Martial Arts Academy and has Ling Xiao energy.
"What, is your Liang Kingdom unwilling?"
Fei Jun’s eyes turned cold, Di Hongtao cupped his fists and said, "Upper Official, I cannot make the decision on this matter. I must report back to the monarch of the Liang Kingdom."
The reason he was representing the Liang Kingdom in the Han Kingdom during this time was because he and two senior brothers discussed it and received approval from Your Majesty to come first to test the attitude of this martial artist from the Yan Dynasty towards the Nine Kingdoms. If there were difficult matters, they could temporarily put them off to buy time.
"I am not here to discuss with your Liang Kingdom, but to inform you that in seven days, I will go to Lingxiao City to take over."
Domineering!
Everyone present had only one impression of Fei Jun’s behavior: domineering.
But this domineering attitude came from his strength, facing power far surpassing the Martial Artists of the Nine Kingdoms, they had no ability to resist at all.
Yu Sanghua was a prior lesson.
"Alright, what I need to inform you is just these matters. If you still want to preserve your country, then send more genius disciples over. I know you have a Hidden Dragon List in your Nine Kingdoms, so don’t bring harm upon yourselves."
Fei Jun smirked without a trace of a genuine smile, the threat in his words was obvious. If any country tried to hide the disciples from the Hidden Dragon List and didn’t send them to the Nine Palaces Palace, they would face the thunderous methods of the Nine Palaces Sect.
There was one more thing he did not inform these people about; his junior brother had already gone to the Martial Arts Garden to meet the mysterious Martial Garden Master.
...
...
One day later.
The entire Martial Artists of the Nine Kingdoms received a shocking piece of news. The territories of the Nine Kingdoms were not the entirety of the areas of the Human Race; beyond the Nine Kingdoms, there were even broader regions, and the Nine Kingdoms were merely a small island.
Beyond the Nine Kingdoms, there was the Flame Dynasty, and compared to the Flame Dynasty, the Nine Kingdoms were no more than a tiny speck.
...
Each country, in various places.
Taverns, teahouses, martial arts venues.
"Have you all heard? Our Nine Kingdoms’ land is just an island, there’s an even broader world outside."
"I’ve heard, it’s said our Nine Kingdoms belong to the Flame Dynasty, and the vastness of that Flame Dynasty territory is such that even Upper-Grade Martial Artists might not be able to traverse it in a lifetime."
"Is it true? Even Upper-Grade Martial Artists can’t cover it? Is the Flame Dynasty’s territory really that vast?"
"That’s what my second uncle told me, and he’s a Middle-Grade Martial Artist. It’s said that not only is the Flame Dynasty’s territory vast but also full of Martial Arts Powerhouses and perilous places. Some perilous places even Upper-Grade Martial Artists dare not enter lightly, thus naturally, they cannot traverse the entirety of the Flame Dynasty."
"Is the martial power of the Flame Dynasty that much stronger than our Nine Kingdoms?"
"Hmph, let me tell you some news: The High Priest of Xiang Kingdom, a standout among First-Grade Martial Artists, couldn’t even make a move against a Martial Artist from the Nine Palaces Sect of the Flame Dynasty, and directly had his leg crippled."
"That’s a bit exaggerated, isn’t it?"
"If you know the Martial Artists from Xiang Kingdom, you’ll know, the High Priest of Xiang Kingdom’s leg is already crippled."
"Hiss, does that mean the structure of the Nine Kingdoms is unstable?"
"Everyone, whether the structure of the Nine Kingdoms is stable or not is not for us to worry about. I did hear one thing, the Nine Palaces Sect, upon arriving in our Nine Kingdoms, will recruit a batch of disciples. Once chosen by the Nine Palaces Sect, it’s a meteoric rise."
"How could there be such a good opportunity? To be picked by the Nine Palaces Sect, one certainly has to be a genius among geniuses, those at the forefront of the Hidden Dragon List might have a chance, we probably don’t stand a chance."
...
...
Flame Dynasty, Nine Palaces Sect...
This news spread at an insane speed across the Nine Kingdoms, leaving Martial Artists of the Nine Kingdoms dumbfounded.
It turns out, there was such a vast world beyond the Nine Kingdoms.
Especially the younger generation, they were extremely excited; this meant they could have a much broader avenue in the Martial Path.
However, two days later, a piece of news shocked the entire Nine Kingdoms.
Zhao Kingdom, annihilated.
To be precise, the Monarch of Zhao Kingdom announced abdication, issuing an edict to the outside world, recognizing the Profound Nether Sect as the Upper Sect, and declaring all territories of Zhao Kingdom belonging to the Profound Nether Sect.
...
"Another sect from the Flame Dynasty!"
Inside the minds of powerhouses from various nations, it was clear that the Profound Nether Sect was also from the Flame Dynasty.
Now, everyone was watching to see how the Nine Palaces Sect would respond because that person from the Nine Palaces Sect had initially demanded the Zhao Kingdom to hand over the Cloud Cauldron Mother Tree.
Now that the Profound Nether Sect had taken control of the Zhao Kingdom, the Cloud Cauldron Mother Tree naturally fell into Zhao Kingdom’s hands.
...
Han Kingdom.
Fei Jun’s face was extremely unsightly, not expecting other sects to arrive so soon.
If it were only the Profound Nether Sect, it wouldn’t be much, but if the Profound Nether Sect could come, other sects would follow suit. Now, what the Nine Palaces Sect had to do was occupy more areas rich in Innate Energy before other sects arrived.
Zhao Kingdom’s Cloud Cauldron Mother Tree had to be temporarily forsaken.
"Wait for junior brother to return, then head to Lingxiao City in Liang Kingdom."
Just as Fei Jun made this decision, a figure descended from the sky, appearing in the courtyard.
"Junior brother?"
Seeing the figure, Fei Jun’s expression changed instantly: "What’s with the injuries on you?"
Upon seeing the bloodstains on his junior brother’s arm, Fei Jun was utterly shocked, was there someone in the Nine Kingdoms capable of injuring his junior brother?
"Martial Garden Master, also in the Innate Realm."
PS: Writer’s block, spent a long time on this palm technique, writing and deleting, deleting and writing, so today there’s only one Chapter. Please allow me some time to organize the subsequent plot.