boyutpedia Chapter 24 Good and Evil Conference 4
Chapter 24 Good and Evil Conference 4
Inside the Dragon Heart Pavilion on Dragon Head Mountain, Ao Chun had changed into a simple brocade robe and sat upright in his assigned seat. However, his eyes were fixed on Li Zha, who was seated in front of the main hall, like those of a hawk, and he did not look away for a moment.
Li Zha held the jade teacup between his fingers, taking a small sip of the fragrant tea, its delicate aroma lingering on his lips and teeth. He had long noticed the piercing gaze behind him, but he paid it no mind, his expression remaining calm.
"Brother Li, the Holy Maiden Xiyin invited us to gather here, but why haven't we seen her yet?" Ding Dian, the Holy Son of the Central Region Starry Sky Sect, finally couldn't hold back and asked Li Zha with his hands clasped in greeting.
"Junior Sister has been serving Master these past few days, and her cultivation in the Holy Path has progressed by leaps and bounds. She must be immersed in cultivation, which is why she has been delayed for a few hours." Li Zha's voice was calm, but before he finished speaking, he seemed to sense something, and the corners of his lips suddenly curved into a barely perceptible smile. He said nothing more, but simply held his teacup and slowly began to sip it, his eyes deep and unfathomable.
Suddenly, a gentle breeze swept through the hall, and an almost overwhelming sense of life permeated the air. Thousands of petals appeared out of thin air, fluttering like butterflies. As the petals gathered and dispersed, a graceful figure slowly materialized amidst the rain of petals.
The crowd was initially captivated by the intoxicating fragrance of the flowers, but upon seeing the figure amidst the rain of petals, they were all startled. The newcomer was none other than Xi Yin, the Holy Maiden of the Moon Worshiping Demonic Sect.
She wore a pale green dress, the hem adorned with a thousand vibrant flowers in various shapes and sizes, swaying gently in the breeze, as if she were wearing the entirety of spring. Her face, sculpted like ice and jade, was only adorned with a thin layer of makeup, yet it seemed perfectly natural, requiring no embellishment. Every smile and frown captivated the hearts of everyone in the hall, as if she were the most perfect creation sculpted by the supreme power of heaven and earth.
"The fragrance of the flowers is intoxicating, but the person is even more intoxicating!" Liu Jingzhuang, the holy son of the Qin Sect, couldn't help but sigh as he gazed at the beautiful figure, his eyes filled with amazement.
"Oh? Such a fine day and beautiful scenery, Brother Liu, why don't you compose a poem on the spot, so that we can witness your unparalleled elegance as the 'White-Robed Minister'?" Upon hearing this, Wang Linchuan, the Holy Son of the Calligraphy Sect, clapped his hands and laughed loudly from the front row seats.
Liu Jingzhuang quickly waved his hand, forcing a wry smile: "Brother Linchuan, you jest. When it comes to talent, who in the Confucian and Taoist lineage of Kunlun dares to compare with you?"
Wang Linchuan's name resounds throughout the Confucian and Taoist circles of Kunlun Realm; he is undoubtedly the number one Saint King in the Confucian and Taoist world. Even the Black-Clad Floating Buddha Master Benxiang, ranked fourth on the Heavenly King Ranking, could not gain the slightest advantage against him. His saying, "Not afraid of the floating clouds obscuring my view, for I stand at the highest level," perfectly captures the soaring spirit of Confucian and Taoist cultivators. Liu Jingzhuang knew he would never dare to flaunt his literary talent in front of him.
"Brother Liu, since Brother Wang has said so, you might as well accept his offer! We are all looking forward to reading your masterpiece!" Fan Kuan, the holy son of the painting school, also chimed in with a smile.
At this moment, Xi Yin, the protagonist of this turmoil, also cast her clear gaze toward Liu Jingzhuang, her eyes filled with anticipation.
Seeing this, Liu Jingzhuang had no reason to refuse. He took a deep breath and said loudly, "Very well! Since you all are so kind as to accept my offer, then I will make a fool of myself!"
After a moment's hesitation, he blurted out: "One glance at the Milky Way seems to turn the corridor, a second glance at the vast sea reveals the moon's gleam. A third glance at Kunlun Mountain pours down jade-like snow, pure and exquisite, where on earth there is no place to be covered in ice and frost..."
"Excellent! What a perfect 'nowhere on earth can one feel the frost'!"
"As expected of Liu Jingzhuang, the master of the qin (a seven-stringed zither), his literary talent is truly remarkable and his reputation is well-deserved!"
The hall erupted in cheers, with everyone clapping and laughing, praising the performance. The atmosphere inside the Dragon Heart Pavilion grew increasingly enthusiastic.
Upon hearing this, Xi Yin's beautiful eyes suddenly shone brightly. She took a graceful step and gave Liu Jingzhuang a gentle bow. Her voice was as melodious as a nightingale's song: "Brother Liu's reputation as the 'White-Robed Minister' is indeed well-deserved. However, my humble appearance is truly unworthy of such high praise from Brother Liu."
Wang Linchuan clapped his hands and laughed heartily, his voice booming like a bell, making the beams and pillars of the palace hum: "Holy Maiden Xiyin, why be so modest! Just now I was worried that Brother Liu's nightly indulgence in the pleasures of the Flower River would result in vulgar and tasteless lyrics that would tarnish your reputation. Now it seems I was overthinking it, you can breathe a sigh of relief!"
Upon hearing this, Liu Jingzhuang's forehead veins throbbed, and his brows furrowed instantly. He cursed inwardly, "You old bastard! Exposing my shortcomings in front of so many Saint Kings in the Kunlun Realm! If it weren't for your superior cultivation, I would have beaten you to a pulp today!" He secretly calculated that there was no hope of revenge at the Saint King level. The only way was to break through to the Great Saint Realm as soon as possible, and then he would definitely get his revenge.
A faint smile played on Xi Yin's lips, but a cold glint flashed in her eyes, and she cursed inwardly. Wang Linchuan's words clearly compared her to those women of the night; he was truly sharp-tongued. It seemed she would have to find an opportunity later to teach this loose-tongued fellow a lesson.
Just then, a gruff voice broke the atmosphere in the hall; it was none other than the battle maniac Tuoba Tao. He boomed, "Holy Maiden Xiyin, you've summoned all the Holy Kings of my Kunlun Realm to Dragon Head Mountain. What exactly is the purpose of this Righteous-Demon Assembly? According to past rules, we Holy Kings should already be at war, drums beating, to determine who is superior!"
Tuoba Tao was straightforward and his mind was full of fighting and killing. He didn't think about many things and only wanted to finish the battle quickly.
Xi Yin raised her hand to calm herself down and said in a clear voice, "Fellow Daoists, please be patient. This matter has already been decided by the great saints of our realm. This Righteous and Demonic Assembly will determine the ownership of all the holy lands in the Kunlun Realm for the next thousand years based on the victory or defeat of the Saint King realm cultivators."
She paused, her gaze sweeping over the crowd in the hall, before continuing, "The Holy Kings of various forces will engage in random battles. The winner gains one point, and the loser loses one point. Each Holy King can participate a maximum of four times. The force with the highest final score will have priority in choosing its Holy Land. Currently, there are over fifty Holy Lands in the Kunlun Realm, and each force can choose a maximum of five. The rules are that simple and brutal—winner takes all!"
The Righteous and Demonic Assembly was originally a grand event held by the righteous and demonic factions of the Kunlun Realm to divide resources and define territories, and it has always been a place where the strong are respected.
With that, Xi Yin flipped her hand, and a palm-sized cyan mountain appeared in her palm. Clouds and mist swirled around the mountaintop, and faint sounds of dragon roars and phoenix cries could be heard emanating from it. "This object is called Flying Peak. It is a spatial treasure, containing a small world within it. Our competition among Saint Kings will take place within this peak."
Before she finished speaking, Xi Yin quickly formed hand seals, and profound holy runes entered Fei Lai Peak. The small mountain immediately shone with golden light, broke free from Xi Yin's grasp, and transformed into a stream of light that shot out of the hall.
With a deafening roar, Feilai Peak swelled in the wind, transforming into a towering, domed mountain thousands of feet high within moments. It stood firmly beside Longshou Mountain, its summit as smooth as a mirror, emanating a faint, sacred aura that shook the surrounding area.
Xi Yin glanced around the hall, her red lips slightly curved, and said with a smile, "I wonder which fellow Daoist would be willing to take the lead and win this first prize?"
"I'll go first!"
A haughty voice suddenly rang out, and Xiahou Jun, the Holy Son of the Blood God Sect in the Central Region, stepped forward with a wild smile on his face. A flash of red light appeared in his hand, and a long mace made entirely of blood red appeared. The mace was engraved with dense blood-red runes, exuding a bloodthirsty and ferocious aura.
Xiahou Jun's figure blurred as he used the Shrinking Earth Technique, traversing endless space in just a few steps, like a crimson meteor, and landed steadily on the arena atop Flying Peak.
At the summit of Longshou Mountain, inside the Longjing Pavilion.
The great saints of Kunlun Realm had long since left the divine world of Lingche Dao Body and sat upright on their thrones, their eyes like lightning, looking down at Feilai Peak below.
Upon seeing the Blood Mace that Xiahou Jun had unleashed, Dao Shen Ling Che couldn't help but exclaim in admiration, "It's actually the Blood God Mace! Brother Xue is truly generous, even bestowing such a supreme sacred artifact upon his disciple."
Upon hearing this, Xue Renxian, the leader of the Blood God Sect, revealed a smug smile and stroked his beard, saying, "Nephew Xiahou has exceptional talent. He has already mastered our sect's supreme technique, the Blood God Endless Mace, to the highest level. His cultivation has reached the peak of the Dao Realm, and he has cultivated fifty million Sacred Dao Rules. All the acupoints in his physical body are immortal. He is only one step away from becoming a Sacred Body."
He had already made up his mind that once the Righteous and Demonic Assembly ended, he would leave the Kunlun Realm and go to the outer regions for training. At that time, the position of leader of the Blood God Sect would be passed on to Xiahou Jun.
On the arena, Xiahou Jun held the Blood God Mace, his body surging with crimson holy energy, transforming into a boundless sea of blood that enveloped the entire arena. He glanced down and proclaimed loudly, "Which fellow Daoist would be willing to step onto the stage and exchange a few blows with me?"
"Brother Xiahou, I've come to meet you!"
A bold voice rang out as Qin Yudao, the young master of the Qin family of the Northern Tang Empire, wielding a pair of Vajra double maces, stepped onto the arena with lightning speed.
Xiahou Jun glanced at the double maces in Qin Yudao's hands, a knowing glint in his eyes. He sneered, "Brother Qin, I didn't expect it to be you. It seems you intend to challenge my Blood God Endless Mace with the Qin family's heirloom, the Chaotic Dragon Mace?"
The Blood God's Endless Mace is a top-tier sacred technique created by the Blood God, the founder of the Blood God Sect. It consists of seven levels, and when cultivated to perfection, it can evolve into a divine power. It is one of the most advanced mace techniques in the Kunlun Realm.
The Qin family of the Northern Region established their family business with mace techniques. Their Hunyuan Youlong Mace is famous throughout the Kunlun Realm. It was created by a true god in the Qin family's ancestor and has been passed down for thousands of years.
As the young master of the Qin family, Qin Yudao naturally wanted to take this opportunity to verify which of his family's mace techniques was stronger or weaker than the Blood God's Endless Mace.
The two men clasped their hands in a salute, and then their eyes blazed with fighting spirit.
Xiahou Jun flicked his Blood God Mace, unleashing the Blood God Endless Mace technique, a single-mace method. Each move was powerful and domineering, the blood-red mace light tearing through the void, carrying a ferocious aura that devoured life, as it slashed wildly towards Qin Yudao.
Qin Yudao wielded two maces, unleashing the Hunyuan Youlong Mace. The maces danced like dragons emerging from the sea or phoenixes facing the sun, their moves agile, graceful, and ever-changing, completely protecting his body.
The two fought fiercely on the arena, their weapons flashing and clanging, the sounds echoing through the sky.
This Flying Peak, though seemingly only ten thousand feet in size, contained a vast space comparable to a great world, enough for the two to unleash their sacred arts to their heart's content. Each clash of their maces unleashed a world-destroying power; if this were to occur outside, it would easily destroy hundreds of miles of mountains and rivers.
Inside the Dragon Eye Pavilion, the Great Sages watched the spectacular duel on the arena and couldn't help but clap their hands and cheer, discussing among themselves.
Dugu Xi, the dean of the Northern Sacred Academy of Wushi Academy, looked at Qin Qiong, the Duke of Hu of the Great Tang Empire, beside him and said with a smile, "Brother Qin, your son is quite courageous! He dared to be the first to go on stage to challenge Xiahou Jun. His courage is commendable. I remember that Xiahou Jun is ranked tenth on the Heavenly King Ranking, while your son Qin Yudao was only ranked slightly over thirtieth last time. With such a huge gap, he still dared to face the challenge. It is truly rare."
Upon hearing this, Qin Qiong smiled slightly, but his eyes held a hint of worry: "My old friend flatters me. Dao'er's strength is far from being a match for Saint Xiahou. The reason I sent him up here was simply to let him witness the true strength of a top genius below the Great Saint level, so that he could recognize the gap and work harder in his cultivation in the future."
"snort!"
Beside him, Zhang Qi, the Grand Uncle of the Holy Ming Empire, scoffed disdainfully and said, "The Qin family's Primordial Dragon Mace, though created by a True God, is merely a high-level Saintly Technique of the Supreme Realm at its peak. Even if that True God himself were to unleash it, its power would at most be comparable to an ordinary divine ability. How can it compare to the Blood God's Endless Mace created by the Blood God? In my opinion, Qin Yudao won't last more than a hundred moves; he's doomed!"
Qin Qiong's smile froze instantly, and his expression turned somewhat ugly. Zhang Qi's words, though harsh, were the truth. Although he was furious, he couldn't refute them, since Xue Renxian, the leader of the Blood God Sect, was still sitting to the side. If he were to refute them, it would make him seem like a sore loser.
And the battle on the stage unfolded exactly as Zhang Qi had predicted.
Qin Yudao was only at the initial stage of the Dao Realm, and the number of Saintly Dao Rules he had cultivated was only twenty million, far inferior to Xiahou Jun's. He barely managed to withstand dozens of moves only thanks to the agility and versatility of the Hunyuan Youlong Mace.
With a furious roar, Xiahou Jun's Blood God Mace blazed with crimson light, unleashing a powerful "Blood Stained the Azure Sky" attack. The crimson mace beam, like a blood dragon piercing the heavens and earth, slammed into Qin Yudao's double maces.
With a crisp "crack," Qin Yudao's tiger's mouth was cracked by the impact. He himself was hit hard, spitting out blood and flying backward, crashing heavily to the edge of the arena. He was exhausted, and the people of the Great Tang Empire immediately took him off to treat his injuries.
"Qin Yudao of the Great Tang Empire, defeated! Xiahou Jun of the Blood God Cult, one point!"
A cold voice resounded throughout the heavens and earth.
At the same time, five huge lists suddenly appeared in the sky above Dragon Head Mountain, stretching across the sky like a giant curtain, corresponding to the five realms of Saint King Realm, Saint Realm, Half-Saint Realm, Fish-Dragon Realm, and Martial Arts Realm.
Xiahou Jun's name appeared at the top of the Saint King Realm points leaderboard, accompanied by a golden light.
"Brother Xiahou, what a brilliant move!"
Just then, another figure stepped through the air and landed on the arena. It was Ding Dian, the Holy Son of the Starry Constellation Sect. He smiled and said loudly, "I can't let you have all the credit! It's been quite a while since we brothers have sparred."
Ding Dian, as one of the seven holy sons of the ancient sects, was as strong as Xiahou Jun. As soon as he entered the arena, he unhesitatingly unleashed the Starry Constellation Sect's inherited great technique.
In an instant, a phantom primordial star field appeared above the arena, with billions of stars suspended within it, radiating an ancient and vast pressure. Ding Dian formed hand seals, drawing upon the power of the celestial stars, transforming them into dazzling pillars of starlight that crashed down upon Xiahou Jun.
Inside the Dragon Eye Pavilion, Zhuge Wuyou, the leader of the Starry Sky Sect, looked at Xue Renxian beside him with a playful smile in his eyes. He stroked his beard and said, "Sect Leader Xue, it's rather monotonous for us to just watch the juniors clash like this. How about we make a bet?"
Xue Renxian raised an eyelid, a disdainful smile curving his lips, and said indifferently, "Oh? Brother Zhuge has such an interest? Why don't you tell me what you'd like to bet?"
He had complete confidence in Xiahou Jun's strength. Looking across the entire Kunlun Realm at the Saint King level, apart from the top five prodigies on the Heavenly King Ranking, no one could reliably defeat Xiahou Jun. He was certain to win this bet.