Chapter 196: You Say We’re Even, But I Have yet to Reply

Ancient Immortal calendar, 5th of August, 4200. The news of Yan Mountain unifying Myriad Mountains shocked the whole continent.

Actually, Chen Ming found the location of this continent strange, because it had no name or at least a reason to have a name. It must have had something to do with the ancient immortal sects discussing among themselves.

The words on cultivators’ lips touched upon the new power in one way or another. Garnering this much attention showed that a new Sovereign appeared. The name Chen Ming, for them, signified the changing of the skies.

“I never heard of Yan Mountain before. It must be related to the appearance of a new Sovereign.”

“A Sovereign appeared while another fell. Times do change!”

“This is how Overlords change!”

“He’s only from the fiend race, nothing worth notice. The fiend race is nothing in this lands!”

Ancient Immortal calendar, the 8th of August, 4200. Demonic sect’s Head Sect Leader, Wu Jiang, declared: “Yan Mountain, I took one saber from you while you killed mine. We are even!”

If someone were to say that the previous news wasn’t shocking enough, Wu Jiang’s declaration unleashed a tidal wave, “No way! Just what is this Yan Mountain for even the demonic sect’s Head Sect Leader to say such words?”

“What does the Head Sect Leader mean by those words?”

“What is this ‘I took one saber from you while and you killed mine’? Is it possible the two might have close ties? Might it be the hidden deal related to Yan Mountain unifying the Myriad Mountains?”

“Just what is the connection between them?”

“Just what is Yan Mountain for it to have such an abrupt rise?”

Seven days pa.s.sed and the result of the four ancient immortal sects’ Gathering of Immortals resulted in two declarations.

The first was to inform the cultivation world of new Sovereigns, “We, the four ancient immortal sects, bore witness to the birth of two Sovereigns in these dark times. They will pave the way of the righteous immortal sect to victory!”

“Two months ago, demonic sect used a teleportation array to send its 16th Sect Leader, Xie Qianchou, in the lead of 30 King Corps to ambush our righteous faction most promising younger generation who could reach the Sovereign rank. This crisis coincided with the Lord of Yan Mountain, Chen Ming, facing all demonic cultivators, to uphold justice and safeguard the future of righteousness. He killed all Kings, slaughtering evil, to complete the step of killing to affirm one’s Dao, and finally faced a Sovereign. He used ten thousand swords to annihilate the demon, killing Xie Qianchou, lighting the world with our righteous path. At the moment of his rise as a Sovereign, mountains and rivers, the wind and clouds, all called out his name. He is the light in the darkness, the dawn of a new era. The world might be bleak, but the light shall pierce the veil. Chen Ming’s t.i.tle shall ever be Dawn, Dawn Sovereign!”

“Also two months ago, in Nine Frozen Springs, during the great battle between immortal and demonic factions, Astral Immortal Sect’s Zi Xia, stood beside Dawn Sovereign in fighting off the demonic sect, killing demons and facing a Sovereign. At the time of her rise as a Sovereign, the moon and the sun, the stars and the sky, all called her name. She is the most brilliant spark in the night, bringing it into the light. At the break of dawn, sun and moon s.h.i.+ned together. Zi Xia’s t.i.tle shall ever be Morningstar, Morningstar Sovereign !”

“Hail the Sovereigns!”

“Dawn! Morningstar!”

“Dawn! Morningstar!”

“Dawn! Morningstar!”

“Glory to the new Sovereigns!”

“May the Sovereigns live for thousands of years!”

As for the second declaration, other powers could guess somewhat what it contained. Since demonic sect behaved in such manner, the ancient immortal sects were bound to react, “As the demonic sect is eager to see the righteous immortal sect’s power, bear witness. From this day forth, beneath the Sovereign rank, all shall eliminate demons across this entire land. The righteous immortal sect declares a Purging of Evil!”

So far, the conflict resumed to the Dao Initiation realm, and not at all in the open. Now, the war escalated straight to the King rank.

A Sovereign was the greatest power in these lands. If one was set in motion, then it would be enough to ruin the war all by himself. The demonic sect too, hearing the righteous faction’s declaration, curbed their Sovereigns from joining the war.

A Sovereign’s fight, win or lose, was something both the immortal and demonic factions were both in agreement that it was a catastrophe to the world. They were far from ready to wage a war of this magnitude. They needed time for all the pieces to be in place. And so, this became a war of Kings where anyone could become prey.

As for Yan Mountain, they officially stated their position, as one belonging to the righteous immortal sect.

Lord of Yan Mountain’s t.i.tle was ruled by the ancient immortal sects, no less.

Yet those that heard Chen Ming and Fairy Zi Xia’s t.i.tles were making wild guesses, “Dawn and Morningstar are a great match. Isn’t the light of Morningstar Dawn?”

“Does that mean Morningstar Sovereign and Dawn Sovereign are having an affair?”

“They advanced to Sovereign rank together in the Nine Frozen Springs, with plenty of time for an affair. It was enough for even eight of them, am I right?”

“If it was as simple as an affair, how long do you think Sovereign Dawn would last?”

Fairy Zi Xia was in Fiend City when she heard of her and Chen Ming’s t.i.tles, and an unquenching furry burst from within, “What the h.e.l.l is the meaning of these d.a.m.n t.i.tles!?”

Su Qingyang said, “Go and as your Astral Sage!”

Xue Ziyu added, “Don’t look at me. Maybe you don’t know but Astral Sage had drafter some other t.i.tles before his declaration.”

Fairy Zi Xia asked, “What others?”

“Astral Sage said you are from Astral Immortal Sect, the brightest of stars. Therefore, your t.i.tle was to be that of star maiden, with the character ‘star’ from constellation and the character ‘lady’ from bride.(1) When his Eminence broke through he faced the stars, thus his t.i.tle was to be star youth. The star from constelation and youth from groom. Yet the other three Sages thought it was pus.h.i.+ng things too far, so they changed it to Dawn and Morningstar.”

Fairy Zi Xia’s fury boiled, “Sage has really done it now!”

Zhuo Qingyao’s heart panicked when she heard their t.i.tles, and only grew nervous as the rumors spread. What will Master think? She then recalled the time when Master gave her a lesson. It’s meaning: ‘no man was good; there was no such thing as one that didn’t have wicked thoughts in his heart’.

She rushed atop Yan Mountain, hoping to see a reaction from him when he heard of his and Fairy Zi Xia’s t.i.tles. But when she got there, Chen Ming was lost in thought, and approached with caution, intending to eavesdrop.

She saw how Chen Ming jumped to his feet, “You say we’re even, but I have yet to reply. I have a different opinion. Before the day we’ll fight face to face, we need to settle our differences first!”