Chapter 448: Strange Phenomenon in the Skies

Smearing animal blood on their lips, they swore to the heavenly law.

The alliance ceremony had been conducted in a very formal fashion. The two made their vows and paid their respects to the heavens.

“Heh heh, it looks like the Precious Tree Sect are some lucky bastards. What does the Regal Pill Palace see in them anyway?”

“I hear that they’ve set their sights on a genius disciple called Jiang Chen?”

“What genius disciple? Do you see any genius disciples amongst the Precious Tree Sect disciples?”

“A so-called genius disciple is likely just a pretext, isn’t it? The Regal Pill Palace’s true goal is probably the Precious Tree?”

“Heh heh, that’s probably it. The Regal Pill Palace is most proficient in the dao of pills. If there’s anything about the Precious Tree Sect that holds an allure for the Palace, it must be the Divine Fruits.”

“How laughable! The Precious Tree Sect thinks a meat pie has fallen from the sky in their good luck, but little do they know that this is leading the wolf into the house.”

“Heh heh, sheep allying with wolves. They’re looking to die!”

“Oh come now, perhaps the Palace really wants that genius? I’ve heard that genius killed the Purple Sun Sect’s innate constitution disciple and suppressed the inspector from the Sky Sect?”

“Hmph, suppressed the inspector from the Sky Sect? Who knows if that’s true or not? Did you see it with your own eyes? It’s very possible that the Precious Tree Sect exaggerated things to give themselves face.”

“But it doesn’t feel like it… I’ve seen information about that Jiang Chen, and the momentum of his rise is very peculiar. He was originally the heir of a small duke in a third rate kingdom within the sixteen kingdoms, but within a couple years he rapidly rose to walk amongst the clouds. It all feels quite miraculous.”

“Hmph, I still think the rumors exaggerate. Otherwise, why doesn’t this genius show his face today and open everyone’s eyes?”

Similar discourse rose and fell in every corner of the guests’ area.

It was apparent that no one looked favorably upon the current alliance. Most felt that the Regal Pill Palace had ulterior motives.

The ritual involving paying their respects to the heavens and smearing beasts’ blood on their lips came to an end at this time.

The sect heads on both sides exchanged tokens symbolizing the successful establishment of the alliance.

Dan Chi’s face was filled with delight as he said with a laugh, “From now on, my Regal Pill Palace and the Precious Tree Sect are allies. All the fellow daoists present please bear witness. From henceforth, the Precious Tree Sect and the Regal Pill Palace are brother-sects. Please take care of the Precious Tree Sect disciples as they travel around in the future.”

These words were delivered subtly, but it was a warning to everyone that 

when those of the Precious Tree Sect walked about the jianghu 

[1]

 in the future, you better not bully them like they come from a humble sect or abode. The Regal Pill Palace is backing the Precious Tree Sect now, whoever bullies them is pitting themselves against the Palace.

Those assembled could still read between the lines.

Forefather Thousandleaf and Ye Chonglou looked at each other, a hint of joy flashing through their eyes. Dan Chi’s attitude at least, was filled with sincerity.

A voice rang out from the guests’ area at this time. “Sage Dan Chi, it is indeed a great thing that the Regal Pill Palace and the Precious Tree Sect have allied. However, there are numerous rumors swirling these days and everyone is rather curious, why has the Regal Pill Palace chosen to ally with the Precious Tree Sect at this critical moment?”

“Indeed, Palace Head Dan Chi, we’ve heard that this sect is the prey of the Sky Sect. Aren’t the Palace’s actions making an enemy out of the Sky Sect?”

“Heh heh, I’ve rather heard that the Palace Head employed his utmost charisma for a genius youth in order to form this alliance. Palace Head Dan Chi, just who is this genius youth? Why doesn’t he show himself so everyone can take his measure and see if the Palace Head’s actions were worth all this?”

Those running their mouths were all heavyweights in the Myriad Domain and great personages who’d come from the six first-rate powers in the Domain.

Only this type of people dared voice such words at such an occasion. It was blatant that there were many who were privately irked that the Regal Pill Palace and the Precious Tree Sect were forming an alliance.

They subconsciously felt that this was the Regal Pill Palace expanding its territory. As another first-rate power in the Myriad Domain, the Regal Pill Palace was actually a latent threat to others.

Compared to the heavyweights of these sects, Dan Chi lacked much in terms of age and experience. However, he occupied a superior position and exuded the aura befitting it.

Dan Chi smiled noncommittally at these provocative questions.

“The consequences of whether or not my actions were worth it will fall on my Regal Pill Palace alone. I will experience the warmth and cold of the aftereffects, what need is there for you to assess the worth? As for the Sky Sect, the Myriad Domain is our territory. Does everyone think that preventing the Sky Sect from encroaching onto the Myriad Domain is the responsibility solely of my Palace? If we allow the Sky Sect to expand as they will, all of us present will be their vassals in less than a hundred years. I’m afraid you’ll see your own sect being made a fool of before you can poke fun of my Palace.”

Dan Chi laughed heartily, not affected at all by the slander from the outside world. 

Looking favorably upon my actions or not, I do as I wish.

“Palace Head Dan Chi is a forthright person alright, but we’ve all traveled such a great distance to participate in this ceremony. You should at least let us broaden our worldview, hmm? Just how amazing is the genius for Palace Head Dan to lower his gaze?”

“Indeed, look at how many geniuses in the Myriad Domain have come because of these news? They have come to see just how impressive the genius from the sixteen kingdoms could be. Palace Head Dan can’t just dampen spirits like this.”

“I heard that the genius killed one with an innate constitution and suppressed an inspector of the Sky Sect?”

“The rumors are so ludicrous, they’re making a mountain out of a molehill, no?”

Everyone could only refocus on Jiang Chen when they saw that they couldn’t faze Dan Chi. It was alright if they poked fun at the rumored genius that Dan Chi wanted, right?

If this was a fake genius, then Dan Chi’s intentions behind this alliance were suspect. If this was so, everyone could make use of the opportunity to wax eloquent.

If this genius really did have a bit of talent, then everyone could hoist high the dueling banner and send out their elites, thoroughly trouncing the genius and suppressing his glamour. They could cut off the genius’ path and suppress the weighty momentum behind this alliance, indirectly dissolving this alliance.

Dan Chi was contemplating when a shrill scream suddenly rang out.

“Eh? What’s that?!”

This voice stood out quite a bit and shifted everyone’s focus in its direction.

The man’s face was incredulous as he pointed at the sky, stammering out with agitation, “Look… look at the sky!”

Everyone was curious and looked towards the boundless skies his finger was pointing at.

Their expressions all changed drastically with a single look.

A strange phenomenon had appeared in the skies while they were exchanging words.

At this moment—-

Clouds were filling the heavens, half of them black and the other half white, cleaving the sky in two. It seemed to be a clash between two waves of clouds, forming an enormous vortex and churning up the entire sky. The black and white clouds were clearly outlined, each keeping to their side and forming the shape of two fish in a yin yang—the Taiji fish.

This enormous Taiji fish vortex loomed over the entire horizon. 

Thick layers of clouds continued to intertwine and be sucked into the yin yang vortex.

The center of the vortex seemed to lead straight into a hidden realm of the universe. It embodied countless profound mysteries and caused the black and white clouds roil towards that center.

Suddenly, the center of the vortex shot forth with blinding chromatic light that abruptly illuminated the lands of the Myriad Domain. 

Mesmerizing splendor rained down over a wide span of territory as calmness descended.

In that moment, the vividly-colored air currents actually formed rainbow bridges in the air!

The cloud layer continued to coalesce, grow, and change—coagulating into a magnificent view of the shapes of numerous celestials!

There were deities, fiercely glaring Buddha warrior attendants, dragons and lions, goddesses of the nine heavens, immortal mountains and treasure towers, tall buildings and pavilions, Buddha seats, blades and swords, spears and halberds…

Dragons soared and brightly-plumed phoenixes danced through the sky.

Chirp chip!

At this moment, countless birds’ cries traveled from all around. Numerous auspicious birds flocked in from every direction to gather around the celestial beings, emitting happy cries.

There were azure lesser phoenixes, rainbow-colored lesser phoenixes, vermilion birds, and divine phoenixes all gliding in an elegant dance around the figures in the skies.

It seemed that all the living beings on the ground had been startled as well. They rushed out of their territories and headed for a higher ground, baying and roaring in reaction to the strange phenomenon.

In that instant, everything below and within the heavens raged and roared as all living beings seem to form a marvelous accord and created this phenomenon that resonated between the skies and earth.

Everyone was dumbfounded by this scene.

They held their breaths and looked incredulously at the scene in front of them, unable to return to their senses for a long time.

Huang’er was playing on her instrument within the Precious Tree Sect. Her guzheng’s strings paused briefly and emitted a dull sound, disturbing her thoughts.

She too was extremely surprised when she lifted her head and saw the phenomenon. She put down her instrument, rose softly to her feet and looked incredulously at the landscape painting itself across the boundless skies.

She had been entertaining herself just now and had entered a state in which she was oblivious to the world. Such a state was a type of extremely deep meditation of the heart.

This kind of state was absolutely on par with Jiang Chen’s Boulder’s Heart.

Even so, she’d been startled awake. This was enough to prove how grand of an influence this phenomenon exercised.

Huang’er’s gaze was deep as she looked at the scene in front of her. Suddenly, her slender eyebrows quirked as a trace of surprise appeared and she looked in the direction of the Precious Tree of the Rosy Dawn.

This was because she could faintly feel that the center of the Taiji fish, the radiant splendor shooting in all directions, the communion with the earth, the source of everything, originated from the Precious Tree Garden!

A thought struck Huang’er as she looked astonished. She murmured, “Could it be… can it be that Sir Jiang has broken through to the origin realm and triggered this phenomenon? It’s impossible for a cultivator to cause this even when breaking through to the sage realm!”

Although Huang’er felt this was incredulous, she had a unique cultivation method that bestowed upon her exceedingly strong observation skills. She could faintly grasp that the source of this phenomenon was Jiang Chen, who was cultivating in the garden.

“Elder Shun… Huang’er is truly in awe of your foresight. If you were here at this moment, you would likely want to have him inherit your cultivation method?”

Huang’er sighed lightly, genuinely happy for Jiang Chen from the depths of her heart.

“Ask not where a hero comes from. Sir Jiang is a remarkable prodigy with great wisdom, immense breadth of mind, and a magnanimous bearing. Indeed, even wonders among skies and lands have arisen because of him. This marks the rise of an unparalleled power. The heavenly law cannot be hoodwinked. Only Sir Jiang is worthy of such enormous fortune.”

The entire Divine Abyss continent was shocked and awed by this occurrence, even some old monsters who were usually unconcerned from worldly affairs were completely taken aback.

How many years had it been since a phenomenon of this magnitude had occurred?

The greater world, the setting for wuxia/xianxia novels

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