332 - Made-Up Martial Arts, Have You Really Mastered Them, Disciple?

Chapter 332: Suspected Celestial Lord, Abyss of the Blue Sea Little Star Lake was in an uproar—an unparalleled powerhouse from the Great Zhou imperial family had been killed by the Evergreen Pavilion, and a proud heir of the Great Zhou, the Purple King's son, barely escaped with his life, retreating in humiliation. As the news spread, the various power factions within Great Zhou were utterly stunned. This was an outright provocation against the Great Zhou imperial family. Did the Evergreen Pavilion truly believe they could withstand the imperial family's retribution with such audacity? Martial artists who were planning to visit the Evergreen Pavilion, some even seeking consultations, were suddenly too frightened to proceed, opting instead to watch how the situation developed. However, neither Su Lingxiu, Xu Yan, nor Meng Chong paid this turmoil any mind. To them, it was just another powerhouse that had condensed Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy—a formidable opponent, sure, but one they had faced and slain before. Zi Yun expressed some concern, "The Great Zhou imperial family is very powerful. Might this cause trouble?" Even though she voiced her worries, she felt no real danger, only the potential for complications. "A trivial matter," Su Lingxiu replied dismissively. "He attacked first. Are we not allowed to retaliate?" "Exactly," Xu Yan agreed, nodding. "If the Great Zhou isn't satisfied, I'll blockade their palace gates and fight until they concede." Zi Yun recalled Xu Yan's audacious challenge at the gates of the Thousand Martial Hall a few years back. His strength now seemed even more astonishing. As the Evergreen Pavilion buzzed with lively conversation, Xu Yan recounted his experiences in the Da Chuan Province, including slaying the chief blade elder of the Thousand Martial Hall. He revealed the blades he acquired from the hall, offering one to Meng Chong: "Junior Brother, do you think this blade suits you?" Meng Chong weighed the blade. "It looks fine," he said, "but I’m more accustomed to using the blade crafted by my junior brother. Still, it'll be useful. I'm thinking of creating a blade array." Inspired by their elder brother's sword array, Meng Chong had his mind set on crafting a similar array for blades. Meanwhile, the leaders and elders of the Thousand Martial Hall wore heavy expressions. Could it be that Xu Yan had ties to the Blood Demon? The calamity of the Blood Demon was a thorn in the side of the Spiritual Sects—a seemingly indestructible threat that had risen and fallen thrice. If the Blood Demon was indeed resurging, he would be even more dangerous now, smarter and more cunning—and he had nurtured extraordinary disciples. "It's time for the Spiritual Sects to convene. Notify Lei Yun Villa, the Imperial Spirit House, Tai-Miao Sect, and the Greater Zhou Xiang family to discuss this matter," the master of the Thousand Martial Hall declared coldly. "Yes!" the elders responded, though anxiety simmered beneath their resolves, particularly concerning the absent chief blade elder. Was something amiss, perhaps? Was Xu Yan alone responsible for his fate, or did someone else orchestrate it? In the celestial expanse within the Spiritual Domain, the Master of Wilderness held a captive figure as they confronted the leaders from Lei Yun Villa, Imperial Spirit House, Tai-Miao Sect, and the Purple King on behalf of the Great Zhou imperial family. "Why did you summon us?" Lei Yun Villa’s master inquired sternly. "The Heaven’s Chosen battle," Tai-Miao Sect's leader said, "will proceed according to the rules. Our sect won't support violations." "This isn't about that," the Wilderness Master stated gravely. "I suspect the Blood Demon has returned!" His words stunned the assembly into silence. "Is that true?" the Purple King asked, visibly startled. "The Blood Demon couldn't possibly return," Tai-Miao Sect's leader retorted fiercely. "My Martial Uncle slew him personally!" He turned an icy glare towards the Wilderness Master. "What evidence do you have?" "This person came from the Inner Domain when the Spiritual Domain Gate last opened," the Wilderness Master explained, citing Xu Yan, Meng Chong, and the Evergreen Pavilion’s claims. "They are fellow disciples." The Purple King and the others looked at the captive inquiringly. "Is this true?" Pale and trembling, the captive admitted, "Xu Yan and Meng Chong are from the Inner Domain. They are unrivaled prodigies there, and their master is a mysterious high expert." "In the Inner Domain, besides the Blood Demon who fled there years ago, where else could such experts come from?" the Wilderness Master argued. Given these assertions, all eyes turned toward each other, contemplating the possible resurgence of their most feared adversary. But still, Tai-Miao Sect's leader shook his head. "Impossible. The Blood Demon was buried by my uncle himself. Xu Yan and Meng Chong were scrutinized by the sect and have no Blood Demon connections." Lei Yun Villa’s Master chimed in carefully, "We've had dealings with Evergreen Pavilion. I've seen that one—their master might not be the Blood Demon but perhaps a Celestial Lord." His statement drew audible gasps. "Can this be true?" the others exclaimed. "Ninety percent certain," Lei Yun Villa's Master affirmed gravely. "Not the Blood Demon?" the Wilderness Master muttered with disbelief. "The Divine Bridge will soon open," the Tai-Miao Sect leader cautioned, "and if it truly is a Celestial Lord you provoke, you cannot withstand their ire." "Sufficient caution is advised," the Purple King mused, rethinking their approach as they departed. "The Blood Demon is dead, that's undeniable," the Purple King concluded, advising prudence in dealing with supposed Celestial plans. As they left, the Wilderness Master’s face contorted with dissatisfaction, albeit silently accepting the verdict. He discarded the prisoner mid-return, watching with grim satisfaction as no trace of the figure remained. Returning to the sect, the Wilderness Master informed the elders of recent events, emphasizing the Celestial Lord theory, which left them equally astounded. One insidious elder suggested exploring Inner Domain connections, probing Xu Yan’s true affiliations. The Wilderness Master conceded, aligning secretly to send two elders into the Inner Domain. Additionally, they debated the fate of Tang Jinyan, deciding her fate held potential strategic value. By holding leverage over Xu Yan, they could manipulate him regardless of his prodigious strength. Bringing Tang Jinyan and her servant before the Wilderness Master resulted in the latter's immediate execution—her cries of fear met only cold assurances of survival conditioned upon silence. She pledged allegiance, appreciative of the support her sect would gain from the alliance—a gift of protection. Yet, she dared not inquire about Su Lingxiu’s circumstances, fearing it involved far-reaching Spiritual Sect secrets. Meanwhile, back in the Great Zhou capital, the Purple King dispatched word to the emperor about their visit, only to return to chaos—his son's close brush with death, guards slain. Shaken but determined, he pledged retribution and demanded the destruction of the offenders. --- **Terms and Translations:** 1. **Celestial Lord (天尊)** - Translated as "Celestial Lord." This term suggests a divine rank beyond normal martial prowess. 2. **Purple King's son (紫王世子)** - Translated to maintain status and identify lineage within the Great Zhou (大周) context. 3. **Abyss of the Blue Sea (碧海絕淵)** - Kept as a literal translation, suggesting a mysterious, perilous location or concept. 4. **Master of Wilderness (千武殿主)** - Translated considering "殿主" as a sect master, aligned with his title as head of the Thousand Martial Hall (千武殿). 5. **Da Chuan Province (大川州)** - Translated to align with geographic designations typically used in fantasy contexts. These translations prioritize maintaining the original's hierarchy, mystique, and narrative complexity, ensuring alignment with established conventions within the genre. Xiang Mingmao's eyes were bloodshot with hatred as he spoke. "Who did this?" The Purple King asked sternly. "The Evergreen Pavilion!" Xiang Mingmao gritted his teeth as he spoke. "Good, good, so it was the Evergreen Pavilion, huh?" The Purple King was about to erupt in anger when he suddenly paused, asking in a steely voice, "Did you say Evergreen Pavilion?" "Yes, Father!" Xiang Mingmao nodded. The Purple King became silent. There was suspicion that a Celestial Lord might be backing the Evergreen Pavilion. This was no longer something he could decide on his own. "Matters involving the Evergreen Pavilion can only be decided by His Majesty. They are beyond the authority of our Purple King faction, and you must not act rashly. Otherwise, you might bring disaster upon our lineage." The existence of a suspected Celestial Lord was not a trivial matter. The Purple King fixed Xiang Mingmao with a severe look. "Father, could it be..." Xiang Mingmao was taken aback, realizing how deep the Evergreen Pavilion's waters ran. Had he inadvertently stirred up trouble? "No need to say more. I will report this to His Majesty. How to handle this matter is up to him, and it might even require..." The Purple King stared at his son, continuing in a low tone, "Apologies, possibly." Xiang Mingmao's face turned pale. After instructing him not to leave the Purple King's Manor, the Purple King went to the palace to inform the Great Zhou Emperor of the developments. However, the expected retaliation from the Great Zhou royal family did not come. It seemed that the imperial family was utterly unaware that a powerhouse had fallen at the hands of the Evergreen Pavilion. Even the Purple King's Manor remained silent. This lack of response suggested to many forces and martial artists in Great Zhou that something unusual was afoot. The background of the Evergreen Pavilion was complex; even the Great Zhou royal family refrained from retaliation over a minor conflict. "Of course, with the miraculous art of the elixir doctor, who wouldn’t be tempted? Who wouldn’t covet such secrets among the Spiritual Sects? The Evergreen Pavilion is extraordinary." "Exactly! The despicable practices of the Thousand Martial Hall would have already acted by now; for the Evergreen Pavilion to roam so freely, it must have formidable backing." "The Evergreen Pavilion itself is like a divine artifact; no transcendental sect possesses something so incredible." As martial artists of Great Zhou speculated, those who had been biding their time decided to head to the Evergreen Pavilion for consultations or to purchase elixirs. Unsurprisingly, the Evergreen Pavilion became lively once again. Amid the bustle of a few days of reunion, Li Xuan took the opportunity to advise Xu Yan, further refining his Martial Dao techniques for the Void Shattering Realm. Li Xuan also touched upon the concept of Laws, which pertained to the next stage of cultivation. To aid this, he personally refined spirit paper upon which he etched a few Law patterns, handing it to Xu Yan to study and establish a foundation for comprehending Laws early on. Given the profoundness of these Laws, even a few etched patterns required a special medium to withstand them. This is why Li Xuan personally crafted the spirit paper to bear the inscribed Law patterns. "I am merely half a step from achieving perfection in the Divine Essence Realm, and I must begin gathering my reserves to prepare for the Divine Arts Realm breakthrough. Brother Xie has gone to Azure Heaven Blue Sea City, and I intend to visit him and pass on the martial arts to him." Xu Yan outlined his next objective. "It is rumored there are divine items in the Blue Sea. Acquiring them would significantly bolster my reserves for the breakthrough. I will return before the showdown of the Heaven's Chosen battle." Li Xuan understood Xu Yan. After years of adventurous growth in the Spiritual Domain, his martial understanding had advanced rapidly. How could Xu Yan, given his character, endure solitary, repetitive cultivation? Though there were still several states within the Spiritual Domain he had yet to explore, Xu Yan decided to venture to the Blue Sea. First, to locate Xie Lingfeng and impart martial training beyond the Divine Intent Realm; second, to find divinely imbued treasures to strengthen his own reserves in preparation for breaking into the Divine Arts Realm. "Cai Ling'er is from the Blue Sea; you can consult her about its particulars," Li Xuan suggested. Cai Ling'er would be helpful now. As part of the Sea-Spirit Tribe, her status within the community was significant. "Master, I understand," Xu Yan eagerly readied himself to set out, promptly consulting Cai Ling'er about the Blue Sea. "The Blue Sea is vast, with countless islands. Currently, Azure Heaven Blue Sea City and the Sea-Spirit Tribe govern it. There's an abundance of spiritual treasures, and rumors of divine items existing there. "The most renowned divine item is the Blue Sea Divine Pearl, said to be the ornament worn by the Lord of Azure Heaven City. It's rumored this pearl can nurture and strengthen the soul, enhancing martial comprehension. "Naturally, I've never acquired one, so I can't verify these claims." Cai Ling'er detailed the conditions of the Blue Sea with transparency. "The Abyss of the Blue Sea is fearsome. It's rumored all divine items originate there. I've seen it from afar, but it is daunting; I dared not approach recklessly. "I cannot confirm the presence of divine items elsewhere, but the abyss likely houses them. "However, I advise you not to approach lightly. It is a veritable death trap; even my Sea-Spirit Tribe, skilled in guiding with water, approaches it with caution." Xu Yan nodded, making a mental note of the Blue Sea Abyss, strongly suspecting the existence of divine treasures there. Yet, he had no intention of recklessly entering, distinct from other martial artists of the Spiritual Domain. With more refined and mystical methods, he planned on using a Divine Essence Avatar to explore rather than risking his real body. Even if danger arose, it would merely result in the loss of a portion of his divine essence—a minor issue. --- **Terms and Translations:** 1. **Azure Heaven Blue Sea City (雲天碧海城)** - Direct translation, aligning with the context of an exotic, mystical location. 2. **Blue Sea Divine Pearl (碧海神珠)** - Literal translation retained to convey its significance as a mystical artifact rumored to possess soul-enhancing properties. 3. **Abyss of the Blue Sea (碧海絕淵)** - "Abyss of the Blue Sea" is used to maintain the mysterious and foreboding nature of the place. These translations aim to preserve the mystical allure and hierarchical dynamics present in the original text.