Chapter 75: Ancestor Qingyang!
“Bzzz!”
“Boom!”
Across the Firmament Continent, furious thunderclaps exploded across the sky.
Beneath the terrifying interwoven lightning, several figures could vaguely be seen floating in the void.
“Whoosh whoosh whoosh!”
Streaks of familiar figures tore through the air toward them.
“So weak, this Small Thousand World’s Heavenly Dao…”
“This is only comparable to a Nascent Soul?”
Sensing that furious, unwilling emotional fluctuation in the air, Lu Qingyang’s brow furrowed slightly.
This was the first time he had seen a Heavenly Dao this weak.
According to the records of the Myriad Realms Formation, worlds were divided into three ranks.
The Great Thousand World, the Middle Thousand World, and the Small Thousand World.
Even among worlds of the same rank, strength varied.
Just like how the Central Region and Eastern Region of the Prison Dragon Realm hardly seemed to belong to the same plane.
Some worlds might have suffered natural disasters or man-made calamities in earlier years, gradually declining.
Even if the world’s rank did not change, its Heavenly Dao grew ever weaker.
But a Heavenly Dao as weak as the Firmament Continent’s — this was the first time Lu Qingyang had seen one.
“Don’t be angry. I just came in to take a look. Even if you get angrier, it won’t do any good, will it?”
Sensing the fury radiating from the Firmament Continent’s Heavenly Dao, Lu Qingyang’s lips curved slightly, his tone gentle.
The other party clearly wanted to drive them out, but could not.
Because Lu Qingyang had already formed his Nascent Soul, his strength was no longer beneath this world’s Heavenly Dao.
The tribulation lightning surrounding them was like a tickle, incapable of harming anyone.
That feeling was like a eunuch visiting a brothel… thrusting back and forth without any pain.
“Hmph…”
A moment later, a faint cold snort reached Lu Qingyang’s ears.
Clearly, it had completely given up.
“Let’s go.”
Lu Qingyang sighed softly and was the first to step down.
Beside him, Wu Ji and the others followed closely.
“Tsk tsk, if not for the fact that this Small Thousand World’s Heavenly Dao has a backer… capturing it and feeding it to Jiangxin would surely be a great tonic.”
Lu Qingyang glanced at the slowly dissipating thunderclouds behind him, inwardly calculating.
The ancient text of the Myriad Realms Formation recorded that every world had a backer behind it.
It was impossible for cultivators to do with them as they pleased.
Otherwise, would not everything fall into chaos?
“Sect Master, the Firmament Continent stretches over thirty-six thousand li from east to west, with a population of roughly three billion.”
“The strongest power on the continent is the nation I previously belonged to, the Great Qian Dynasty.”
“Oh?”
Listening to Wu Ji’s introduction, Lu Qingyang’s eyes flickered.
The Firmament Continent was indeed tiny. Its population and territory combined were only about the size of Asia from his previous life.
It simply could not be mentioned in the same breath as the Prison Dragon Realm.
Even Qingnan Shengzhou alone was much larger than the Firmament Continent.
But three billion people… if utilized properly, was enough to strengthen the Chaotian Sect several times over.
They might even unify the entire Seven Stars Sea Region!
As his thoughts turned, a satisfied smile appeared on Lu Qingyang’s face.
“In that case, let’s go take a look at that Great Qian Dynasty.”
He spoke calmly.
Immediately, the group of five left the sky and headed toward a distant city.
…
The Great Qian Dynasty, the Imperial Palace.
Lu Qingyang and the others hovered openly in mid-air, instantly drawing the attention of countless guards.
“Look, what’s that?!”
“It’s… it’s cultivators!”
“Hiss! Floating in mid-air with mortal bodies — these people are all Golden Core cultivators!”
Within the palace, countless guards and maids raised their heads to the sky in shock and despair.
For a time, the entire palace was in an uproar.
“Whoosh!”
“Whoosh!”
“Swoosh!”
At the same time, a cultivator in Daoist robes shot up from deep within the palace.
He trod upon the air, appearing before Lu Qingyang and the others in an instant.
“May I ask which Fellow Daoists are… True Monarch Wu Ji!”
Before the newcomer could finish speaking, he spotted a familiar figure among the group.
“May I ask if that is True Monarch Wu Ji before me!”
Seeing Wu Ji, the man trembled violently and hastily cupped his hands in greeting.
After all, though Wu Ji was only at late-stage Golden Core, in this world he was already a peak-level existence.
No wonder this Daoist-robed elder was so excited.
“Cough cough… long time no see, State Preceptor Li.”
Wu Ji waved his hand somewhat unnaturally and coughed lightly.
With Lu Qingyang present, how would he dare put on airs?
“May I ask why True Monarch Wu Ji has suddenly returned to the court, and who might these people be…”
State Preceptor Li asked respectfully. He swept his gaze around but found Lu Qingyang and the others extremely unfamiliar.
Strange. Our Great Qian has only a handful of Golden Core True Monarchs, and I know every one of them. How are these people so unfamiliar?
Could they be… members of some hidden family?
Amid his inward suspicion, State Preceptor Li turned his gaze back to Wu Ji.
He knew well that this True Monarch Wu Ji was proud by nature, and ordinary figures were beneath his notice.
Yet now, not only was he traveling with this group, even… even his own position was half a step behind them.
“State Preceptor Li misunderstands. These people are friends I made while traveling abroad, and they have come specifically to visit His Majesty.”
Seeing State Preceptor Li’s probing gaze, Wu Ji appeared somewhat embarrassed.
“I see.”
Hearing this, State Preceptor Li let out a breath of relief.
As long as they had come to visit properly, all was well. Otherwise, with so many Golden Core True Monarchs harboring hostility, the Great Qian would not survive!
“Fellow Daoists, please!”
State Preceptor Li extended a hand, ushering Lu Qingyang and the others into the great hall.
The hall was luxurious, with carved beams and painted rafters, decorated in magnificent splendor.
At the head of the hall sat a woman with a stately figure, wearing a phoenix crown.
“Wu Ji… it has been a while.”
The phoenix-crowned woman rose slowly, her voice flat, yet carrying a trace of unusual emotion within her words.
Seeing this, Lu Qingyang glanced at Wu Ji, then at the Empress. He could tell their relationship was not ordinary.
Mm… probably another case of a heartbreaker.
He thought for a moment, then shook his head, inwardly complaining.
“Gong… Your Majesty, this is Ancestor Qingyang, the Sect Master of the Chaotian Sect.”
Wu Ji’s expression was rather awkward as he hurriedly pointed to Lu Qingyang and introduced him.
“These three also come from the Chaotian Sect. This is the Chaotian Sect’s Grand Elder, Ancestor Jun. This is True Monarch Chao San, and that one is True Person Layue…”
“Chaotian Sect?”
Hearing the words Chaotian Sect, State Preceptor Li’s brow furrowed. Clearly he had never heard that name.
But how could a sect of such formidable strength be completely unknown to the Great Qian?
“Qingyang… Ancestor?”
“Your Excellency looks so young. How did you come by such a title?”
The Empress Gong tilted her head slightly, sizing up Lu Qingyang, and spoke softly.
It seemed she was displeased that Wu Ji had not greeted her, and had instead introduced Lu Qingyang first.
Seeing this, Wu Ji was about to scold her, but Lu Qingyang stopped him.
He glanced at the Empress, his peripheral vision sweeping over the several Golden Core cultivators hiding their auras within the hall, and a slight curve formed at the corner of his mouth.
“It’s not a title…”
“You should know that Foundation Establishment can prove the position of True Person, and Golden Core makes one a True Monarch.”
“As for Nascent Soul… only then can one be called Ancestor.”
The moment these words were spoken, Empress Gong was first stunned, as if she had not yet grasped the situation.
Until she recalled that ever since entering the hall, Wu Ji’s figure seemed to have always been half a step behind Lu Qingyang…