189: Chapter 186 Keeping the Appointment

"What?!" Zheng Ming blurted out, his voice rising in an unnatural pitch due to extreme shock.

"Qi Refining Realm... he's going to assault the Peak Grandmaster?"

He simply could not believe his ears.

This news dealt a more violent blow to his mind than the discussion about Fang Tao's peculiarities just a moment ago.

One must know, how old is Chen Zhiwen?

At most, he is only in his early twenties.

At his age, among those peers hailed as "favored children of heaven," even the most brilliant and talented individuals who have managed to step across the threshold of the Grandmaster Realm are rare, and they are already being groomed by the various Sects as the hope for the next few hundred years.

But what about Chen Zhiwen?

He is already a Soul Refining Great Grandmaster, and his attainments in the path of the Divine Soul are not even inferior to Chen Heng or Zheng Ming.

Now, he is actually launching the final sprint in his Qi Refining cultivation, which serves as his cultivation Foundation, towards that Peak Realm that countless Cultivators find unreachable in their entire lives!

This can no longer be described as "Genius" or "Prodigy."

This is simply a monster that has completely shattered the conventional wisdom of cultivation in the Desolate Province for tens of thousands of years!

A flash of deep approval and amazement also flickered in Wang Ming's eyes.

He has lived for hundreds of years, and in these long years, he has seen countless so-called geniuses, prodigies, and eccentric talents, as numerous as the crucian carp crossing the river.

But never has anyone been able to be mentioned in the same breath as Chen Zhiwen.

The appearance of this child is, in itself, a miracle that cannot be explained by common sense.

Perhaps only such a miracle can fight for that glimmer of hope for the Human Race amidst the impending monstrous waves that are set to sweep across the entire Desolate Province.

"Truly... the younger generation is to be feared."

After a long while, Wang Ming sighed with genuine emotion.

After the shock, the moods of the three became somewhat complex.

Chen Zhiwen's strength is undoubtedly a great blessing for the Human Race.

Yet, at this critical moment, when they are beset by troubles from both within and without, and most need a sharp blade like him to break the stalemate, he is nowhere to be found, his whereabouts unknown.

"Forget it."

Wang Ming was the first to recover from these complex emotions; he waved his hand gently, temporarily pushing all his hopes and worries to the bottom of his heart.

"Since he has his own path of cultivation to walk, it is not appropriate for us to force him. The current predicament will, in the end, have to be solved by us."

He glanced at the sun, which was gradually setting outside the window, his eyes becoming sharp and firm once again.

"Tomorrow's meeting holds many variables, and the dangers are unpredictable. Everyone, go back and prepare well. Conserve your energy and sharpen your spirits to deal with whatever may come."

Upon hearing this, Chen Heng and Zheng Ming both nodded solemnly.

They both clearly knew that tomorrow's "Hongmen Banquet" would by no means be simple.

It was not just a simple negotiation, but more likely a life-and-death showdown that would determine the future fate of the Desolate Province.

The three of them dispersed, each returning to the quarters arranged by the imperial palace.

They dismissed all attendants, closed their doors, and began to adjust their minds, raising their essence, Qi, and spirit to their Peak state, making final preparations for the unknown, strange, and dangerous meeting tomorrow.

The next day, when the edge of the sky just began to show a hint of fish-belly white, and the first ray of dawn pierced the darkness before daybreak.

Three figures, like ghosts merged with the night, quietly left the heavily guarded Great Xuan Imperial Capital, which was filled with sentries.

They turned into three streaks of light, difficult for the naked eye to capture, cutting through the sky and speeding towards the agreed-upon location.

The agreed-upon location was located within a continuous mountain range a thousand miles east of the Imperial Capital.

This place was called the "Danyun Mountain Range," with towering Peaks and jagged rocks, surrounded by thick clouds and mist all year round.

Its main Peak towered into the clouds, like a sharp sword piercing the firmament, cutting the clouds in the sky in half, hence the name.

Deep in the mountains, it was rarely visited by humans, filled with the cries of apes and roars of tigers, full of a primitive and desolate atmosphere.

Choosing this place for a meeting was quite in line with its secretive nature.

The figures of Wang Ming, Chen Heng, and Zheng Ming, like ghosts, appeared silently at the summit of the main Peak of the Danyun Mountain Range without making a sound.

The top of the Peak was unexpectedly flat, as if it had been forcefully leveled by a Divine Being with a giant axe.

Looking around, one could see a simple stone pavilion standing in the center of this vast platform.

The pavilion was not large, and its structure was extremely simple, supported only by four thick stone pillars, each requiring two people to embrace, holding up a roof of cyan glazed tiles.

The surroundings of the pavilion were empty, with only the howling mountain wind passing through, making a wailing sound, adding a touch of desolation and Killing Intent.

At this moment, the pavilion was already full of people.

The person leading them sat upright in the main seat; he wore an imperial robe embroidered with black and gold dragon patterns and a flat-topped crown; his face was majestic, dignified even without anger; he was none other than the Great Chu Old Ancestor, Chu Chaosheng.

And on his left and right sides sat eight figures.

One of them, whose aura was as heavy and solid as a mountain with a stiff face, was none other than the Great Chu Old Ancestor Fang Tao, who had gone to the Great Xuan Imperial Capital yesterday to deliver the "War Challenge."

The other seven were of various appearances: there was an old man with white hair carrying an ancient zither with an elegant demeanor; a Daoist in a green robe holding a whisk with the air of an immortal; and a burly man with muscular build, rugged and wild aura...

They were the other seven top experts of the Great Grandmaster Realm from the other Nine Great Sects, excluding the Zetian Sect!

The moment they saw this scene, the pupils of Wang Ming and the other two contracted violently at almost the same time, shrinking to the size of pinpoints.

They looked at each other and saw undisguised shock and deep wariness in each other's eyes.

The other side had actually brought all the Great Grandmasters of the Nine Great Sects!

What a terrifying formation!

If this were to spread, it would be enough to make all the forces in the entire Desolate Province tremble.

The atmosphere in the pavilion was eerily quiet, one could even say it was deathly silent.

Led by Chu Chaosheng, the ten top experts of the current age, including Fang Tao, sat there quietly, motionless, like nine lifeless statues.

They did not emit a shred of Killing Intent, yet it made the air pressure on the entire summit so low that it was suffocating.

It was not until the arrival of Wang Ming and the other two that this suffocating silence was finally broken.

The "Chu Chaosheng" sitting in the main seat—Lu Wei—slowly raised his head.

His face wore a smile as gentle as a spring breeze, but his eyes were as deep as an abyss, making it impossible to see the bottom or guess what he was thinking.

"Three fellow Daoists, you have kept the appointment on time. I, Lu, have been waiting here for a long time. Please, take a seat."

His voice was magnetic, gentle and mellow, full of convincing power.

The tone of his voice did not sound like he was confronting enemies on the verge of war, but rather like he was hosting a few long-lost close friends in his own back garden.

Wang Ming's expression was calm, and no joy or anger could be seen on his stern face.

His deep gaze quickly swept over the faces of the nine Great Grandmasters in the pavilion one by one, and finally settled on Lu Wei's smiling face.

He took the first step, walking steadily and powerfully, step by step, towards the pavilion with the eerie atmosphere.