303: imperial domain

The Imperial Domain.

As the Great Wu Dynasty's long-standing base, it occupies an incredibly vast area on the Tianwu Continent.

This was even after the Martial Emperor's demise, when the entire Imperial Domain was segmented.

For instance, the Three Great Domains where the Three Heavenly Kings now reside were all areas carved out from the Imperial Domain.

Previously, these Three Great Domains were also part of the Imperial Domain.

It wasn't until the Martial Emperor's demise that the Three Heavenly Kings partitioned these Three Great Domains from the Imperial Domain.

Even so, the current Imperial Domain remains the largest region on the Tianwu Continent!

When Xiao Shi and Xiang Zizhen, under the powerful teleportation divine ability, appeared directly in the Imperial Domain from the Star Luo Territory, they instantly felt the difference of the entire Imperial Domain.

The sky here was golden.

The closer one got to the core of the Imperial Domain, the purer its golden hue became.

And the moment they entered this place, their bodies were locked down, unable to move.

This lockdown was extremely terrifying.

It seemed to ignore cultivation levels, because this was a lockdown brought about by the power of the rules of this place!

Xiao Shi and Xiang Zizhen knew that this was the Imperial Domain's rules scrutinizing their identities.

After all, the Imperial Domain was not a place anyone could just casually enter.

Even powerful figures like the Three Heavenly Kings could not force their way into the Imperial Domain.

If Xiao Shi and Xiang Zizhen's identities did not meet the criteria for entering the Imperial Domain, they would immediately be annihilated by the Imperial Domain's rules!

Regarding this, both Xiao Shi and Xiang Zizhen already knew this before entering the Imperial Domain.

Therefore, the moment they entered the Imperial Domain, they immediately diffused the Four Symbols Divine Martial Sect's fluctuations to gain the Imperial Domain's recognition.

Buzz!

Immediately, when they received the Imperial Domain's rule recognition, an insignia simultaneously condensed on their bodies.

This was an insignia that everyone entering the Imperial Domain would condense.

When Xiao Shi gazed at the insignia on his body, information related to it immediately appeared in his vision.

Name: great wu mark

Type: Mark

Grade: Unlimited

Introduction: The Great Wu Dynasty's unique mark. All individuals belonging to the Great Wu Dynasty will form this mark. The Great Wu Dynasty can often use this mark to reward or punish people within the dynasty, and it is also an important means to prevent rebellion within the Great Wu Dynasty.

Note 1: Once this mark is formed, you are a person of the Great Wu Dynasty.

Note 2: You can only leave the Imperial Domain with the Great Wu Dynasty's permission. If you leave the Imperial Domain without authorization, the great wu mark will directly strip you of all your cultivation.

Note 3: Once you possess this mark, unless the Great Wu Dynasty removes it for you and expels you from the Imperial Domain, you will be unable to join other Great Domains with similar marks while possessing this mark.

Xiao Shi looked at the information in his vision.

He had known earlier that whether it was the Imperial Domain or the Three Great Domains controlled by the Three Heavenly Kings, once entered, similar identity marks would appear.

This was a form of faction allegiance.

Possessing this mark, besides being proof of identity, was also to prevent anyone within that faction from rebelling to other factions.

Of course, such marks were not present in the territories of the various lords.

After all, Saints did not yet have the ability to achieve this step.

Only the Imperial Domain and the Three Great Domains possessed these marks.

Xiao Shi instinctively felt resistant to this kind of mark.

Because these marks would impose some significant restrictions on oneself and were completely controlled by the Great Wu Dynasty.

The advantage was that those who possessed this mark would receive the Imperial Domain's rule protection within the Imperial Domain.

Whether it was for future advancement to a Saint, or even transcending to a Dao Lord... there would be some benefits and conveniences.

At the same time, if the Great Wu Dynasty could be restored, the benefits would certainly be even greater.

But the disadvantage was being completely bound to the Great Wu Dynasty, and one's own self would be heavily restricted.

Once the Great Wu Dynasty fell... even if it didn't lead to a joint demise, it would certainly be miserable.

Xiao Shi could clearly feel that this mark was mainly condensed on his Crimson Tiger power.

If it were to strip his own power... at most, it would strip his Crimson Tiger-related power.

Things like his physical strength, etc., certainly could not be stripped.

However, for someone like Xiang Zizhen, who was entirely focused on the Four Symbols Divine Martial Sect system, if he were to be stripped, he would undoubtedly be crippled.

At this moment, they were in an unfamiliar city.

The architectural style of the entire city was completely different from that of the Star Luo Territory.

It had a unique style exclusive to the Great Wu Dynasty.

"This must be Four Symbols City..."

Xiang Zizhen looked around.

Although it was his first time in the Imperial Domain, he had already gained some understanding of it through his master.

Xiao Shi also learned from this that the entire vast Imperial Domain, besides the core Martial Emperor Imperial City, also contained sixteen other regions.

These sixteen regions were equivalent to the territories outside.

Currently, thirteen of these regions had already been refined by the Saints within the Imperial Domain into their own domains.

Only three unrefined regions remained.

In other words, the current Imperial Domain only had three Saint quotas left.

Therefore, the Imperial Domain highly valued these three Saint quotas and would not easily give them out.

In addition, the current affiliated organizations of the Great Wu Dynasty were mainly divided into three.

First was the Four Symbols Divine Martial Sect.

As the former national protector divine sect of the Great Wu Dynasty, the Four Symbols Divine Martial Sect had always been loyal to the Great Wu Dynasty.

Even after the Martial Emperor's demise and the collapse of the Great Wu Dynasty's imperial power, many organizations that were once affiliated with the Great Wu Dynasty successively broke away.

But the Four Symbols Divine Martial Sect always maintained an attitude of unwavering loyalty.

It remains the national protector divine sect of the Great Wu Dynasty today.

Second was the Imperial Guard.

The Imperial Guard was a powerful organization personally established by the Martial Emperor in the past.

The purpose of the Imperial Guard's existence was to protect the Martial Emperor's descendants!

At the same time, the Imperial Guard has always been the most mysterious existence within the Great Wu Dynasty.

They are hidden in the shadows.

No one knows how many of them there are, nor do they know what their cultivation level is.

They only know that such a powerful organization exists within the Great Wu Dynasty.

No one can contact them except for the Imperial Prince.

During the Great Wu Dynasty's prosperity, the Imperial Guard's duty was primarily to ensure the safety of the Martial Emperor's descendants.

But now... besides ensuring the safety of the current Imperial Prince, the Imperial Guard would also be dispatched by the Imperial Prince to carry out some secret and important missions.

The third power organization was the Martial Pavilion.

Both the Four Symbols Divine Martial Sect and the Imperial Guard were power organizations left over from the Martial Emperor's era.

The Martial Pavilion, on the other hand, was a brand new power organization established after the Imperial Prince took power.

It was responsible for various matters within the Imperial Domain.

If the Four Symbols Divine Martial Sect's duty within the Imperial Domain was primarily external, then the Martial Pavilion's existence was for the internal management and governance of the Imperial Domain.

The Four Symbols City where they were currently located was the main city within Xiang Zizhen's master's domain.

Besides the two of them, all other members of the Four Symbols Divine Martial Sect had also been teleported to this main city.

Just then, a ray of light suddenly whistled from afar.

It transformed into a woman dressed in white robes, with delicate features, fair skin, bright and clear eyes, no makeup, and a face that exuded a pure and simple innocence, far from worldly vanity.

Her gaze swept over Xiang Zizhen and Xiao Shi beside him, then focused entirely on Xiang Zizhen.

Her voice was pleasant to the ear.

"You must be Junior Brother Xiang? I am your Second Senior Sister. Master has commanded that you go to see him immediately."

Xiang Zizhen immediately bowed respectfully, saying, "Yes, greetings, Second Senior Sister."

Xiao Shi also respectfully bowed beside him.

He knew that Xiang Zizhen's master, as the only surviving Paladin of the Four Symbols Divine Martial Sect back then, was the oldest, highest-ranking, and strongest existence in the entire Four Symbols Divine Martial Sect today.

The other party not only had a disciple like Xiang Zizhen, but also three other disciples in the Imperial Domain.

Including Xiang Zizhen, these four were the Paladins of the current Four Symbols Divine Martial Sect.

Their status and position were far superior to ordinary members like Xiao Shi.

Before leaving, Xiang Zizhen looked at Xiao Shi.

He was about to ask how to arrange for Xiao Shi, when Xiang Zizhen's Second Senior Sister spoke.

"This member belongs to the Crimson Tiger Lineage, right? Don't worry, someone will come to guide him later. Let's go, don't keep Master waiting too long."

Xiang Zizhen frowned slightly at this, feeling that the other party was treating Xiao Shi somewhat dismissively.

This was completely treating Xiao Shi as an ordinary member.

Others might not know Xiao Shi's situation, but he knew better than anyone that Xiao Shi was the biggest contributor this time.

Even if Xiao Shi had given all the credit to himself, he shouldn't be treated this way.

Xiang Zizhen was about to say something, but saw Xiao Shi shake his head slightly at him.

Only then did he hold back and follow the other party to meet his master first.

Xiao Shi was not uncomfortable with this treatment from the other party.

This feeling of being treated as invisible was what he desired most.

At the same time, he was glad that he hadn't met the other party's master with Xiang Zizhen immediately upon arrival.

He imagined that with the other party's status, he wouldn't be easily met.

Although Xiao Shi didn't know what realm the current leader of the Four Symbols Divine Martial Sect was in, he knew that the other party must be above the Saint realm.

If he were to be seen by the other party... it was highly likely that his current presence here as a clone would be directly exposed.

"Next, I need to figure out a way to replace this clone..."

Xiao Shi felt that the Wang Xiao clone could already be retired.

On one hand, the strength of this clone was already somewhat unable to keep up with him.

On the other hand, it might be seen through by those powerhouses.

The simplest solution would be to use a treasure that can change one's appearance to transform his main body, or his Evil Energy User clone, into Wang Xiao's appearance.

This way, he could quietly perform the body replacement without attracting any suspicion.

Although the Evil Energy User was also a clone, this clone was fundamentally different from the Wang Xiao clone.

There was no need to worry about it being seen through by those powerhouses.

After all, what was inside the Evil Energy User was his Life Soul!

It wouldn't even be an exaggeration to consider it as his other main body.

As for items that change one's physical appearance, Xiao Shi had previously changed his appearance through pills and such.

But such changes were too low-end and couldn't fool those powerhouses.

He needed an item that could change his appearance in a way that even powerhouses of the Upper Three Realms couldn't see through.

This would require him to search for it later in the Myriad Treasure Pagoda.

After Xiao Shi waited here for a while, an old man with white hair, dark, wrinkled skin, a burly and strong physique, looking like an ordinary farmer, soon came to guide Xiao Shi.

The old man belonged to the Mountain God Branch.

He only had a Blood Martial Realm cultivation.

He was very enthusiastic and friendly towards Xiao Shi.

While leading Xiao Shi through Four Symbols City, he also introduced the situation of the entire Four Symbols City to Xiao Shi.

Four Symbols City was incredibly vast, larger than any city Xiao Shi had ever seen before.

Within Four Symbols City, the Four Branches of the Evil Ghost, Crimson Tiger, Dream Witch, and Mountain God all had their respective areas.

However, these Four Branches coexisted harmoniously, without any discord.

Even if they appeared in each other's areas, they would be warmly received and not ostracized.

The old man now led Xiao Shi to the area belonging to the Crimson Tiger Lineage within Four Symbols City.

The people in this area were basically all from the Crimson Tiger Lineage.

This was also the first time Xiao Shi had seen so many people from the Crimson Tiger Lineage.

The Red Tiger Sect and others who had been teleported here before him were now all settled here.

The old man directly led Xiao Shi to the leader of the Crimson Tiger Lineage.

The current power structure of the Four Symbols Divine Martial Sect was headed by Chen Yuan, Xiang Zizhen's master.

Next were his four disciples, who were the four Paladins of the current generation.

Below these four Paladins were the four leaders of the Four Branches.

Finally, there were ordinary members like Xiao Shi.

The leader of the Crimson Tiger Lineage was a tall middle-aged man with crimson eyebrows, crimson pupils, and crimson hair.

His demeanor exuded flamboyance and dominance.

He was at the peak of the Martial Demon Realm cultivation.

When the leader of the Crimson Tiger Lineage saw Xiao Shi, his eyes immediately lit up.

"Little brother, you must be the Red Tiger Sect Ancestor from the Star Luo Territory, right? You did very well! Better than anyone!"

He praised him sincerely.

Xiao Shi knew that the other party was referring to his treatment of the Red Tiger Sect.

Evidently, after the Red Tiger Sect was teleported here, the other party had already learned some things from them.

Xiao Shi could tell that this leader was a bold and uninhibited person who also greatly valued the members of his lineage.

He greatly admired people like him who protected their subordinates.

"Greetings, Leader."

Xiao Shi immediately bowed in greeting.

"No need for formalities between us!"

The leader of the Crimson Tiger Lineage waved his hand, then sighed.

"These past years, although occasionally some members scattered in other territories return, their numbers are not many. Although there are also sects like yours, most have suffered heavy casualties."

"This is the first time I've seen a Crimson Tiger Lineage sect so completely preserved!"

"Not only that, but you even have so many Blood Martial Realm cultivators among you, it's simply incredible!"

"You being able to achieve this is truly amazing!"

"Oh, by the way, what's your name?"