118: After the war, Qin Wangchuan's exclusive preaching begins

More than ten days after the battle ended, the Prodigies had been revived or healed with the help of sacred artifacts.

However, the successors of the Great Imperial Families had not left.

The night was deep, and the ruins of the Nine Heavens Cloud Platform shimmered coldly under the moonlight.

Broken stone pillars slanted into the ground, cracks spread like a spiderweb, and the air still held lingering spiritual energy fluctuations, as if silently recounting the earth-shattering battle of the day.

Chu Wujiu was the first to arrive.

He couldn't sleep.

The Battle Intent Furnace still burned within him, his blood boiling, yet a giant stone seemed to press down on his chest, making him feel suffocated.

He stood silently at the edge of the Cloud Platform, looking down at where he stood—it was here that day he was cut down by the Taichu Burial God Sword.

“Just a little more…” he murmured in a low voice, his knuckles turning white.

“If only I had cultivated a bit harder, if only I had trained a moment longer, if only that halberd strike had been more ruthless…” As he spoke, Chu Wujiu slammed his fist into the ground, sending gravel flying and blood seeping from his knuckles.

Li Xuan was the second to arrive.

He saw Chu Wujiu’s back from afar, and out of guilt, he initially wanted to turn and leave, but his feet walked uncontrollably towards him.

“You can't sleep either?” Li Xuan asked, his voice a little hoarse.

Chu Wujiu didn't turn around, just nodded: “Is the injury from the Sword Seal backlash healed?”

Li Xuan was silent for a moment, unconsciously tracing the sword marks around him with his fingertips, then suddenly slapped himself.

“It's all my fault!”

“I already made a mistake once, I knew he would use Sword Intent to condense a Heavenly Sword, how could I forget!”

“If only I hadn't used the Sword Seal then…”

“Hoo…” Chu Wujiu let out a long breath, “It’s not your fault.”

“No matter what, he would have used the Heavenly Sword to bait me into putting away my halberd.”

The two looked at each other, and neither spoke again.

Yun Zexuan was the third to arrive.

He held a Magical Artifact compass, broken in half, its needle still trembling slightly, as if deducing another possibility.

“The deduction was not wrong…” he muttered to himself, “but I didn't deduce far enough, nor did I realize he also possessed a Supreme Dao Heart.”

Chu Wujiu blamed himself: “It’s my fault that I had the highest Realm but failed to probe his full capabilities.”

Yun Zexuan pondered for a moment:

“He would have hidden his true strength from you anyway. Perhaps… we should have directly set up a formation from the start, containing him from all sides to force out all his methods, instead of choosing to clash head-on.”

Ye Lingchuan was the fourth to arrive, and Yan Wujin was the fifth.

Ye Lingchuan stood there listening for a long time before slowly speaking: “If we don’t choose to clash head-on, what’s the point of being a Prodigy?”

At these words, the others all laughed.

Indeed.

They were all Prodigies.

Yan Wujin squatted on the ground: “I finally understand why you all consider him an opponent.”

“Just a little more…” Ye Lingchuan’s voice was hoarse, “If I had another thirty breaths, I could have unlocked the Restriction.”

“If you had unlocked the Restriction, we might have truly won,” Li Xuan said with a bitter smile.

He knew about the Ye Family’s immortal burying coffin.

Once the immortal body emerged from it, Ye Lingchuan would definitely be the first to die, but no one else would escape either, including Qin Wangchuan.

“At that very last moment, if you had more paper figures, it might have worked!” Ye Lingchuan looked into the distance—

Zhao Lingyun was slowly approaching, his face pale.

Although his limbs had been reattached, he was very fragile during this time.

“I’m out! The Heavenly Talisman Seal for paper figure branches has a limit!” Zhao Lingyun clenched his fists, “I’m still not strong enough. If one talisman’s strength equaled ten, the number of paper figures I could use would be greater.”

The six stood amidst the ruins, the night wind sweeping through, dispersing the dust, but unable to disperse the unwillingness in their hearts.

“We were just a little short…” Chu Wujiu finally spoke, his voice deep, “But the fact is right before us.”

“Even if the immortal coffin had opened, it would only have ended in mutual destruction.”

“Although we defeated him, it can’t be considered a win.”

“Our coordination wasn’t good enough. Next time… we must win!”

Only after the exchange did they realize that the monster Qin Wangchuan was simply not someone one person could deal with.

Coordination?

They hadn't even thought about coordinating at first; in fact, most of them wanted to exchange blows with everyone.

They just wanted to eliminate Qin Wangchuan first.

But they didn't expect him to turn into a group battle BOSS, and they still didn't win!

They each recalled the details of that battle—

First, there was unwillingness, but even more, there was anticipation!

To be able to fight him again, how exciting that was!

Just then, a lighthearted whistle came from afar.

“Yo, in the middle of the night, are you guys holding a memorial service here?” Zhou Yunyi sauntered over, his hands tucked into his sleeves.

He seemed nonchalant, but the gloom in his eyes couldn't be hidden.

“It seems you’ve also come to review the battle,” Chu Wujiu smiled.

“Review? No… just taking a stroll.”

“Just taking a stroll?” Everyone laughed, they were all the same.

However, they were indeed mistaken; Zhou Yunyi truly was just taking a stroll.

“What, have you guys reserved this place?”

Li Xuan stared at his pale hand for a moment: “Your hand…”

“It’s reattached,” Zhou Yunyi glanced down, “It’s just still a bit unfamiliar.”

He kicked a loose stone at his feet, saying casually: “You guys carry on, don’t mind me.”

Taking a step forward, Zhou Yunyi looked up at the ruins, thought for a moment, then backed away.

He cursed unwillingly:

“Damn it!”

“I finally made an effort, how could he so easily blow me up?!”

Damn it… I clearly gave it my all.

I finally took it seriously, I finally wanted to prove that I was no worse than anyone, and the result…

“That last sword was too fast…” Zhou Yunyi murmured in a low voice, as if talking to himself, “But if it happened again, I would definitely dodge it!”

As soon as the words left his mouth, he himself was stunned.

He hadn't wanted to come, hadn't wanted to admit he cared… but in the end, he was still unwilling.

The seven silently watched him, no one speaking.

The night deepened, moonlight spilled over the eight figures, reflecting the unwillingness, regret, and—the determination to never lose again—in their eyes.

Just then, Ji Wuchen arrived.

“What are you doing here, waiting like me to listen to the Dao early tomorrow?”

“Listen to the Dao?”

Everyone looked over, and Ji Wuchen continued:

“That’s right, Qin Wangchuan is going to preach the Dao. Weren’t you all here for that?”

The few exchanged glances, completely unaware of this matter.

Indeed.

Although the Heavenly Road Dao Discussion had ended, Qin Wangchuan’s promised Dao preaching was just beginning.

The next morning.

Qin Wangchuan borrowed a piece of land from the Great Yan Kingdom Lord and began to preach the Dao with the Ji Family.

The morning light was faint, just as everyone was preparing.

Xu Qing knelt heavily at Qin Wangchuan’s feet: “Thank you, Young Master, for your great kindness…”

He had previously brought out his father’s corpse, and was supposed to be preparing for the funeral.

However, Qin Wangchuan casually bestowed a sacred medicine and resurrected him.

This small gesture, to Xu Qing, was a grace of rebirth.

Although his father’s Realm had fallen significantly after waking, being alive was already a tremendous blessing.

Qin Wangchuan looked down at him, his fingertips lightly raised: “Get up, and listen carefully to the Dao today.”

“Perhaps you can comprehend something.”

After all, this was a character with a protagonist’s panel, which was why he had called him over; it was a simple matter.

This was a small indoor Dao discussion venue.

A circular Dao Platform paved with green jade sat in the center of an open square, its surface carved with ancient runes, gleaming faintly in the sunlight.

Surrounding the Dao Platform were nine tiers of stepped stone seats, extending outwards from low to high, capable of accommodating tens of thousands of people.

The innermost seats were only three zhang from the Dao Platform, reserved for the Prodigies of various families, and were now filled with people—

The previous defeated opponents, Chu Wujiu and others, naturally took their seats.

Also present were Li Qingluan, who arrived later, as well as the Saintess of Xuan Yin Immortal Pavilion, Luo Lingxi, Su Yingxue, Ye Jianwei, and a group of people from the Qin Family.

Further out were the Elders of various families and accompanying Cultivators, their expressions either solemn or contemplative.

The outermost perimeter was crowded with Loose Cultivators who had come upon hearing the news, craning their necks, fearing to miss a single word or phrase.

Qin Wangchuan sat alone in the center of the Dao Platform, the morning breeze stirring the Dragon-patterned black robe on his body, the True Dragon dormant on it flowing with his breath, its might terrifying.

His gaze swept over the crowd, and he slowly spoke:

“Today—” The Young Master’s clear and cool voice echoed within the Dao venue, not loud yet instantly causing tens of thousands of people to hold their breath, “While I say I will preach the Dao, I have not actually attained the Dao, have no Dao to impart, nor have I even created my own techniques.”

“I do have an ultimate sacred method unique to me, but that thing cannot be passed on even if I wanted to.”

“So…”

Qin Wangchuan lightly tapped his fingertip, and an ancient book glowing with golden light appeared out of thin air, slowly unfolding in the Void Realm.

As the pages turned, countless sword shadows could vaguely be seen flowing.

“I will impart a secret technique of the Qin Family to all of you here.”

“It is named— “Taichu Burial God Sword””