199: The bait has been laid, fishing is a great opportunity

Tongtian Xuanming directly led Qin Wangchuan to the highest floor of the Tongtian Pagoda.

That was his exclusive meditation room, and also the most heavily Restricted and Spiritual Qi-rich place in the entire Tongtian Realm.

The heavy stone door slid open silently; inside, it was not resplendent but rather ancient and simple.

Only the Spirit Gathering Array in the center emitted a soft glow, and luminous pearls embedded in the surrounding walls illuminated the room brightly.

"Your Highness, this place is absolutely quiet; no one will disturb you," Tongtian Xuanming stood respectfully to the side, awaiting instructions.

Qin Wangchuan stepped into the quiet room, his gaze casually sweeping around.

Actually, it didn't need to be that quiet.

Evidently, this Family Head thought he was going to perform some secret cultivation here that could not be spied upon.

Without explaining, he sat down and spoke calmly, his voice exceptionally clear in the enclosed space:

"I have something I need you to handle personally."

"I want you to create a momentum."

"A momentum large enough to sweep across the entire Tongtian Realm, and even the entire Middle Thousand Province."

Tongtian Xuanming's expression became solemn, his back unconsciously bending a bit more, as he held his breath and focused, awaiting further instructions.

Qin Wangchuan's voice clearly echoed in the serene room:

"Using the name of your Tongtian Family, organize a martial arts competition."

"I want the Prodigies of this Middle Thousand Province, whether they are hidden Legacy successors or Saints of immortal Dao lineages, to gather here."

Tongtian Xuanming's heart trembled. Even though he had governed the Tongtian Family for several centuries and weathered many storms, he couldn't help but be astonished by the sheer scale of this undertaking.

Gathering the Prodigies of an entire province was already difficult, but to attract those ancient Legacies and Saints of immortal Dao lineages who remained hidden...

This required not just resources, but also a sufficiently weighty reason that they could not refuse.

But all of this was no problem for the Qin Family.

His thoughts raced, and he instantly understood the crucial point, taking a deep breath, his posture becoming even more respectful:

"Your Highness's foresight is profound; Xuanming is awed. Once the name of the Divine Son is announced, surely..."

Qin Wangchuan interrupted him, "The Qin Family will not appear for this matter, nor will the Divine Son."

"Do you understand?"

The Divine Son will not appear? Tongtian Xuanming's eyes twitched, a flash of insight in his mind, instantly grasping the key—this matter must be operated independently by the Tongtian Family, with no overt connection to the Qin Family of the Upper Realm.

"Xuanming understands," he immediately bowed, "This matter will be hosted independently by my Tongtian Family, with no involvement from Your Highness or the Qin Family... never."

Qin Wangchuan nodded slightly, indicating his approval.

Tongtian Xuanming's heart eased slightly, then he posed the most crucial question: "Then, Your Highness, for such a grand event, what bait should we use to attract heroes from all over the world, and make those arrogant Saints and successors willingly come?"

He tentatively listed, "Is it a Medicinal Pill that can bring the dead back to life and regrow flesh on bones? Or an supreme Cultivation Technique that points directly to the Grand Dao? Or... some Heaven-Defying, world-shaking Opportunity?"

Any one of these three would be enough to stir up a bloody storm in the cultivation world.

However, Qin Wangchuan's reply was as calm as if he were discussing the weather:

"All of them."

Tongtian Xuanming's breath hitched.

Immediately after, he heard the cold voice continue:

"Nine-turn Medicinal Pills and Quasi-Emperor Cultivation Techniques can both serve as rewards for the victors."

"As for that Heaven-Defying Opportunity..." Qin Wangchuan paused briefly, then lightly tapped his fingertip in the Void Realm, and a stream of light containing a unique Dao rhyme entered Tongtian Xuanming's glabella, "It is a secret art exclusively created by the Qin Family Divine Son—"

"The Myriad Tribulation Thunder Furnace."

The moment the name of the secret art was uttered, Tongtian Xuanming felt a thunderous roar deep within his Divine Soul, and a colossal furnace phantom, spanning Heaven and Earth, materialized in his Sea of Consciousness—

The furnace walls were inscribed with the myriad stars of the cosmos, and within it, Chaos thunder light surged. It actually used Myriad Tribulation Thunder as fuel, smelting Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi into the purest Qi and blood power!

The profundity of this method, and the lofty conception behind it, made even him feel unfathomable!

"Medicinal Pills, Cultivation Techniques, plus this secret art of the Divine Son."

Tongtian Xuanming took a deep breath, his eyes still holding a hint of disbelief, "Such a grand gesture, let alone the Middle Thousand Province, even those arrogant Prodigies of the Upper Realm would go mad for it."

He composed himself, but ultimately couldn't suppress the doubt in his heart, and cautiously spoke: "It's just... Your Highness, why expend such an astonishing price to draw all these Prodigies here? Could it be... to select followers from among them?"

Astonishing price?

Where was the astonishment?

Qin Wangchuan's eyelids lifted slightly, his gaze as calm as water.

"That is not for you to inquire about."

With just that one sentence, Tongtian Xuanming immediately fell silent, a fine sweat breaking out on his back.

He immediately bowed his head: "Xuanming overstepped."

"I will go and handle it now."

By this point, the bait was fully prepared.

With Medicinal Pills, Cultivation Techniques, and a unique secret art Opportunity combined, Tongtian Xuanming could almost foresee the frenzy that would engulf the entire Middle Thousand Province once the news spread!

Just as Tongtian Xuanming began to prepare for the grand event that would undoubtedly shake the Middle Thousand Province, in the distant Extreme Ice Profound Realm, on the Wind and Snow Ice Plain...

A fated duel was also drawing to a close.

In the biting cold wind, a woman dressed in a dark imperial robe stood silently at the peak of a ten-thousand-foot ice cliff. Her face was peerless, but her gaze was colder than the ancient, unmelting glaciers.

Opposite her, an unruly young Prodigy knelt on the ground, supporting himself with his sword, clearly defeated in the recent clash.

The woman, Feng Qingjue, revered by the world as Empress Liyue, overlooked the vast expanse below, extended her hand to him, her voice brooking no argument:

"Come to my side. Your sword shall become my strength."

The young Prodigy looked up, scoffing lightly, "Today my strength is insufficient, I admit defeat!"

He staggered to his feet, leaning on his sword, his gaze sweeping over the few figures watching from afar—those were Prodigies from various factions who had already submitted to the Empress.

A mocking curve appeared at the corner of his mouth:

"You have so many thugs available, yet you insisted on fighting me personally..."

"Let me guess—what do you want to prove? To prove that you are stronger than everyone else? Or to prove that you, a mere woman, can stand between Heaven and Earth without relying on anyone?"

Wind and snow howled between the two.

Feng Qingjue slowly lifted her gaze, looking towards the distant clouds, and calmly uttered four words.

"For the Heaven Above Heavens."

These four words were light, yet heavier than a ten-thousand-foot ice cliff.

"Not the Upper Thousand Provinces, but the Heaven Above Heavens."