335: Guardian duty, eternal night

Half a year later, at Sun Moon Peak, Xu Yuan severed the Eternal Dao Realm's restraints on him, thus becoming Transcendent and no longer subject to the various calamities and disasters of the Dao Realm!

The news quickly reached the high-ranking officials of Azure Firmament, and many were shocked. After all, breaking through from the Emperor Realm to Transcendent in just three short years—such a speed of Breakthrough was enough to rank among the top three in Azure Firmament's history.

Soon, Xu Yuan was summoned to the Azure Firmament Hall.

An hour later, Xu Yuan left the Azure Firmament Hall and headed to the Dao Academy's Mission Hall, where he accepted the task of guarding Azure Firmament.

This was a mandatory task for every Azure Firmament disciple after breaking through to Dao Severing, intended to temper them and allow them to refine their hearts in the Mortal World, lest they lose the will to continue pursuing the Dao after becoming Transcendent.

Even with Xu Yuan's special status, this task could not be avoided.

Azure Firmament governs seventy-two Celestial Territories, and the role of Azure Firmament Guardian involves going to the harsh lands within these Celestial Territories to serve as a Dao Province Master.

There were two ways to complete this task.

One was to guard for a thousand years in office and complete nine medium-level Dao merits. The simplest example of a medium-level Dao merit was to kill nine Dao Severing Kings who were harming the Dao Province.

Of course, the prerequisite was that these Dao Severing Kings were listed on the Mission Hall's register. Arbitrary slaughter, if discovered by the Dao Academy, would result in the abolition of one's Cultivation and expulsion from the Dao Academy.

Furthermore, the kills had to be personal, and the entire process would be recorded by an identity token, then transmitted to the Mission Hall and backed up by the Celestial Academy, making falsification impossible.

The second method was to guard for a hundred thousand years in office. If the Dao Province's tax revenue remained stable within these hundred thousand years, the task would be considered complete. If the tax revenue exceeded previous levels during this period, there would be additional rewards.

Many disciples with connections often chose the second method. After all, a Dao Province Master enjoyed much more freedom and leisure. A hundred thousand years seemed long, but it could pass in a single seclusion.

Of course, since it was for refining the heart, it was impossible to simply remain in seclusion; they also needed to achieve corresponding political accomplishments.

This is why many current Dao Province Masters were formerly students of the Academy.

The place Xu Yuan chose to guard was Eastern Ghost Dao Province in the Eastern Cang Celestial Territory. The Eastern Cang Celestial Territory was on the eastern border of the Canglan Dao Domain, bordering the Myriad Race Territory, and was part of the border pass.

Eastern Ghost Dao Province was the Dao Province closest to the border pass. To the east was the Azure Firmament Border Pass, and beyond it lay the Myriad Race Territory.

Daoist Cang Bai originally wanted to arrange other safe places for him, but Xu Yuan refused. He wanted to see what methods the Eternal Night Clan would employ.

“Young Lord, this journey might be dangerous!”

Yue Yu said with some concern.

“It’s fine. With you here, I’m very at ease!” Xu Yuan said with a smile.

Yue Yu's existence was known to the high-ranking officials of the Dao Academy, but his true Cultivation was only known to Daoist Cangsong and Daoist Cang Bai.

Even Elder Mu was unaware of it.

Yue Yu's external Cultivation was that of a Dao Severing Peak. He Cultivated the Lord Guyue's concealment technique, which ordinary Half-step Dao Lords could not see through.

“Although that’s true, will the Eternal Night Clan send out even stronger individuals?”

Hearing Yue Yu's words, Xu Yuan smiled, “Why use a butcher’s knife to kill a chicken? I am merely a Dao Severing cultivator. Even if they are cautious, at most they will send out Dao Lord Realm Early Stage assassins.”

While there seemed to be many Dao Lord Realm experts, compared to the overall population of the entire Dao Domain, the number of Dao Lords was still very small.

Although the Eternal Night Clan was a hegemon in the Myriad Race Territory, a Dao Lord Realm expert was an Elder-level existence within their clan. Coupled with the Human Race's power, it was absolutely impossible for them to send excessively powerful individuals.

“What’s more, I still have the life-saving item bestowed by Big Brother. I don’t think those people can cause much trouble!”

Xu Yuan said confidently with a smile.

This was not a casual remark. The clan token contained a Cultivation Jade Slip of a Dao Lord Realm Perfection expert. In a critical moment, whether he or Yue Yu used it, it could resolve the crisis.

Moreover, with his true body, the Ancient Moon Divine Spear, in hand, Yue Yu's combat power could not be judged by a Dao Lord Realm Late Stage. If they truly fought, even an ordinary Half-step Dao Lord might not be Yue Yu's match.

After all, this was a chaotic spiritual treasure. Although Yue Yu was a Dao Lord, with the same intent, he could unleash fifty percent of its power, which was enough to suppress a Half-step Dao Lord.

No matter how strong the Eternal Night Clan was, it was impossible for them to send an Immortal. At the Dao Lord level, if they rashly entered the Human Territory, the Eternal Night Clan would then have to face the Human Race Holy Temple.

Even if the Eternal Night Clan was a hegemon, facing the Human Race Holy Temple, it was merely a slightly larger ant.

Yue Yu heard this and, remembering the methods of the Young Lord's Clan Chief brother, his nervous heart relaxed.

That person was no ordinary individual; the methods he left behind were bound to be extraordinary.

Soon, Xu Yuan left with Yue Yu and Wang Yanan. As for Xu Ji and the others, they were under the care of Daoist Cang Bai, and Xu Yuan was very relieved.

As Xu Yuan departed, this news also spread among the high-ranking officials.

“Heh heh! What if he’s a Saint Eyes Wielder? Some things are not for you to touch!”

“Go, tell them over there that the person they want has already left the Dao Academy!”

Within a certain hall, a pair of cold eyes flashed with ruthlessness.

“Whoosh!”

As his voice fell, a breeze swept through a part of the hall, and then it returned to calm.

“You people, one by one, pretend to be righteous and are unwilling to step in, but how can you not know that on the path of Cultivation, if you don't contend, you fall behind?”

“You want to wait for others to act? Fine! If you don't take it, this Dominator will take it himself. This Dao Lord talent is mine; whoever blocks me dies!”

...In the Myriad Race Territory, the Eternal Night Dao Domain, a dark mist permeated, year-round, not a single ray of sunlight was seen, only a bright moon suspended in the sky.

Hence the name Eternal Night, and the Dominator of this Dao Domain was one of the Myriad Clans' hegemons—the Eternal Night Clan.

Far north, Eternal Night Ancient City!

Various pavilions and buildings stretched grandly, countless powerful Eternal Night Clan beings resided here, making this place the most solid fortress in the Dao Domain.

At the center of Eternal Night Ancient City was a vast, ancient palace complex. The masters here were the royal Bloodline of the Eternal Night Clan, and all decrees concerning the Dao Domain were transmitted outwards from here.

At this moment, in the tallest hall of the imperial palace, a powerful individual, shrouded in black mist and emanating the aura of a Dominator, sat high on the imperial throne.

“Your Majesty! News has come from the Canglan Dao Domain that the Saint Eyes Wielder has left the Azure Firmament Ancient Realm and is preparing to go to Eastern Ghost Dao Province in the Eastern Cang Celestial Territory to serve as a Guardian.”

Below, a figure completely shrouded in a black robe bowed and reported to the Dominator.

“Oh?”

The Dominator raised an eyebrow, showing a hint of interest.

“Stall him for some time first. Acting now would easily fall into the trap of those old fellows from Azure Firmament.”

“Wait until they relax, then act; it won't be too late. You all can proceed according to the plan, create some trouble for him, hinder his early return, and then, finding the right opportunity, capture him. If he surrenders, spare his life for future use; if he doesn't surrender...”

A cold glint shot from his eyes, causing the surrounding temperature to drop sharply.

“Then kill him!”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

The black-robed figure seemed unfazed, as if he had anticipated it.

“Last time, those useless Fire Spirit Clan didn't do well. Don't disappoint this Dominator again this time!”

As he spoke, the Dominator's reverent gaze looked towards the bright moon in the sky. Faintly, an Immortal Palace of Jade emerged on the bright moon, but it vanished in an instant.

The black-robed figure, feeling the Dominator's gaze, also looked at the bright moon, his eyes filled with fanaticism, for upon that bright moon lay the Holy Land of his Eternal Night Clan.

Every Eternal Night Clan member had only one goal in this life: to go to the Holy Land.

“Your subordinate will go oversee it immediately!”

However, fearing a lapse in etiquette before the throne, he quickly withdrew his gaze, bowed to the Dominator, and respectfully departed.