447: Tianyang Competition

However, less than two thousand epochs after the Tianyang Ruins invasion, the Taisu Ruins from the northern shore, the Qingming Ruins from the west, and the Xuanqiong Ruins from the east, three Ruins invaded one after another within a thousand epochs.

Under these circumstances, the Dao Palace took the lead in convening an Eternal Conference, which was attended not only by the Eternal Dao Realm but also by the three thousand Ancient Lands of Chaos and the myriad Chaos Ancient Cities in the Chaos Sea.

Even with the past rifts between the Chaos Ancient Race and the Eternal Dao Realm, they reached a consensus on resisting the invaders.

Tianyang Pass was guarded by the Human Race and Luanshen Territory; the west was defended by the Demonic and Nether Races; the east was defended by the Chaos Ancient Race; as for the strongest Taisu Ruins, it was jointly defended by the Yao Race and Myriad Races.

As for the Chaos Ancient Cities, being the weakest in strength, they were divided into five major regions and became the primary source of troops for the four major border passes.

Among the four Ruins Realm, the Taisu Ruins was the strongest, followed by the Xuanqiong Ruins; the Tianyang Ruins was third; and the Qingming Ruins was fourth.

From the Ancient Era to the present, the four major Ruins Passes have stood for over thirty-five thousand epochs.

Throughout these long years, many powerhouses emerged from various races, but similarly, many also fell while resisting the invasion of the Tianyang Ruins.

Originally, with the Human Race and Luanshen Territory guarding Tianyang Pass, they could, if not effortlessly, at least resist the attacks of the Tianyang Ruins with the help of the grand formation.

But in the Ancient Era, a traitor appeared in the Human Race. In a premeditated plot, he opened the grand formation, allowing a half-step Eternal and fifteen Dao Lords of the Fourth Step and above from the Tianyang Ruins to enter Tianyang Pass.

In that battle, although the half-step Eternal was repelled and seven Fourth Step Dao Lords were slain with the help of the contemporary spokesperson of the Dao Palace, Tianyang Pass suffered heavy casualties. Twenty-one Dao Lords of the Human Race died in battle, three from the Luanshen Territory, and four from the Chaos Ancient Cities.

The number of casualties among Cultivators below the Dao Lord Realm was countless, and this battle also led to dissent from the southern Chaos Ancient Cities.

Therefore, at the Eternal Conference, due to the Human Race traitor and the excessive number of fallen Dao Lords, the Human Race lost too much say.

Furthermore, to quell the anger, from this conference onward, every hundred epochs, the Human Race must send one billion Cultivators of the Dao Severing Realm and above to guard Tianyang Pass, including one thousand Dao Monarchs and ten million Dao Lords.

The Dao Severing Realm is not difficult, and even Dao Lords and Dao Monarchs, if the Sacred Hall is willing, can be accumulated within a hundred epochs. However, this requires too many resources; once or twice is fine, but once every hundred epochs, even the Human Race cannot supply it.

At the end of the Ancient Era, the Human Race finally saw the emergence of its second half-step Eternal, Earth Sovereign, one of the Three Ancestors. His Breakthrough gave the Human Race a certain amount of say at the Eternal Conference.

But the sin could not be erased, so after negotiation, the Tianyang Competition was established.

At the beginning of every hundred epochs, the Human Race and the southern Chaos Ancient Cities would hold a Prodigy Competition, featuring three main contests: Dao Severing, Dao Lord, and Dao Monarch.

For the Dao Severing and Dao Lord contests, all those within a hundred levels could participate; for the Dao Monarch contest, the age limit was set at one thousand epochs.

For fairness, the Dao Palace brought out a Chaos Supreme Treasure. Under this Chaos Supreme Treasure, the life wheel of a being could be detected.

The life wheel can be said to be the lifespan of a being. As long as it has experienced time, even with the acceleration of time flow, it will be recorded by the life wheel. This Chaos Supreme Treasure's ability to detect the life wheel prevents both sides from using time acceleration as a cheating method.

In the Dao Severing competition, the winning side does not need to provide Dao Severing Realm troops; in the Dao Lord competition, the winning side does not need to provide Dao Lord Realm troops; and the Dao Monarch competition is the same.

In the Middle Ancient Era, the Human Race mostly won more than they lost.

Over a hundred eras in the Middle Ancient Era, in one hundred Prodigy Competitions, the Human Race only lost thirteen matches at the Dao Monarch level, nine matches in the Dao Lord competition, and seventeen matches at the Dao Severing level.

However, since the beginning of the Recent Ancient Era, the Human Race has entered a decline. In the first eight eras, the Human Race performed reasonably well in the Dao Severing and Dao Lord categories, but suffered eight consecutive losses at the Dao Monarch level.

If they lose again in this era, it will be nine consecutive losses.

Losing is not the issue, but the cost of losing is eight thousand Dao Monarchs being sent to the battlefield.

At Tianyang Pass, the fall of Dao Monarchs has become the norm.

In the past eight eras, out of the eight thousand Dao Monarchs they sent, less than a few hundred remain, which shows the danger involved.

Amidst the misty tea, Xu Qing lightly tapped the table with his fingertips: "Senior, are you inviting me today for the Tianyang Competition?"

"Precisely." The Old man in linen clothes's hand, holding the pot, paused slightly. The tea pouring from the spout stirred three layers of ripples in the cup. "The Young City Lord of the Divine Fallen Ancient City has been dominating Tianyang Pass since the fourth era. He has participated in five eras up to the last one, fighting from the Dao Severing field to the Dao Monarch field, always ranking first in his realm!"

The Old man in linen clothes's speech gradually slowed, each word seeming to carry a thousand pounds of weight.

His withered fingers sketched in the Void Realm, revealing a blurry figure—that person was like a god, suspended in the sky, with the sun, moon, and stars under his feet.

"A hundred epochs ago, with his Middle Stage Dao Monarch cultivation, he slew the 'Demonic Lord of Blood Prison' from the Tianyang Ruins with a single sword."

The old man looked up at Xu Qing, his gaze, reflected in the teacup, as deep as an abyss. "According to our estimates, his cultivation is at least Late Stage Dao Monarch now, and his combat power has probably already touched the threshold of an Immortal Giant."

At this point, the Old man in linen clothes refilled Xu Qing's tea, while also observing his expression.

Upon hearing this, Xu Qing's lips curved slightly. He lightly stroked the rim of the cup and said nothing.

Seeing Xu Qing's calm expression, the Old man in linen clothes already had a good idea. He knew that if the other party made a move, there would be no suspense in the Dao Monarch field.

As for the Dao Severing and Dao Lord fields, the Sacred Hall had indeed cultivated a group of Prodigies, so they were not afraid of the Prodigies from the Chaos Ancient Cities.

However, he was now thinking about how to get Xu Qing to participate in the Tianyang Competition.

Although the Tianyang Competition concerned the Human Race, and the four major Ruins Passes were related to the entire Eternal Ruins, he could not use the greater good to pressure Xu Qing.

If he were to use the greater good to make Xu Qing participate this time, the other party would certainly go, but then the two sides would become enemies in the future.

The Xu Family's Twin Dragons, barring any accidents, would inevitably step into that Domain in the future. Even the Sacred Hall was unwilling to offend such powerhouses.

"Young friend, I have come on a mission from the Sacred Hall to invite you to participate in this Grand Competition. As long as you participate, whether it's Dao medicines, ancestral medicines, or Dao methods, Divine Abilities, whatever you need, the Sacred Hall can provide it to you!"

"Of course, if you are unwilling, the Sacred Hall will not say anything, but we only hope that when the Human Race of the Ancient Land of Dao is in trouble, you can lend a helping hand!"

After much deliberation, the Old man in linen clothes stopped beating around the bush and went straight to the point.

Xu Qing put down his teacup, looked up at the Old man in linen clothes, and smiled.

"Senior, you overstate it. I was born in the Eternal Dao Realm and grew up with the Human Race's legacy. I should naturally clear the way for the Human Race! Furthermore, if the four major Ruins Passes fall, where would there be a pure land for cultivation? I naturally won't ignore it!"

"I will participate in this Tianyang Competition. Not to mention that the Young City Lord of the Divine Fallen is not an Immortal Giant, even if he were an Immortal Giant, I would still slay him with a single sword!"

Upon hearing this, the bamboo staff in the Old man in linen clothes's hand suddenly glowed green, and ancient, dense inscriptions appeared on its body.

He stood up shakily, the patches on his robe transforming into circulating stars, and his entire being suddenly became solemn and majestic.

"This old man... on behalf of the Sacred Hall, thanks you, young friend!"

As he bowed, the Chaos Sea outside the bamboo house surged with towering waves, as if expressing the Old man in linen clothes's excited mood at that moment.

The Old man in linen clothes stood up and bowed to Xu Qing.

"Senior, please don't humble this Junior!"

Xu Qing stepped forward and supported the old man's arm.

"If not for all you Seniors guarding the four poles, how could we have the opportunity to seek the Dao?"

Xu Qing said with sincere emotion.

The old man was stunned, then he laughed three times, his laughter shaking the bamboo leaves to flutter down: "Good! Good! Excellent!"