241: Chapter 240 I Have Someone Above Me

"You certainly have a clever scheme!"

Yuan Chen looked at this high-and-mighty Golden Immortal and, for a moment, was actually amused by the absurdity.

A clear, light chuckle pierced the deathly silence of the sky. It was not loud, yet it clearly reached the ears of everyone present, adding a touch of absurd mockery to the extremely tense atmosphere.

Yuan Chen raised his eyes, his gaze open and sharp, meeting Golden Immortal Ao Li's eyes directly. Without any roundabout pleasantries, he went straight to the point, his voice resounding in all directions: "Stop beating around the bush. I have one question for you."

"You spared no cost to descend across realms this time, leading the entire Dragon Clan into my Daming Imperial City. Do you intend to act as a neutral intermediary to resolve all past grievances between me and the Dragon Clan, so that from now on, we are even and can go our separate ways?"

"Or are you here specifically to stand up for Great Elder Ao Yin, using your Golden Immortal might to come to my Daming Imperial Dynasty to pick a fight, settle scores, and kill me?"

His tone turned abruptly cold, each word ringing with absolute confidence and killing intent: "If it is the former, and you wish to reconcile and discuss properly, then bring your people, sit down quietly, and watch the rest of the Immortal Dao Conference competition. We can discuss subsequent matters at my discretion."

"But if it is the latter, and you are intentionally looking for trouble, then I advise you to prepare to fall here. Since you have come to my doorstep to cause trouble, do not think about leaving in one piece!"

These words were straightforward and sharp, leaving no room for pleasantries. Like two sharp blades, they pierced through all of Golden Immortal Ao Li's disguises, exposing him to the gaze of a million Cultivators and all the forces of the Eastern Wasteland.

Golden Immortal Ao Li's expression stiffened completely, his face shifting between shades of gray. He was utterly humiliated.

He knew clearly in his heart that his purpose in coming here was to pick a fight, establish his authority, crush Yuan Chen, and wash away all the humiliation of the Dragon Clan. It was never about reconciliation.

However, Yuan Chen's strength was too strange and too ambiguous. From beginning to end, he had not revealed his trump cards, yet he was able to tame a Golden Immortal-rank Innate Spirit Body like Fortune Spirit. His foundation was unfathomable.

As a Golden Immortal, he possessed the pride of looking down upon the Mortal world, as well as the caution that came with his high position. He dared not gamble, and even less dared he attack rashly. If a war broke out, he might not be able to firmly suppress Yuan Chen, and he feared damaging his Immortal foundation or falling in the Lower Realm.

Yet, if he were to admit defeat, stay silent, and compromise by retreating now—after coming across realms in such a grand manner and exhausting ten thousand years of the Dragon Clan's foundation, only to retreat without a fight—this humiliation would be far worse than defeat!

From then on, he, a Golden Immortal from the Upper Realm, would become a laughingstock in both the Immortal and Mortal realms. The Dragon Clan, with its ancient Legacy, would never be able to hold its head high again. Their ten-thousand-year foundation and the dignity of their clan would be destroyed in an instant!

In a brief instant, Golden Immortal Ao Li's mind raced. Caught in a dilemma, he found himself teetering on the cliff edge of public opinion and dignity, suffering immensely.

At the critical moment, with the entire venue in dead silence and Golden Immortal Ao Li hesitating, two completely different voices suddenly rang out simultaneously. One was fierce, the other gentle; one advocated for war, the other for peace. The extreme contrast instantly broke the deadlock.

"Yuan Chen! Stop being so arrogant! My father is a Golden Immortal from the Upper Realm! You are merely a Mortal Cultivator who happened to stumble upon some Opportunities, yet you dare to be so insolent and reckless! Now that my father has personally arrived, it is time to settle all your sins! I advise you to immediately bow your head, kneel, admit your mistakes, and allow our clan to deal with you! Otherwise, now that a Golden Immortal has descended, we will trample your Daming Imperial Dynasty into the ground, destroy your Divine Soul, and ensure you can never be reincarnated!"

"It's a misunderstanding, all a misunderstanding. It is just that a Senior from the Upper Realm heard that the Dragon Clan had produced a Prodigy and wanted to come see for himself. This visit is merely to observe the ceremony and communicate; there is absolutely no malice or intent to pick a fight. All past grievances are based on misunderstandings. We wish to discuss with the Palace Master and resolve these entanglements properly. Please, let us not resort to violence!"

Great Elder Ao Yin, filled with resentment, had been bottling up a stomach full of rage. Seeing his father hesitate and the situation at a stalemate, he could no longer hold back. He stepped forward, his eyes bloodshot and his Evil Qi soaring. He sternly scolded the high platform, fully adopting a war-mongering stance, desperate to start a fight immediately to wash away all the humiliation he and the Dragon Clan had suffered.

Meanwhile, Clan Chief Ao Yi of the Dragon Clan stepped forward quickly, turning to the high platform and repeatedly cupping his hands. With an anxious expression, he hurriedly tried to smooth things over and maneuvered with conciliatory words.

The completely contradictory attitudes of the two men left the million Cultivators in the venue looking at each other in confusion.

Yuan Chen couldn't help but sneer, "How about you go back and discuss it amongst yourselves before coming back?"

"Um... Senior, I heard clearly on the way here. They planned that after they arrived, they would capture you to study, and then erase your children's memories to raise them. Their intentions are malicious and they deserve to die. How about we just kill them all?"

After arriving at the Imperial City, Shi Jin had regained his confidence. Facing dozens of murderous gazes, he spoke up, completely unbothered by the potential chaos.

"That's right, that's right! They even made fun of your children for being ugly, Senior!" Little Pebble chimed in as well.

The members of the Dragon Clan who had come turned pale instantly. That was just bragging on the road, okay? Do you understand what bragging is? If you don't understand, don't just spout nonsense.

However, those words had indeed been spoken, and there was no way to refute them now.

"Oh, is that so?" Yuan Chen's eyes narrowed as he looked unkindly at the visitors.

Golden Immortal Ao Li stood still. In the end, all hesitation in his eyes faded away, leaving only cold majesty and inviolable pride.

The words had already been said; there was no room for retreat.

The ancient prestige of the Dragon Clan could not be tarnished, and he, a dignified Golden Immortal from the Upper Realm, could not be insulted by a Junior from the Lower Realm.

"Noisy!"

Golden Immortal Ao Li let out a low shout, then raised his eyes, his gaze as cold and sharp as a blade, locking onto Yuan Chen.

The next second, a thunderous roar exploded across the sky!

Endless Golden Immortal light surged violently from his body. The Golden Immortal Aura that he had deliberately restrained was completely unleashed, sweeping across the sky for ten thousand miles!

The rules of the Heavenly Dao roared, the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi became violently chaotic, and the clouds shattered layer by layer. The mountains, rivers, and earth veins within a thousand miles of the Imperial City trembled, and the entire land sank slightly. An Immortal Dao Aura, one that overlooked the Mortal world and suppressed all laws, firmly shrouded the entire Daming Imperial City!

"You want to fight? Then let's fight!"

Immortal patterns swirled around Golden Immortal Ao Li, and his Dao Aura was immense. His figure was as proud and lonely as an Immortal, and his voice shook the ancient sky, each word cold and domineering: "I originally considered that Immortals and Mortals are different and did not wish to bully a Junior of the Lower Realm. I intended to leave you a chance at survival."

"But you, Yuan Chen, are arrogant and ignorant, slighting my Immortal might! Since you are bent on seeking death, I shall grant your wish!"

"Today, I will let you see the gap clearly! An ant of the Lower Realm, even if your Opportunities are Heaven-Defying and your foundation is extraordinary, can never match a true powerhouse on the path of Immortality! I will use my power as a Golden Immortal to suppress your arrogance and let the entire Eastern Wasteland know that the dignity of the Dragon Clan and the face of an Immortal shall never be trampled upon by a mere Mortal!"

The terrifying Immortal Aura overwhelmed the entire venue, causing the Divine Souls of countless Cultivators to ache sharply, their blood and Qi to surge, and their legs to go weak, almost forcing them to kneel and bow their heads.

Around the square, the Sect Masters of major Sects, the Old Ancestors of ancient Families, and hidden powerhouses all turned deathly pale. Their minds were greatly shaken, and their faces were filled with extreme terror.

"A Golden Immortal has unleashed their full power! It's too strong!"

"It's too terrifying! This kind of Aura is simply not something Mortal practitioners can resist!"

"It's over! The Daming Imperial Dynasty is going to be destroyed. No, it's going to be destroyed again!"

Everyone reacted immediately, raising their hands to erect their strongest protective barriers. At the same time, they tightly protected the Sect Juniors and Family youngsters beside them, using all their strength to isolate the terrifying Immortal Aura, fearing that once the war began, the shockwaves would sweep through and instantly wipe out these young ones.

Yet, even though they were filled with fear and knew that this battle was extremely dangerous, no one on the scene chose to retreat or flee.

In everyone's eyes, extreme fanaticism and anticipation burned.

A battle of Golden Immortals! An Immortal confrontation!

This was a monumental battle rarely seen in all the heavens throughout the ages!

An ordinary Cultivator might not be able to catch a glimpse of an Immortal attacking even once in their entire life. Today, they were lucky enough to witness it with their own eyes. Even at the risk of being severely injured by the shockwaves, no one was willing to leave!

Everyone stood firmly in place, staring intently at the high platform, unwilling to miss a single moment. Their hearts pounded wildly as they held their breath, waiting for the battle to erupt.

Just as the atmosphere in the venue was stretched to the breaking point and the battle was about to erupt, Yuan Chen on the high platform, facing the Golden Immortal Aura that overturned heaven and earth, remained unchanged from beginning to end. He was not surprised, not afraid, not panicked, and not chaotic.

He even curled his lips slightly, revealing a faint, relieved smile. He spoke calmly, his tone carrying a touch of mockery: "That's right."

"We're clearly here to fight, yet you had to beat around the bush and pretend to be conflicted for half a day. Just start fighting already."

As his voice fell, he raised his eyes to look at Golden Immortal Ao Li, whose Aura was soaring on the high platform. His tone was calm but carried absolute control, and his words were shocking: "Since you insist on fighting..."

"Then wait a moment. Don't be in such a rush to attack."

When these words were spoken, everyone was completely dumbfounded, their faces full of astonishment and their heads filled with confusion.

"Wait? The Palace Master is telling a Golden Immortal powerhouse to wait?"

"A battle is imminent, a life-and-death duel, and instead of engaging, he's making his opponent wait? What kind of move is this?"

Golden Immortal Ao Li had just unleashed his full Immortal might, his killing intent maxed out and his Battle Intent soaring. He was just about to attack and suppress, but was suddenly called to a halt by Yuan Chen's "wait a moment." His full chest of killing intent was instantly stuck, unable to go up or down, making him feel incredibly stifled and awkward.

Great Elder Ao Yin frowned tightly and shouted sternly, "Yuan Chen! Are you scared? If you're scared, come back with me!"

Yuan Chen couldn't be bothered to pay attention to his clamor. His gaze swept calmly toward Elder Hei Yan below, and he ordered in a deep voice: "Elder Hei Yan, take the men and activate the Formation."

"Understood! Palace Master!"

Elder Hei Yan had already been prepared and waiting. Upon hearing this, he immediately bowed to receive the order and waved his hand. Dozens of elite Imperial Dynasty Cultivators instantly scattered, each performing their duties and swiftly stepping into their Formation positions. Their movements were skilled and neat, without a hint of hesitation.

Only then did all the big shots of the various forces and the thousands of Cultivators in the venue suddenly snap back to reality. Subconsciously following the movements of the others, they turned their heads to look at the empty corner in the northern part of the Imperial Palace.

At this glance, the pupils of everyone in the venue instantly dilated, their breathing stopped, and their minds were greatly shaken!

Without them knowing when, that originally empty and desolate corner had already been piled with continuous, towering mountains of resources that reached into the clouds!

Hundreds of millions of High-Grade Spirit Stones were piled into peaks, shining brilliantly, with the sky-rushing Spiritual Qi gathering into rolling seas of clouds. Ancient divine mines, thousand-year-old spirit materials, and ten-thousand-year-old rare treasures were densely packed across the ground, with ten thousand paths of rosy light and thousands of strands of auspicious Qi. Various top-grade Immortal Pills, Innate Magic Treasures, and ancient secret treasures were listed layer upon layer—countless and dazzling!

Every piece of material here was a supreme treasure that, if placed in the outside world, would be enough to trigger battles between top Sects and shake the landscape of the Eastern Wasteland. Yet, here, they were like common mud and stone, piled randomly across the mountains and fields. The sheer quantity was terrifying enough to make one's scalp tingle!

"My God! What kind of foundation is this?!"

"Just a single pile of Spirit Stones would be enough for a first-class Sect to Cultivate for ten thousand years! Yuan Chen's resource reserves are simply shocking!"

The entire venue was in an uproar. Extreme shock replaced all fear. Everyone's eyes were fixed on that sea of resource mountains, filled with disbelief.

Under the gaze of everyone, Yuan Chen stood with his hands behind his back, facing the wind. He smiled faintly, his voice clearly resonating throughout the entire Imperial City as he calmly revealed his trump card: "You of the Dragon Clan can burn your Luck and overdraw your foundation to summon a Golden Immortal from the Upper Realm to descend, relying on the Upper Realm Dao system to act recklessly."

"But I'm afraid you have forgotten that my Daming Imperial Dynasty also possesses the Formation methods to draw from the Upper Realm and summon Immortals across realms."

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire venue was shaken again!

No, brother, why don't you listen to what you're saying?

What do you mean your Daming Imperial Dynasty? You've only been here for a few months.

Wait, Yuan Chen isn't going to... Everyone's expressions were dazed for a moment.

Yuan Chen ignored the strange gazes of the crowd.

This set of Formations for cross-realm traction and summoning an Immortal Venerable from the Upper Realm was obtained through interrogation of the last surviving direct descendant of the Zhao Family.

As an ancient Legacy force, the Zhao Family had hidden the Legacy of taboo Formations for generations and was proficient in cross-domain traction techniques. Similar to the Dragon Clan's Heaven-Reaching Altar, these were all ancient secret Formations capable of prying open the Immortal power of the Upper Realm and summoning an Immortal Venerable to descend.

However, the one thing Yuan Chen did not lack in this world was resources.

For others to activate the Formation once, they would need to exhaust their entire clan's ten-thousand-year accumulation and overdraw the Luck of generations.

But Yuan Chen's private resources alone were enough to match the entire foundation of several Dragon Clans.

Such consumption, which would be a desperate situation of clan destruction for others, was merely child's play for Yuan Chen.

He was not starting this Formation today out of fear of Golden Immortal Ao Li.

His main purpose was to personally observe and deduce this cross-realm Immortal-summoning Formation.

The Dragon Clan's altar and the Zhao Family's secret Formation were both capable of connecting the Immortal and Mortal realms and drawing upon the battle power of the Upper Realm. Today, he would personally observe the operation of the Formation and the rules and veins of the Immortal-Mortal traction.

"If the threshold for this kind of cross-domain Immortal-summoning technique is not high, and it can be activated at will and enabled in batches..."

Speaking of this, Yuan Chen's lips curled into a meaningful smile, and a profound light flashed in his eyes: "Then the future landscape of the heavens and the situation between Immortals and Mortals will become increasingly interesting."

"Activate the Formation."

Yuan Chen gave the order calmly.

The next moment, Elder Hei Yan formed a seal with his hands, and dozens of Formation incantations lit up simultaneously. The entire mountain of resources instantly erupted with rosy light that rushed into the sky, and Formation patterns spread everywhere. Densely packed ancient runes broke through the soil, crisscrossing and connecting heaven and earth.

Once the Formation was activated, it instantly erupted with a terrifying swallowing power. The densely packed Formation eyes were like the mouths of gluttonous beasts, crazily devouring the massive, mountain-like resources.

Countless High-Grade Spirit Stones dimmed and melted at a speed visible to the naked eye. The extremely pure Spiritual Qi was instantly drained, turning into wisps of flowing light that gathered into the Formation patterns. Precious ancient spirit materials and divine mines dissolved layer by layer, and various Immortal Pills and secret treasures all turned into Origin essence Qi, continuously pouring into the veins of the Formation.

In just a few breaths, the towering, continuous mountains of resources had already sunk significantly, and the piles of supreme treasures were rapidly melting away. The shocking speed of resource consumption made the scalps of all the Cultivators in the venue tingle. The Sect Masters of the major forces all had their pupils shrink, their hearts filled with terror.

At the same time, strange phenomena of heaven and earth erupted one after another. The clouds and winds above the Imperial City rolled backward, and a sea of clouds gathered from all directions. Endless, vast Immortal light emerged above the dome, and the outline of the gray Upper Realm Void Realm faintly appeared as the weak Qi of the cross-domain channel slowly vibrated.