283: Chapter 730 Dividing the Spoils

A simple sentence instantly plunged the entire assembly into silence.

All the big shots shut their mouths at once, turning their gazes collectively toward Sect Leader Ling Tianjiao in the main seat; none dared to utter another word.

As one of the five major powers in the Xuan Continent, the Qingxuan Taoist Sect held significant weight.

Sect Leader Ling Tianjiao's gaze was cold as she swept over the crowd, her tone carrying a hint of indifferent mockery: "You argue over leadership, numbers, distribution, and first-mover advantages, bickering heatedly and refusing to yield an inch."

"But it seems you have forgotten the most crucial matter from the very beginning."

The crowd was stunned, their faces filled with confusion.

Xiao Xuanji bowed respectfully: "We ask that the Empress please enlighten us!"

Sect Leader Ling Tianjiao lifted her eyes to look at the Void Realm rift floating in the high sky, her tone indifferent yet every word piercing: "Why is this rift able to hang here steadily, neither expanding nor collapsing, neither closing nor vanishing?"

The crowd was instantly speechless, their hearts skipping a beat as they realized the truth.

Sect Leader Ling Tianjiao lifted her hand slightly, and the Spiritual Artifact beside her, the Void Glazed Ruler, surged with spiritual light. A faint Dao charm of the Void Realm swept across the venue, suppressing the entire white jade platform.

"When the rift first appeared, it was on the verge of vanishing and closing in an instant. It was I who utilized my life-bound Spiritual Artifact, the Void Glazed Ruler, consuming my Origin spiritual power day and night to continuously lock the Void Realm rift, forcibly preserving this cross-Realm Opportunity for you all."

"Without my Spiritual Artifact suppressing it and my secret techniques maintaining it, you wouldn't even have the qualifications to argue today; the rift would have long since returned to nothingness, and everything would be idle talk."

A single sentence shattered all the selfish schemes in everyone's hearts.

The expressions of the big shots stiffened, a wave of embarrassment washing over them, yet no one could refute her.

The facts were laid out before them, undeniable.

All the Cultivators fell silent and lowered their heads, their faces full of awe; no one dared to speak another word.

Sect Leader Ling Tianjiao's cold gaze swept across the crowd, her expression indifferent and her tone carrying absolute authority that brooked no dissent: "The Void Realm rift is locked and maintained solely by my Qingxuan Taoist Sect. If not for my life-bound Spiritual Artifact consuming its Origin day and night to stabilize the passage, this so-called great Opportunity would vanish in an instant."

"Therefore, all powers entering from this rift will have the Qingxuan Taoist Sect hold all rights to development, resource allocation, Opportunity seizure, leadership, arbitration, and priority. My Sect shall exclusively claim forty percent of the core dividends."

Even though those below were unwilling, no one dared to refute her, and they could only bow their heads in compliance.

At this moment, the other four top overlords on the platform, who had been silent for a long time, finally spoke for the first time.

The first to speak was the most arrogant and domineering, the First Prince of the Lieyang Dynasty—Lie Qingcang.

He slowly raised his eyes, his golden robes shifting, a scorching aura of slaughter and battle Qi rising quietly. His tone carried deep dissatisfaction and stubbornness as he initiated the challenge: "The Empress's Move is far too domineering and biased."

"For ten thousand years, the five major powers of the Xuan Continent have governed the Central Domain together, with equal rights and responsibilities, and equal distribution of benefits. There has never been a rule where one family monopolizes the lion's share! Although your Qingxuan Taoist Sect has the merit of locking the rift, claiming forty percent of the core dividends in one go is far too unfair!"

His words were resonant and pressing, shattering the calm of the platform.

Following closely, Kong Wenyuan, the head of the Haoran Academy, slowly opened his eyes, gently waving his folding fan. His refined face bore signs of deep calculation as he spoke in a low voice, echoing the sentiment: "The First Prince speaks the truth."

"Empress, let me speak plainly. Stabilizing the passage is indeed a great merit, and we are grateful. But opening up a Realm is by no means a task for one person or one Sect. Investigating dangers, mapping the layout, avoiding crises, guarding the rear, and pioneering land—everything requires the full cooperation and life-risking efforts of our four families."

"Merit should be rewarded, but not monopolized. Forty percent of the dividends far exceed a reasonable scope and have already broken the balance maintained for ten thousand years. It is difficult to convince the four families, and even harder to stabilize the overall situation of the Central Domain."

A cold, hoarse laugh sounded slowly. Ye Wuchang, the Pavilion Master of the Jiuyou Shadow Pavilion, stood with his black robes fluttering. His gaze within the shadows was ice-cold, and his tone carried strong confrontation: "My Jiuyou Shadow Pavilion has governed the dark side of the Xuan Continent for a thousand years, most skilled in stealth investigation, nighttime infiltration, and seizing hidden Secret Realms."

"The Lower Realm has countless unknown dangers. Surface-level investigation is ultimately limited. Most hidden Opportunities and lurking crises require my Pavilion's Disciples to penetrate deep into the hinterlands to investigate. We contribute so much, and for the Empress to monopolize forty percent—forgive me, Ye Wuchang, but I cannot agree!"

The last to speak was the typically gentle Sect Master of the Wanling Ancient Sect, Su Wanling. He lightly pressed his spiritual staff against the ground, the flourishing vitality around him slightly agitated. His tone was peaceful but his stance firm, refusing to yield an inch: "Empress, opening up the Lower Realm relies on combat power and stealth in the short term, but on resources and sustainability in the long term."

"My Wanling Ancient Sect monopolizes ninety percent of the Spiritual Veins, Medicinal Pill legacies, and Artifact forging legacies in the Xuan Continent. All healing Medicinal Pills, protective Magical Artifacts, and Spiritual Qi supplies for the cross-Realm Disciples are fully covered by my Sect. Without the continuous resource support of my Sect, even if the Lower Realm is conquered, it cannot be held for long, nor can the territory be stabilized."

The four top powers spoke simultaneously, exerting pressure together, completely changing their stance from the silent observation of just moments ago.

For a time, the energy on the platform collided crazily, with undercurrents surging. The originally calm situation instantly became tense and ready to explode.

"In my opinion, the Empress should monopolize at most twenty percent of the dividends! The remaining eighty percent should be divided among the powers of the world!" Lie Qingcang's attitude was tough, directly cutting the price in half.

"Inappropriate." Kong Wenyuan immediately refuted, "Twenty percent is too much of a detriment to the Empress's merit; thirty percent is the most equitable! The Empress gets thirty percent, and the remaining seventy percent is divided among the families; only then will it be balanced!"

After all, there could not be only one rift entrance, and their powers would not choose only this entrance.

The exact amount of profit was not too important, but as major powers, they could not allow Sect Leader Ling Tianjiao to steal the spotlight in front of other powers.

"Thirty percent is still too much!" Ye Wuchang said in a cold voice, "At most twenty-five percent! Otherwise, my Jiuyou Shadow Pavilion will refuse to participate in the cross-Realm investigation, and we will absolutely not work for others in vain!"

Su Wanling frowned slightly: "If we remain deadlocked, it would be better to rely on our own abilities. The four of us could join forces to temporarily delay entry, forcing a change in the rules."

The four men traded words, arguing and bargaining, each fighting for the maximum benefit for their own power. The dispute became increasingly intense, and tempers flared hotter.

Lie Qingcang had the most violent temper. After arguing for a moment, he was already truly angry. The golden battle Qi gale around him exploded, sweeping across half the platform. The airflow became chaotic, and the spiritual mist dissipated: "If the Empress insists on being arbitrary and clinging to old rules! Then my Lieyang Dynasty would rather give up this Opportunity than endure such unfair treatment!"

As his voice fell, battle Qi condensed at his fingertips, and a streak of extremely sharp killing power broke through the air, lightly grazing the stone railing of the platform!

Crack—

The white jade stone railing, hard as divine metal, instantly shattered and scattered. The broken stones fell into the sea of clouds, and the scene instantly tightened to the extreme.

This was naked provocation and military pressure!

"Are you teaching me how to do things?"

Sect Leader Ling Tianjiao's tone was indifferent, yet carried a bone-chilling coldness.

In the next second, the Dao charm that had been silent in her body for a long time erupted!

Boom—!!!

The boundless, deep, and supreme pressure of the Perfection Realm of the Space Dao crushed down like the sky collapsing and the earth sinking!

This aura far exceeded any previous time!

It was not ordinary Battle Emperor pressure, but a level of crushing dominance from the Perfection of the Great Dao and transcendence of the Realm!

The entire Void Realm instantly solidified. The chaotic Spiritual Qi, the conflicting forces, and the floating sea of clouds all stood still and frozen!

Lie Qingcang, who had just attacked to probe, felt his entire body's battle Qi instantly suppressed and tightly bound. His surging combat power stopped directly within his body, and even the strength to lift his hand was instantly drained!

His pupils suddenly shrank to pinpricks, his mind went blank, and stormy waves surged in his heart!

"This, this Great Dao aura... Her cultivation has actually improved again!!!"

Lie Qingcang was shocked internally, his face full of disbelief.

For a thousand years of balance, he had always thought he was on par with Sect Leader Ling Tianjiao and could compete with her. But at this moment, he realized that the other party had already quietly broken through the shackles and stepped into a brand-new Realm that they could not reach even after exhausting their lives!

"Impossible... We haven't seen each other for just a few years, how could she be this strong!" Ye Wuchang's body under the black robe trembled crazily, his heart filled with monstrous fear.

The four top overlords were all shocked, all shaken, and all had their mental states collapsed!

All the previous unwillingness, disputes, pulling, and probing attacks now seemed incomparably ridiculous and childish.

Sect Leader Ling Tianjiao's cold gaze swept over the four faces filled with fear. She slowly withdrew her pressure. Her tone remained cold but lost its hardness and gained relaxation, taking the initiative to give the four families a way out:

"I know the four families have worked hard, and I have no intention of bullying others or suppressing the Sects."

"Since you all feel that forty percent of the dividends is too harsh, then I will take a step back."

Sect Leader Ling Tianjiao was calm and composed as she spoke slowly, setting down a brand-new, fair, and comprehensive rule:

"The Qingxuan Taoist Sect's dividends will be reduced to thirty percent, retaining the right to guard the passage, the right of final arbitration, and the priority to choose the best territory. The remaining seventy percent of the benefits will be decided by you below."

"At the same time, rewards will be increased based on merit, tailored to each family's strengths: The Lieyang Dynasty specializes in pioneering and slaughter, with extra bonuses for battlefield merit; Haoran Academy specializes in intelligence and deduction, with resource and map revenue skewed toward them; the Jiuyou Shadow Pavilion specializes in dark exploration of Secret Realms, with priority for hidden Opportunities; the Wanling Ancient Sect specializes in resource sustainability, with additional gains on Spiritual Veins and Medicinal Pills."

"Each Sect will have sixty elite Disciples in the exploration team, rotating in batches, crossing the Realm in an orderly manner. It is strictly forbidden to mobilize troops privately, hoard Opportunities, or engage in internal strife."

"The best territory seized within three years will belong to my Qingxuan, and all other regional resources, Secret Realms, and Spiritual Veins will be distributed fairly according to merit."

A new set of rules was laid down, which not only maintained the absolute leading position of the Qingxuan Taoist Sect but also perfectly appeased the emotions of the four families and supplemented their interests.

Kong Wenyuan praised sincerely, completely convinced: "Fair, appropriate, and comprehensive! The Empress has great wisdom, and my Haoran Academy completely accepts this!"

"My Lieyang Dynasty has no objections!" Lie Qingcang replied in a low voice, no longer having a shred of arrogance.

"The Jiuyou Shadow Pavilion will follow the dispatch!"

"The Wanling Ancient Sect will strictly follow the orders!"

The four top powers reached a complete consensus; the dispute ended, and hearts were won over.

Sect Leader Ling Tianjiao's gaze was slightly sharp as she began to issue the final dispatch order:

"Three months of preparation time. Each of the five Sects will select sixty core elite Disciples to gather and organize ten miles outside Duanyun Cliff, waiting for orders."

"There are three cores for the exploration: mapping the combat power level of the Lower Realm, figuring out the layout of the local forces, and marking the resources and Secret Realms of the entire domain.

"All Disciples should prioritize forbearance and investigation. If you encounter those who submit, keep their lives for now; if you encounter resistance, suppress them all to establish the heavenly might of our Xuan Continent!"

...

The last wisp of Void Realm mist in the Two-World Canyon slowly dissipated.

The thick black mist seemed to be pushed aside by an invisible hand, revealing the clear yet biting and domineering world of the Xuan Continent outside.

Yuan Chen stepped out of the canyon pass, his white robes pristine and spotless. His gait was leisurely and languid, with only a careless indifference in his eyes.

Wu Yang and Yang Chi followed closely behind, their backs straight and their auras expansive and unconstrained. As top-tier experts from the Canglan Domain, even when situated in the Xuan Continent—a world of the same level—they still possessed the inherent confidence of those who look down upon the masses.

Beyond the canyon lay the outer territories of the Duanyun Cliff Forbidden Ground.

Here, the sky was vast and distant, with gale winds howling. The world lacked the gentle and enduring Spiritual Qi of the Canglan Domain, replaced instead by surges of fierce, violent, and unruly Dou Qi.

As the three of them stepped out of the canyon, two sharp, piercing sounds of something breaking through the air suddenly struck.

Two Cultivators dressed in standard ink-blue Taoist robes stepped through the air, instantly blocking the path. Cyan Dou Qi swirled around them, the halo of light dense and heavy, their auras sharp and exposed. Their faces were taut and livid, their gazes sharp as knives, locking tightly onto the suddenly appearing Yuan Chen and his companions, their eyes filled with vigilance and anger.

These two were outer-perimeter guard Disciples of the "Wanling Ancient Sect," one of the top powers in the Xuan Continent, and both had cultivation bases firmly at the Dou Wang Realm.

While the Dou Wang Realm might not be considered a top-tier powerhouse in the Central Region of the Xuan Continent, it was still a core force capable of guarding a territory and suppressing countless Loose Cultivators. Elders of ordinary small and medium-sized Sects might not even be able to reach this Realm after a lifetime of hard cultivation. The two had been ordered to guard this canyon pass and strictly prevent outsiders from trespassing into the Forbidden Ground of the two-Realm passage, yet today, three strangers had appeared out of nowhere.

The tall Cultivator leading them furrowed his brows tightly, his voice cold and hard as iron, carrying the authority and impatience of someone on guard duty: "Halt!"

"This is the core pass of the Duanyun Cliff Forbidden Ground; no one is allowed to enter privately! When did you three sneak in?"

He swept his gaze back and forth over the three, noting their plain attire, which was not the standard garb of any top power in the Xuan Continent. Their auras appeared unremarkable, which only heightened his vigilance. The canyon's sealing Formation was intact with no signs of damage; it was impossible for these three to have forced their way in. Their Origin was far too strange.

The shorter Cultivator beside him also had his Dou Qi tensed, echoing coldly: "The canyon is sealed, and the Void Realm turbulence is rampant; even a Dou Huang expert would not dare to venture deep inside rashly. How did you three nobodies enter the heart of the Forbidden Ground? Confess truthfully at once!"

Facing their stern interrogation, Yang Chi remained indifferent, his expression devoid of any ripples. His tone was casual and perfunctory, carrying the carelessness of a top-tier expert looking down upon ants: "How else? We just came through a teleportation array."

This lighthearted remark fell upon the ears of the two Wanling Ancient Sect Disciples like a colossal joke.

The tall Cultivator was so furious he laughed, contempt and anger interweaving in his eyes as he rebuked sharply: "Insolent! A pack of lies!"

"The Duanyun Cliff Forbidden Ground is of the utmost importance, with layers upon layers of sealing Formations. There are no ancient teleportation arrays inside, and the outside is completely isolated from all teleportation markers! How dare you fabricate such clumsy lies to fool us?"

The shorter Cultivator's expression grew even uglier, his tone sharp and pressing: "I think you are just treacherous Loose Cultivators smuggling yourselves in! Trying to sneak into the Forbidden Ground to spy on Opportunities—you certainly have some nerve!"

"This place is a Forbidden Ground of the Xuan Continent, jointly governed by the five top powers. It is strictly forbidden for any Loose Cultivator to enter privately! Leave your resources behind and get out of here immediately, or don't blame us for killing you and dealing with you according to the laws of the Forbidden Ground!"

The two were arrogant and domineering, their words filled with the superiority of Disciples from a local top-tier power. They didn't take the three strangers seriously at all. In their view, those who could linger on the outskirts of the Duanyun Cliff were nothing more than lowly Loose Cultivators from remote, minor regions who had come to scavenge for Opportunities, and could be crushed with a wave of their hands.

A cold glint flashed across Wu Yang's eyes.

He had dominated the Canglan Domain, and no one dared to defy him. As a top-tier expert, when had he ever been publicly rebuked and wantonly driven away by two low-level guard Cultivators like this?

A biting anger quietly welled up in his heart, his aura stirred slightly, and he raised his hand, intending to strike and intimidate them.

Just as Wu Yang was about to erupt, Yuan Chen chuckled softly, his voice gentle and languid, carrying a touch of careless indifference: "It's fine, they are just two gate-keeping Disciples; no need to pay them any mind."

Wu Yang paused, suppressing the surging anger in his heart. He let out a cold snort, retracted his aura, and turned his head with an icy expression. He intended to follow Yuan Chen's wishes, turn around, and leave, not bothering to tangle with the two.

Yet, it was precisely this cold snort, filled with indifferent disdain, that completely enraged the already arrogant and domineering Wanling Ancient Sect Disciples.

In their perception, a lowly Loose Cultivator who had been publicly rebuked and driven away by them should have been terrified, admitting their mistake and bowing their heads in retreat, never daring to show any sign of disrespect. This person before them not only showed no fear but instead snorted in a show of defiance, his attitude arrogant—he simply didn't know the immensity of heaven and earth!

"Halt!"

The tall Cultivator stepped horizontally across their path, his cyan Dou Qi surging explosively, a dense halo of Dou Qi enveloping his entire body. He blocked their path completely, his eyes fierce and violent.

"A mere Loose Cultivator, smuggling into the Forbidden Ground and lying to us—after being exposed and rebuked, you still dare to show disdain and snort in disrespect?"

The shorter Cultivator also quickly stepped forward, the two forming a pincer Formation, completely sealing off all routes of retreat for the three. His tone was violent and sinister: "You death-seeking things! Do you really think we don't dare to kill? Today, we will let you know that the Xuan Continent Forbidden Ground is not a place where lowly outsiders like you can act recklessly!"

Before the words had even faded, the two Dou Wang Realm Cultivators had Dou Qi surging around them, their palms condensing sharp edges of Dou Qi. Their pressure spread out in layers, carrying an intense killing intent; they were intending to directly suppress and punish the three.

The killing intent in Wu Yang's eyes condensed sharply. He turned his head to look respectfully at Yuan Chen, asking for instructions in a steady tone: "Dragon Emperor, these two are unreasonable and aggressive, insisting on picking a fight."

Yuan Chen shook his head slightly and sighed softly, his tone flat and waveless, carrying a touch of indifference toward ants seeking their own deaths: "The world has always been this way; some people keep to themselves, while others seek their own destruction. Since they insist on not letting this go, there is no need to show mercy."

As his voice fell, he nodded slightly, tacitly allowing Wu Yang to strike.

The moment he received permission, the coldness on Wu Yang's face instantly faded, replaced by a biting, ferocious smile.

"Since you all insist on seeking death, then I shall fulfill your wish."

Seeing that he dared to talk back and counterattack, the two Wanling Ancient Sect Disciples were instantly enraged, their eyes turning blood-red as their baleful aura surged: "Audacious ant! A mere junior from the outer regions, daring to be arrogant before our Wanling Ancient Sect? You are truly seeking death!"

The two no longer hesitated, simultaneously driving their life-long cultivation. Condensed cyan Dou Qi blades tore through the air, carrying the vigorous pressure of the Dou Wang Realm, and slashed fiercely at Wu Yang from both left and right. Their Moves were ruthless, aiming straight for his vitals without holding anything back.

In their view, two Dou Wang Realm experts joining forces to deal with three nameless Loose Cultivators would absolutely be an overwhelming force, capable of suppressing and capturing them in an instant.

But in the next second, the battle was completely overturned.

Facing the two sharp and domineering Dou Qi attacks, Wu Yang's figure remained immovable; not a shred of Dou Qi emerged from his body. Replacing it was a surge of gentle and enduring, yet extremely condensed and domineering, Canglan Spiritual Qi that burst forth!

He waved his hand, and a thick, ancient battle shovel instantly condensed in his grip. There were no flashy Moves, no superfluous motions—just a casual slash.

Hum—!

The pure and majestic Spiritual Qi exploded, instantly crushing and shattering the two cyan Dou Qi blades.

The dense power of the Spiritual Qi was unstoppable, striking straight into the chest of the shorter Cultivator on the right.

That Cultivator didn't even have time to let out a scream; his body was instantly shattered by the massive force of the Spiritual Qi, his bones pulverized, his internal organs ruptured, and his Physical Body exploded. Flesh and blood mixed with Dou Qi debris scattered everywhere, and even his Divine Soul was crushed in an instant, leaving him dead on the spot.

One Move, instant kill!

The entire process was clean and neat, easy and relaxed, without the slightest bit of strain.

The tall Cultivator beside him had his pupils shrink to the size of pinpricks, his blood instantly freezing, and the Dou Qi swirling around him instantly stalled. The violent anger on his face froze completely, replaced by extreme terror and shock.

He stared fixedly at the pure energy flowing around Wu Yang, his lips trembling, his voice filled with extreme trepidation and disbelief: "This... this is not Dou Qi!"

Xuan Continent Cultivators had practiced for billions of years, and their entire lives of cultivation had been based on Dou Qi. In this world, this was the only orthodox cultivation energy, deeply rooted and known to all.

Yet the power flowing around this person was gentle yet domineering, pure and condensed. Its attributes, texture, and Dao rhyme were completely different from the Xuan Continent's Dou Qi, completely transcending his understanding!

Suddenly, he turned to look at the dead-silent and deep canyon Forbidden Ground behind him, recalling the location from which the three had appeared out of thin air, and thinking of their inexplicable Origin. A terrifying thought instantly pierced through his mind!

"You... you are not people of the Xuan Continent!"

"You are... Cultivators who crossed over from another world!"

These words were squeezed out from between his teeth, carrying endless fear and panic.

Wu Yang lowered his eyes to look down at the shivering Cultivator before him, a cold and indifferent sneer on his face. He did not deny it; that condescending posture already explained everything.

The moment his guess was confirmed, the tall Cultivator's mind completely collapsed, and the fear of death thoroughly devoured all his arrogance and domineering nature.

He instantly cast aside all dignity, hurriedly shouting and pleading, his tone urgent and panicked: "Your Excellency! Please show mercy! We are Disciples of the Wanling Ancient Sect! My Wanling Ancient Sect is one of the five top powers in the Central Region of the Xuan Continent! Sect Master Su Wanling is a top-tier titan who has dominated the Central Region for ten thousand years, with countless experts under his command and a boundless foundation!"

"If you kill me today, you will completely offend the Wanling Ancient Sect! Even if you are an otherworld Cultivator, you will have no place to stand! If the five overlords of the Central Region are enraged, no one can protect your lives! Stop immediately, and this matter can still be resolved!"

He desperately brought up the Sect's foundation and the reputation of their top-tier power to exert pressure, attempting to use the illustrious name of the Wanling Ancient Sect to force back the terrifying powerhouse before him and save his own life.