286: Chapter 733 Casual Chat

The five Sect Masters stopped lingering and stepped off the council platform together, taking their people with them.

Everyone deliberately restrained the majestic, heaven-shaking top-tier Dao aura and Emperor Realm pressure they exuded, hiding their strength—which was enough to shake the heavens and earth—and leaving only an ethereal aura. They hovered above the sea of clouds in the high sky, standing far away on the outermost perimeter of the battlefield, looking down quietly at the chaotic battle below.

Hundreds of core executives from the five sects, Emperor Realm Elders, and a massive crowd of top-tier powerhouses all stood in silence. No one made a Move easily, no one intervened rashly, and all lowered their heads, critiquing and observing this cross-Realm slaughter.

At this moment, the battlefield below was already in total chaos, with blood boiling.

The sky was filled with brilliant, exploding Battle Qi, and the multi-colored light of Cultivation Techniques covered the sky for a thousand miles. Countless Xuan Continent Cultivators, unafraid of death, rushed forward wave after wave like a tide, surrounding and attacking Wu Yang and Yang Chi.

Battle Emperors, Battle Venerables, and Battle Saints were stacked layer upon layer, a vast sea of people with endless offensives, desperately entangling Wu Yang and Yang Chi.

Wu Yang held a primitive Spiritual Artifact battle shovel, moving with wide, sweeping motions, suppressing all directions. A ten-thousand-foot mountain phantom repeatedly crushed down; with every swing, he shattered vast swathes of Battle Qi and sent countless Cultivators flying, their corpses falling from the sky like rain.

Yang Chi held a glistening white Spiritual Artifact spear, his spear shadows crisscrossing with peerless sharpness. His "Ten Thousand Spears Extinction" Move swept in all directions; wherever the spear tip passed, no one could block it. Residual blood filled the sky, and air waves rolled.

Both were top-tier Prodigies from the Canglan Domain, with refined Dao Hearts, thousands of battles under their belts, and countless methods. They used various auxiliary Spiritual Artifacts in turns, balanced in both offense and defense, unpredictable and illusory.

Their Spiritual Qi system was gentle, pure, and exquisitely agile, forming an extreme contrast with the fierce, domineering, rigid, and crude Battle Qi of the Xuan Continent, crushing countless low-level Cultivators into retreat and causing countless casualties.

However, the opponent's numbers were simply too great. Most of the loose forces in the Central Region had joined the battle, and the endless sea of people exhausted their Spiritual Qi and dragged out the battle. Coupled with two Peak Battle Saint Elders entangling them, Wu Yang and Yang Chi's physical strength and Spiritual Qi consumption gradually increased. Their offensive and defensive rhythm slowed, and they had fallen into a stalemate, struggling.

Above the sea of clouds in the high sky, the five Sect Masters watched quietly with sharp eyes, taking in every detail of the battlefield, every clash of Moves, and every nuance of power, commenting and deducing in low voices.

First Prince Lie Qingcang locked his gaze tightly on Wu Yang in the center of the battlefield, his eyes burning with Battle Intent, and spoke in a deep voice: "This Cultivator holding the battle shovel has an extremely solid physical foundation, and his power is heavy and majestic, crushing countless others of the same rank."

"If it were one-on-one, those two Battle Saint Elders of Sect Master Su Wanling would not be able to last a hundred Moves before being completely defeated. It is rare that the Canglan Realm could nurture such a Prodigy."

Sect Master Su Wanling's expression was calm, but his eyes held a hint of gravity as he spoke slowly: "This child's combat power is indeed above his rank, and his Spiritual Qi is thick and stable, countering my sect's wood-element entanglement Dao. My two Elders have been deeply cultivated at the Peak of the Battle Saint Realm for many years, with experienced techniques and ample experience, yet they are being firmly suppressed, which is enough to show the horror of his same-rank combat power."

"But after all, he is still a young Prodigy with obvious shortcomings in endurance and limited Spiritual Qi sustainability. Now that he has been exhausted by the sea of people and restrained by the Elders, he is already lacking in stamina, and his defeat is only a matter of time."

Sect Master Kong Wenyuan's gaze fell on Yang Chi, carefully deducing the patterns of his spear techniques, and he commented slowly: "This spear-wielding Cultivator has extremely agile footwork and exquisite spear techniques, balanced in offense and defense, with very few flaws. His cultivation system emphasizes refinement, slaughter, and technique, unlike us Xuan Continent Cultivators who blindly pile up the thickness of Battle Qi and fight with brute force."

"Canglan Spiritual Qi is long-lasting, pure, and has a very high tolerance rate, adaptable to both close and long-range combat. Compared to the single Battle Qi system of the Xuan Continent, it indeed has unique advantages. It seems our previous understanding of this Realm was too one-sided and shallow."

Pavilion Master Ye Wuchang spoke sinisterly, his eyes cold as he stared at the details of the two's Cultivation Techniques: "The two's slaughter Heart-Nature is extremely decisive; they strike ruthlessly without leaving a way out, tempered by countless bloody battles, and are by no means comparable to Prodigies raised in greenhouses. They should be among the top tier in the Canglan Domain, and we have such Cultivators in the Xuan Continent too, so it is nothing strange."

The four expressed their own opinions, each sentence precise and hitting the nail on the head, thoroughly analyzing the combat advantages, shortcomings, and systematic characteristics of Wu Yang and Yang Chi.

Only Sect Leader Ling Tianjiao stood silently, her cold gaze sweeping over the two on the battlefield, finally landing on the white-clothed figure sitting quietly and watching indifferently in the tavern on the edge of the battlefield.

Her pupils shrank slightly; he had indeed come.

She knew perfectly well in her heart that Wu Yang and Yang Chi were already this terrifying, but the white-clothed young man who sat quietly watching, looking so calm and indifferent, was the truly terrifying supreme existence in this cross-Realm entry.

Everyone's gaze, thoughts, and attention were locked on the blood-soaked, fiercely fighting Wu Yang and Yang Chi. No one knew that Sect Leader Ling Tianjiao, who had just been standing on the outermost edge of the crowd, cold and silent, had already quietly slipped away from the array of spectators.

As the recognized number one Empress of the Xuan Continent, having comprehended the wind-element Origin for a thousand years, Sect Leader Ling Tianjiao's concealment of her figure was no longer a simple matter of restraining her breath, but rather directly stripping her own existence from the surrounding trajectories of heaven and earth.

She moved slightly, her robes not fluttering, the gale not startled, her aura not revealed, like a wisp of phantom smoke, easily breaking free from everyone's field of vision and dissolving into the vast sea of clouds.

The entire process was traceless and waveless, with not a single fluctuation leaking out.

The next instant, time and space rippled, and the Void Realm trembled slightly.

In just a split second, Sect Leader Ling Tianjiao's cold figure had already crossed thousands of meters of airspace and appeared steadily in the second-floor private booth of the floating tavern, sitting quietly beside Yuan Chen.

It was as if she had been sitting here from the very beginning, never having left for even half a step.

The entire tavern remained noisy and chaotic, with people in a panic.

Countless Cultivators downstairs looked up and glared, discussing spiritedly, their eyes full of wariness and greed for the out-of-Realm Cultivators, many of them ready to strike.

But strangely, despite countless Cultivators sweeping their gazes over the second-floor booth, scanning the area repeatedly, not one of them could see Sect Leader Ling Tianjiao's figure.

She sat right beside Yuan Chen, within arm's reach, clearly visible, yet she was completely isolated by an invisible space barrier, detached from the perception of everyone in this world.

The diners coming and going, the shaken tavern staff, the low-level Cultivators ready to strike—all looked around with dazed expressions.

"Strange, that white-clothed young man was clearly at this window-side booth just now; how did he blur in the blink of an eye?"

Everyone was suspicious and uncertain, peering repeatedly. Although they were close at hand, it was as if they were separated by a barrier of heaven and earth, unable to lock onto the accurate figures of the two.

They would never know that the out-of-Realm powerhouse they were so desperate to capture, along with the supreme Empress of the Xuan Continent, were sitting quietly right under their noses, brewing tea and watching the flames of war, chatting calmly.

Inside the booth, the noise was completely isolated, quiet and peaceful, forming a small world of its own.

Yuan Chen still leaned lazily against the back of the chair, his posture relaxed, his white clothes clean and spotless, unstained by the blood and fire of the outside world.

His gaze swept indifferently over the cold woman seated beside him, with no surprise in his eyes, as if he had long calculated that she would come alone.

He raised his hand, his fingertips lightly twisting the teapot, the warm water clear, a steady stream pouring into the empty cup in front of Sect Leader Ling Tianjiao, filling it with clear tea.

The tea was clear and bright, the tea fragrance rising in curls, the warm water vapor suffusing, diluting the murderous aura filling the sky outside.

"Please."

Yuan Chen's voice was lazy and gentle.

Sect Leader Ling Tianjiao sat upright, her spine straight, but she no longer had any of the sharp, icy aura that had once dominated the Xuan Continent and looked down upon ten thousand sects.

Previously, she had traveled to the Daming Dynasty and had been frightened by Yuan Chen's aura.

She restrained all her sharpness, shed all her Emperor prestige, and like an ordinary, elegant woman, she nodded slightly and thanked him softly: "Thank you."

Her voice was light and gentle, leaving only a hint of heavy, unmaskable emotion.

No one knew the state of mind of this number one Empress of the Xuan Continent at this moment.

Only she knew what kind of overwhelming powerlessness and oppression surged in her heart.

Too strong.

The Yuan Chen before her was simply too terrifying.

This strength was not the brute force suppression of the Xuan Continent's Battle Emperors and Battle Saints, but an all-encompassing transcendence originating from Realm, perspective, Origin, and Dao Heart. He seemed to have jumped out of the shackles of the cultivation of all heavens, overriding the rules of the two Realms. In every gesture, he was calm and composed, with everything under his control.

If she were in the Canglan Realm, she would absolutely not have appeared so openly.

If she were in the Canglan Domain, facing this supreme existence, her only choice would be to turn around and leave immediately.

Only now, in the homeland of Xuan Continent, in the territory she governed, did she dare to sit opposite Yuan Chen.

This was the only opportunity she dared to converse with him as an equal.

Her heart was filled with mixed feelings and utter helplessness.

Originally, she had planned with the other four Sect Masters to open the passage between the two Realms and wait for the Immortal Venerable of the Upper Realm to cross over and provide support, at which point they would coordinate from inside and outside to crush Canglan.

But never did she expect that the Immortal Venerable of the Upper Realm would be so late in arriving, and that Yuan Chen of Canglan would be the first to take the initiative to ascend to the Xuan Continent.

There was no avoiding it, no retreating.

No matter how wary and unwilling she was, she had no choice but to bite the bullet and come forward.

Sect Leader Ling Tianjiao picked up the clear tea in front of her, her fingertips touching the slightly cool surface of the cup, her thoughts chaotic and complex.

She raised her eyes, gazing quietly at the slaughter filling the sky outside the window, watching Wu Yang and Yang Chi fighting in a blood-soaked battle, watching the thousands of Xuan Continent Cultivators surrounding and killing them without fear of death, watching the four Sect Masters in the high sky observing the battle in silence and secretly analyzing. After pondering for a long time, the hardness in her heart completely faded away, and her voice softened unconsciously, carrying a trace of compromise and plea.

"Yuan Chen, the matter at the Daming Dynasty last time was my recklessness; I apologize to you."

After admitting her mistake, she stated the true purpose of her coming here alone today.

"I only ask you one thing: what exactly do you want before you are willing to release my father?"

Hearing this, Yuan Chen hooked the corner of his lips into a faint smile, his eyes carrying a hint of lazy, playful amusement. He turned his head to look at her, his tone loose and frivolous, as if teasing, yet also as if serious.

"I already gave you the answer a long time ago; did you forget?"

He leaned forward slightly, his gaze falling on Sect Leader Ling Tianjiao's beautiful, ethereal features, repeating softly, word for word: "You were mortgaged to me."

Sect Leader Ling Tianjiao's brow furrowed slightly, her heart tightening. She had long expected him to say such things, but her expression remained calm, unmoved by his teasing, her tone light and helpless: "Stop joking."

Seeing her solemn expression, with all the agitation faded away, the playful smile on Yuan Chen's face also slowly subsided, the laziness in his eyes dissipated, replaced by a clear earnestness, without a shred of perfunctoriness, without a shred of teasing.

"I am not joking."

His gaze was burning, looking directly into Sect Leader Ling Tianjiao's eyes, his tone sincere and firm: "The first time I saw you, I was moved."

"You are unmarried, and I am unmarried. The heavens are vast, the myriad worlds are boundless; meeting is fate, why not give it a try."

As these words were spoken, silence instantly spread throughout the private booth.

Sect Leader Ling Tianjiao froze slightly, a flicker of astonishment flashing in her eyes. Then, both angry and amused, she shook her head helplessly, looking at him with complex emotions in her eyes: "What do you mean by 'you also haven't married'?"

Yuan Chen did not fear her feigned anger; instead, he became even more composed. His tone carried a touch of overbearing certainty as he spoke slowly, each word ringing with resonance: "A woman like you—whose talent is peerless in this generation, whose beauty transcends the heavens, whose cultivation shakes an entire Realm, and whose Heart-Nature and pride are unmatched—is far too rare."

"For such a peerless Prodigy to be confined to a corner of Xuan Continent is truly a pity. For such a powerful, such a stunning woman not to be my wife would be a waste."

His gaze was distant, looking out at the vast world beyond the window. His tone carried the absolute confidence of one looking down upon the heavens: "In all the myriad heavens and worlds, everything is my domain. Whatever I set my eyes on, whoever I fancy, there has never been a reason for me to fail. Since I have taken a fancy to you, don't even think about running away."

"Moreover, both you and I possess top-tier Dao bodies, and our Bloodline Origins are among the best in the heavens. If we were to unite, the offspring we bear would undoubtedly have peerless talent and a Heaven-Defying Bloodline, starting at the Peak of the heavens, with limitless prospects for the future."

Upon hearing this, the trace of softness in Sect Leader Ling Tianjiao's heart instantly faded. Her brows furrowed tightly, her expression suddenly grew cold and rigid, and her aura quietly recovered some of the imposing presence of an Empress.

She raised her eyes to look directly at Yuan Chen, her tone solemn, carrying a clear bottom line and deterrence: "Yuan Chen, you do not need to push me step by step like this. Do you really think that because I am wary of you, it means I fear you?"

"I came alone today to chat with you, not because I am afraid of you, but simply because I do not wish to start a major war and needlessly increase the casualties of both Realms."

Her tone was steady, each word clear, as she began to exert pressure without showing it, laying out her own trump cards and the foundation of Xuan Continent: "The foundation of my Xuan Continent far exceeds your imagination. If we were to truly tear off the mask of civility, you might not necessarily gain any advantage."

Not only that, she continued to slow her speech, speaking in detail, attempting to use the situation to force Yuan Chen to back down: "Wanling Ancient Sect, Lieyang Dynasty, Haoran Academy, and Nine Nether Shadow Pavilion—the five top powers of the Central Region are deep-rooted, intertwined, and possess profound foundations."

"Furthermore, I have recently learned that, in addition to my Xuan Continent, several other major cultivation worlds have already successively opened passages to the Canglan Realm."

"If you insist on being an enemy of my Xuan Continent, you will be creating a top-tier enemy out of thin air. For you, and for the Canglan Domain, there is no benefit at all. Why must you be like this?"

These words were clear in their reasoning, distinct in their pros and cons; they were both persuasion and deterrence.

Yet, faced with her layered pressure and situational analysis, where every sentence hid a sharp edge, Yuan Chen's expression remained relaxed and indifferent. There was not a trace of gravity or wariness in his eyes; instead, he grew even more composed and calm, a faint smile always hanging on his lips.

He gently picked up his teacup and took a small sip of clear tea, his posture leisurely and unconcerned, as if the massive powers, multiple strong enemies, and Upper Realm Immortal Venerables that Ling Tianjiao spoke of—capable of shaking the heavens—were nothing more than worthless rabble or passing smoke in his eyes.

"It doesn't matter."

Yuan Chen's tone was light, yet it carried an absolute confidence that pierced through heaven and earth, each word certain and resonant: "Since I dared to cross Realms to come here, and dared to enter Xuan Continent alone, I had already made all the preparations."

"Whether it be the Upper Realm Immortal Venerables you speak of, the other major cultivation worlds, or the foundations of the myriad sects of Xuan Continent."

He raised his eyes, his gaze clear and sharp, looking straight into the depths of Ling Tianjiao's eyes, his domineering aura fully displayed: "No matter how many come, I will receive them all."

"If you want to be my enemy, feel free to try. I, Yuan Chen, stand at the Peak of the heavens and have never feared any confrontation or any siege."

These few simple sentences, without impassioned shouting or deliberate posturing, carried an incomparable confidence that crushed everything.

Ling Tianjiao's pupils shrank slightly, and her expression changed abruptly.

She stared intently at Yuan Chen's calm and composed expression, carefully capturing every trace of emotion in his eyes.

There was no arrogance; that was true, absolute composure.

...

"These two Canglan juniors have truly astonishing Physical Body foundations and fighting Heart-Nature."

"Entangled in battle at the Peak of the Battle Saint Realm, exhausted by thousands of people—if it were our Xuan Continent Prodigies of the same rank, they would have long since run out of Spiritual Qi and been defeated and killed, yet they are still able to stabilize the battle and fight to the death against the odds!"

The high-level Elders whispered among themselves, their eyes full of astonishment and wariness; their original attitude of looking down on the Canglan Lower Realm had long been completely overturned in this fierce battle.

Sect Master Su Wanling sat high in the sky, his expression dark, his gaze fixed tightly on the two figures below who remained standing, the anger and gravity in his heart growing ever more intense.

If these two were allowed to continue fighting and remain in this calm stalemate, the Wanling Ancient Sect would surely become the laughingstock of the entire Central Region in the future.

Just as Su Wanling was deep in thought and pondering secretly, a figure dressed in black robes with a dark and profound aura stepped out from the ranks of the Wanling Ancient Sect's high-level members.

This person had a tall and straight figure, covered in black robes, with deep and dead dark-element Battle Qi lingering around him. His aura was thick, condensed, steady, and overbearing, and the airflow around him was invisibly swallowed, carrying an inherent eerie and biting pressure. He was none other than the veteran Battle Emperor expert hidden within the Wanling Ancient Sect—Xuan Ye.

His eyes were as sharp as an eagle's, looking down at the ongoing battle below. Watching the two Canglan Prodigies repeatedly break formations and crush his sect members, a strong Battle Intent and impatience flashed in his eyes. He stepped forward and bowed respectfully to Su Wanling to seek instructions.

"Sect Master, this old man sees prey and is delighted; I want to go down and play with the two juniors!"

Su Wanling's eyes brightened slightly, and he nodded slowly, agreeing in a deep voice: "Very well."

He then ordered: "All other Cultivators are to withdraw from the battle circle immediately; no one is allowed to interfere in the slightest."

Xuan Ye bowed to accept the order, his dark Battle Qi surging violently, his black robes fluttering noisily. A terrifying pressure, far exceeding the Battle Saint level, suddenly spread out, sweeping across the thousand-mile battlefield.

On the battlefield below, the two Peak Battle Saint Elders who were fighting to the death sensed the majestic Emperor pressure descending from above. Instantly, their spirits relaxed; they stopped fighting, decisively withdrew, and together with the exhausted and heavily decimated peripheral Cultivators, they all retreated from the center of the battlefield, standing far away at the edge of the airspace, watching intently.

The clamorous human-sea offensive instantly came to an abrupt halt.

The encirclement that had been layered and airtight just moments ago instantly cleared into a vast expanse of airspace.

The flames of war were still burning, smoke filled the air, and the Spiritual Qi was chaotic. Only in the center of the battlefield did Wu Yang and Yang Chi stand side by side, facing the black-robed Battle Emperor Xuan Ye, who was stepping through the air and slowly descending.

The pressure between heaven and earth suddenly climbed several levels.

The Battle Emperor pressure descended heavily, crushing all directions, causing the surrounding Void Realm to tremble slightly. Ordinary Cultivators could not get close at all; the mere aftermath was enough to crush any practitioner below the Battle Saint level.

Facing the Battle Emperor expert with an overwhelming aura and terrifying pressure, the two men's expressions remained steady and cold, not a trace of panic in their eyes, only a fiercely burning Battle Intent.

They had roamed the Secret Realms of the Canglan heavens, fought countless bloody battles, and challenging enemies above their rank or fighting against strong foes was already a common occurrence.

It was not their first time fighting an expert at the Battle Emperor level. Although they knew the gap was vast, they did not feel the slightest bit of fear.

The two looked at each other; there was no need for words, as they already understood each other tacitly. Having gone through countless life-and-death battles side by side, they had long since developed a battlefield tacit understanding that required no speech.

The next moment, Wu Yang raised his head and roared, his voice shaking the sky: "Kill!"

As the word fell, like a thunderous war drum, their figures simultaneously burst forth!

Wu Yang's body was burly; he took a step, and the Void Realm trembled. The battle shovel in his hand carried the heavy Spiritual Qi of a mountain, a ten-thousand-foot phantom condensing in the sky, suppressing heaven and earth as it crushed and bombarded Xuan Ye head-on. It was powerful, heavy, and overwhelmingly overbearing, intending to use brute force to break all treacherous paths!

Yang Chi's movement technique was as agile as the wind. His figure flickered as he swept to the side, his spirit spear crisscrossing. The spear shadows filled the sky, the cold light brilliant, and thousands of spear threads condensed into one, piercing through the Void Realm, pointing directly at Xuan Ye's vital points, both offensive and defensive, with unpredictable reality and illusion!

Facing their violent and sharp pincer attack, Xuan Ye stood in place, his black robes fluttering without wind, his expression indifferent and cold, his eyes carrying absolute contempt for those beneath him.

"Seeking death."

As the cold, mocking voice fell, Xuan Ye formed seals with both hands, and the dark Battle Qi around him surged instantly. The pitch-black dark-element Spiritual Qi poured across the sky like ink, instantly swallowing the entire airspace.

The dark-element Dao is best at concealment, erosion, breaking spirit, and devouring souls; compared to orthodox Battle Qi, it is more insidious, treacherous, and impossible to guard against.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Endless dark Spiritual Qi surged and rose, turning into countless pitch-black nether threads and dark ghost claws, densely covering the Void Realm, layer upon layer, sealing off all routes of advance and retreat for the two. Countless nether threads were as sharp as blades, capable of cutting the Physical Body and tearing apart Spiritual Qi, and even more capable of eroding the Divine Soul and disrupting Cultivation Techniques. Once contaminated, they would take root in the Meridians and continue to corrode.

At the same time, Xuan Ye's figure suddenly became ethereal, merging into the vast dark Spiritual Qi. His Physical Body was completely hidden, his aura vanished, perfectly fitting the true essence of the dark-element Dao—formless and imageless, shadowless and traceless, a deadly surprise attack.

In the Void Realm, only pitch-black afterimages were left shuttling rapidly, with killing intent from all directions; it was impossible to capture the location of his true body.

"What a treacherous dark-element technique!" Yang Chi's eyes narrowed, his spear shadows dancing rapidly, thousands of spear rays sweeping in all directions, shattering the nether threads filling the sky, protecting his vital points.

Wu Yang's battle shovel smashed wildly, the mountain phantom suppressing all directions, thick Spiritual Qi protecting his body layer by layer, forcefully resisting the dark erosion, yet it was still difficult to lock onto Xuan Ye, who was hidden in the dark domain.

The next instant, the Void Realm suddenly darkened!

A pitch-black claw launched a surprise attack from the Void Realm behind him without warning, penetrating layers of Spiritual Qi defense, carrying the power of extinction and decay, and fiercely clawed at Wu Yang's back! Its speed was so fast, and the killing intent so treacherous, that he could not dodge it completely in time.

Pfft!

A low sound of flesh tearing rang out. The clothes on Wu Yang's back shattered, and five bloodstains deep enough to see bone suddenly appeared. The dark-element corrosive force crazily invaded his Meridians along the wound, tearing at his Physical Body and disrupting his Spiritual Qi, causing his body to tremble violently and his blood to surge.

Almost at the same moment, killing intent erupted from the Void Realm on the other side!

Xuan Ye's true body flashed, a dark palm print condensed to the extreme, carrying the power of the dark Dao that devours everything, and slapped fiercely toward Yang Chi's shoulder!

Yang Chi hurriedly turned his spear to block, the spear body trembling, Spiritual Qi exploding. He was sent flying backward repeatedly by the majestic Emperor power, the webbing between his thumb and index finger bursting with blood, his shoulder numb, his blood surging violently, and a mouthful of sweet, bloody taste nearly sprayed out.

In just a few rounds, the situation instantly reversed.