93: Chapter 93 The Turmoil in Tiandu: The Alliance Meeting Convenes

The brief seclusion at Demon Suppression Pass was a critical period for Lin Wan to organize, stabilize, and adapt to his new power.

The insights gained on the edge of life and death, the "Reincarnation" Dao rhythm brought by the Fusion with the "Source Seed of Life", and that one sword strike that severed Karma and concluded the Calamity—all allowed his understanding of the "Dao" to reach a brand-new, unprecedented height.

The Chaos Return-to-Ruins Dao Fruit was no longer just "Five Elements Returning to Ruins". After Fusing with the phantom of the "Source Seed of Life" and initially grasping the true meaning of "Reincarnation", the Dao Fruit had transformed into a more profound and primordial form.

Within it, the Five Elements still rotated, and the Returning to Ruins still brought extinction. Yet, amidst this cycle of birth and death, there was now a power of "Reincarnation" that was endless, cyclical, and seemingly capable of containing and balancing everything.

This power not only made his control over "Life" and "Death", "Creation" and "Destruction" more adept, but also allowed him to faintly touch upon the threads of "Karma" and "Fate", raising his deduction, insight, and even his ability to seize the initiative in battle to an unimaginable level.

His cultivation naturally broke through from the Peak of the Early Stage of Soul Transformation, stabilizing at the Middle Stage of Soul Transformation!

Moreover, the depth of his Foundation and his comprehension of the Law were far beyond what an ordinary Middle Stage Soul Transformation Cultivator could compare to, and were not even weaker than some Late Stage Soul Transformation Cultivators.

Coupled with his "Reincarnation" Dao Fruit and the chaos dao sword, his true combat power was likely already enough to contend head-on with existences at the Peak of the Late Stage of Soul Transformation, or even those touching the threshold of Void Refining.

"Reincarnation... Life... the end... Five Elements... Returning to Ruins..." In the quiet room, Lin Wan slowly opened his eyes. His gaze was deep, as if the images of myriad worlds and infinite living beings were rotating and cycling within them.

He spread his palm. Above his palm, a speck of light intertwined with Chaos, emerald green, and gray slowly rotated, evolving into various profound scenes: flowers blooming and withering, the sun and moon rotating, stars being born and dying, and even the entanglement of Karma and the conclusion of the Calamity.

"This path is indeed grander and more difficult than I imagined," Lin Wan whispered.

He understood that he had embarked on a unique Chaos Dao that almost no one had ever walked before—one that integrated the Five Elements, Returning to Ruins, Life, the end, and even an initial "Reincarnation".

Its future potential was infinite, but it also meant that every step required him to explore and forge ahead on his own; its dangers and difficulties far exceeded those of ordinary paths.

"But this is exactly what I pursue. Otherwise, how can I protect everything I want to protect, and how can I strive for a glimmer of hope for this world amidst this 'the end' Calamity?"

Putting away the light in his palm, Lin Wan stood up and pushed the door open to exit.

Outside the door, Elder Zhou, Liaokong, Hua Qingxuan, Mo Wen, Yue Lingfeng, and others had long been waiting.

Seeing Lin Wan come out and sensing the aura on him that was even more unfathomable yet returned to simplicity, everyone felt a jolt in their hearts and hurriedly bowed in salute.

"Greetings, Inspector!"

"Rise." Lin Wan's gaze swept across everyone, paused slightly on Yue Lingfeng, and nodded.

On this trip to Liangjie Mountain, Yue Lingfeng's performance was commendable and worth nurturing.

"Is there any reply from the Alliance headquarters and the various parties?" Lin Wan asked.

"Replying to the Inspector," Elder Zhou stepped forward and said respectfully, "The Alliance headquarters has officially replied, agreeing to your request to convene the highest-level 'Anti-Calamity Alliance Meeting'. The Alliance meeting is scheduled to be held in half a month at 'Chaotian Palace', the main hall of the 'Human Emperor Palace' in Tiandu City. At that time, the Five Directions Council Elder Council will attend in full, and all Cultivators above the Soul Transformation Stage in the Five Regions, as well as representatives of important forces, are all on the invitation list. Additionally..."

He paused, lowering his voice a bit, "According to unverified internal news from headquarters, for this Alliance meeting, His Majesty Emperor Yan, as well as the other four Void Refining Seniors... may also... appear in some form!"

Emperor Yan and the four Void Refining giants might appear?! This was unprecedented!

Since the founding of the "Five Domains Alliance Against the Calamity", these existences standing at the very pinnacle of the Tiannan Continent had rarely appeared after their joint appearance at the initial founding conference, with all affairs handled by the "Five Directions Council Elder Council".

The fact that they might appear again because of Lin Wan's request showed the importance the Alliance leadership attached to this matter, and also indirectly confirmed that the "major discovery" Lin Wan brought back was weighty enough to alarm those at the Void Refining stage.

"Understood." Lin Wan's expression was calm, without much surprise.

The news he brought back involved the essence of "the end", high-level existences, and a possible full-scale invasion, concerning the survival of the entire Tiannan Continent; no matter how much importance the Void Refining giants attached to it, it was not an overreaction.

"Send word to headquarters that this Inspector will attend the meeting on time. Also, send word to the Southern Region Anti-Calamity Alliance, ordering Sect Head Daoxuan, Deputy Sect Head Yue Lingyun, Elder Han Lingtian, as well as True Monarch Xiaoyun, Fairy Baihua, and Shanjun to accompany this Inspector to Tiandu to participate in the Alliance meeting."

Lin Wan instructed. For a meeting like this that concerned the fate of the Five Regions and the future status of the Southern Region, the Southern Region must have representatives of sufficient weight and reliability in attendance.

"Yes!"

"Also, the follow-up handling of Burning Flame Valley and Ten Thousand Ghost Cave, as well as the monitoring and purification of Liangjie Mountain, must not be slackened. Elder Zhou, you, Great Master Liaokong, Elder Hua, and Mo Wen are to continue to be responsible for supervising these matters and report to this Inspector periodically."

"Your subordinate obeys!"

After making the arrangements, Lin Wan did not stay any longer, took Yue Lingfeng, piloted the flying boat, and returned to Tiandu City first.

He needed to make some preparations in advance and also needed to communicate with certain people at headquarters first.

...

Half a month passed in the blink of an eye.

The atmosphere in Tiandu City was unprecedentedly heavy and solemn, and also carried a kind of suppressed excitement.

Representatives from major forces of the Five Regions, piloting various types of cloud boats, flying pavilions, and riding spiritual birds and exotic beasts, poured into this majestic city in an endless stream.

Inside the city, the highest level of martial Law had long been implemented. The patrolling armored soldiers had a cultivation level of at least Golden Core, Nascent Soul auras were visible everywhere, and occasionally, the Divine Thought of a Soul Transformation True Monarch would sweep across the entire city like an invisible net.

Everyone's gaze was focused on the city center, on that towering structure that symbolized the Human Race's imperial Dao and the highest power of the Alliance—the Human Emperor Palace.

Human Emperor Palace, Chaotian Palace.

This palace was no ordinary palace, but a rare giant palace-type Magic Treasure that combined defense, gathering, and the suppression of Luck. The space within was vast, enough to accommodate ten thousand people.

At this moment, the gates of Chaotian Palace were wide open, and Cultivator representatives from the Five Regions, under the guidance of Alliance stewards, walked into the palace in an orderly manner.

Inside the palace, the dome hung high, painted with the heavens, stars, mountains and rivers, and the battle maps of Human Race sages, exuding a vast and majestic aura.

The floor was paved with "Zhentian Jade", smooth as a mirror, reflecting the figures of people.

Directly in front were the high nine-level jade steps. On top of the jade steps, five wide, ancient, and simple thrones exuding different Dao rhythms were placed side by side; these were the seats of the "Five Directions Council Elders".

At this moment, the five thrones were all empty.

Below the five thrones, on the left and right sides, there were hundreds of seats each, distributed in a fan shape, set for the various Soul Transformation True Monarchs and representatives of important forces.

At this moment, seven or eight out of ten seats were already filled. Everyone's aura was heavy, with pressure hidden within. They were talking in low voices, their gazes occasionally glancing toward the door or looking at the five empty main seats. The atmosphere was solemn, with a hint of indescribable tension.

In the Eastern Wasteland area, Emperor Yan sat alone in the front row. The red-gold flames around his body were restrained, but this domineering aura of the Late Stage of Soul Transformation was still like a silent volcano, making people afraid to approach.

His face was gloomy, and he was resting with his eyes closed, as if he hadn't heard the discussions and gazes around him.

Behind him followed several Nascent Soul Elders of the Skyfire Sect, all with solemn expressions.

In the Western Desert area, Master Liaoyin sat in the front, with several high-ranking Buddhist monks behind him. The Buddha light was restrained, and their appearance was solemn.

Master Liaoyin responded to the gazes cast from all sides with a gentle smile and a nod.

In the Northern Plains area, there were only a few people, and their auras were mixed. They were clearly the representatives chosen by the newly established "Yin Sha Alliance". Their strength and status could not compare to the other regions, so they sat in the back row, appearing somewhat restrained and uneasy.

In the Central Plains area, the number of people was the largest, and it was also the most powerful.

Besides the representatives of the five major forces (their respective Sect Masters, Palace Masters, Pavilion Masters, etc.), there were also many Soul Transformation True Monarchs from first-class Sects and noble families, gathered together and talking to each other, showing the depth of the Central Plains as the core of the Five Regions.

In the Southern Region area, True Monarch Daoxuan, Peak Master Yue Lingyun, Elder Han Lingtian, True Monarch Xiaoyun, Fairy Baihua, Shanjun, and several newly promoted Nascent Soul Elders of the Southern Region Anti-Calamity Alliance were already seated.

Although they were not the most numerous, and their cultivation was not the highest (Daoxuan and Yue Lingyun were only at the Peak of Nascent Soul, not yet reaching Soul Transformation), no one dared to underestimate them.

Because everyone knew that the "protagonist" of this Alliance meeting who had not yet appeared—the head of the Inspectors, Lin Wan—was from the Southern Region.

At this moment, Daoxuan and the others were also communicating in low voices with familiar Cultivators from the Central Plains and Western Desert, their expressions calm and steady.

Just as everyone was whispering and discussing, guessing whether those five Void Refining giants would really appear, and what kind of "major discovery" Lin Wan would bring—

"Clang——!!!"

A magnificent, vast bell toll that seemed capable of cleansing the soul and stabilizing the universe sounded from deep within Chaotian Palace, instantly suppressing all the noise.

The bell rang nine times, its sound shaking Tiandu.

"Welcome—the Five Directions Council Elders!"

The high-pitched chant of the steward Elder resounded through the great hall.

Everyone's spirits lifted, and they all stood up in unison, their gazes cast toward the high jade steps.

Above the jade steps, space fluctuated slightly, and five figures, as if stepping out from the Void Realm, quietly appeared and took their respective seats.

In the center, wearing an imperial robe embroidered with the sun, moon, stars, mountains, and rivers, and wearing a flat-topped crown, with a blurry face shrouded in vast imperial Dragon Qi, was the master of the Human Emperor Palace, Emperor Yan!

On his left was Venerable Dan (representing Taishang Alchemy Sect), holding a whisk, with white hair and beard, and an immortal demeanor; on his right was Fairy Yaoxi (representing Yaochi Immortal Palace), with a cold, otherworldly temperament and a light veil covering her face; further to the sides were Jian Wuya (representing Wuji Sword Sect), in hemp clothes carrying a sword, with a cold face, and Elder Xingshu (representing Heavenly Secret Pavilion), holding a star disk with stars rotating in his eyes.

The five Void Refining giants appeared together!

Although it was not their true bodies that had fully descended (some might be Incarnations or projections), the vast, unfathomable aura they exuded, which seemed to be one with the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth, still made all the Soul Transformation Cultivators in the hall feel tremendous pressure, and they hurriedly bowed in salute:

"Greetings, Your Majesty Emperor Yan! Greetings, Seniors!"

"Fellow Daoists, rise." Emperor Yan's calm and majestic voice sounded, like spring rain, yet carrying an unquestionable will, "The reason for convening you all today for this highest-level Anti-Calamity Alliance Meeting is something you must already know. The matter of the spatial rift at Liangjie Mountain concerns the fundamental survival of our Tiannan Continent. Inspector Lin Wan went deep into the dangerous area, ascertained the truth, turned the tide, and his merit belongs to the Five Regions. Furthermore, there is a major discovery regarding the essence of 'the end' that needs to be discussed with you all. Now, I invite Inspector Lin Wan to step forward and present his statement."

Everyone's gaze instantly and uniformly turned toward the Southern Region area, to that figure who had just stepped into the great hall, dressed in a green shirt with a calm expression—Lin Wan.

Under the gaze of countless eyes—some curious, some probing, some awe-struck, some jealous, and some hostile—Lin Wan's expression was composed. He slightly cupped his hands in a salute to the five giants on the jade steps and the representatives from all parties in the hall.

Then, amidst the excited and proud gazes of Daoxuan and the others, and under the cold and jealous gaze of Emperor Yan, he walked slowly to the center of the great hall, to the position specially reserved for him to face the Five Directions Council Elders.

He took a deep breath, his gaze calmly sweeping across the entire hall. His clear and steady voice clearly resounded throughout this great hall, which had gathered the highest power and strength of the Five Regions:

"Junior Lin Wan, greets Your Majesty Emperor Yan, greets all Seniors, greets all Fellow Daoists."

"Today, I am here not to claim credit, nor to compete for fame. I am only here to state what I saw and experienced deep within the rift of Liangjie Mountain... the truth about the erosion of 'the end', and... my humble opinion on this Calamity and how to respond to it."

"If there is anything improper, I hope all Seniors and Fellow Daoists will not hesitate to correct me."