666: Chapter 666 Ziyang Crisis

She is over two hundred and sixty years old this year.

She does not know how old you are, but estimates that you are at least over a thousand years old.

In reality, if you actually count it, you are only two hundred and seventy-eight years old, about the same as her.

Seeing that the atmosphere was a bit awkward, Sect Master Lin Haotian smiled and tried to smooth things over: "Senior, why not stay for a few days? My Haotian Sect is hosting a banquet tonight; allow us to properly entertain you?"

An elderly Elder suddenly interjected: "Sect Master, what about that matter? We haven't reached a decision yet."

You asked curiously: "What matter?"

That Elder cupped his hands in a salute toward you and sighed: "Sigh, this Tianxuan Star is a border region between the Heavenly Palace and the Academy, a place where no one governs. We must either rely on the Heavenly Palace or the Academy."

"But crows are black all over the world. Ever since we started relying on the Academy, the tribute demanded by each family has been far too much, and the requirements of each Academy are different."

"Especially that Instructor Chan Yi from the Dual Cultivation Academy; he actually demands that we provide one Cauldron of superior Physique every hundred years, and it must be at least at the Nascent Soul level."

"How are we supposed to find such a person? We..."

After finishing, he sighed heavily again.

"Instructor Chan Yi?" You nodded. "Has he entered the Mahayana stage?"

"Entering the Mahayana stage is not that easy," Sect Master Lin Haotian said. "It is said that he failed once and is now preparing for a second attempt."

You did not reply. After hesitating for a moment, you prepared to take your leave.

Lin Waner suddenly took out a communication Jade Plaque, from which an urgent cry for help came through—

"Senior Lin, it's a disaster! Wanling Valley is about to make a move against Ziyang Palace!"

Lin Zhantian also took out his Jade Plaque, and a similar message came through—

"Senior Lin, tens of thousands of Wanling Valley Disciples are heading toward Ziyang Palace, saying they want to annihilate Ziyang Palace!"

Other Elders, including Sect Master Lin Haotian, all took out their communication Jade Plaques, and they were all the same message.

Although the Lin family had left Ziyang Star, they had always maintained contact with many local forces, especially Ziyang Palace.

"Sect Master, what should we do?" Lin Waner's hands were trembling with anger.

"They dare to bully even Ziyang Palace? Does Wanling Valley have a death wish?" An elderly Elder was so angry that his beard was bristling.

"Detestable, detestable! These bastards, sooner or later I will annihilate them!" Lin Zhantian gritted his teeth.

Meaty stood to the side, her eyes reddening and her body trembling slightly, as if she had recalled something unhappy.

You looked around and asked: "Wanling Valley? How dare they make a move against Ziyang Palace? Are they not afraid of being condemned by other forces?"

You paused, realizing that it had been over two hundred years, and asked again: "Is Ziyang Palace now inferior to Wanling Valley?"

"Senior, you do not know," Sect Master Lin Haotian glanced at Meaty, then sighed and continued:

"Ever since the Tianyin Sect and the Heavenly Sword Sect were destroyed, Wanling Valley has become the number one power on Ziyang Star. Coupled with Immortal Wanling achieving a Breakthrough to the Body Integration stage sixty years ago, no one on Ziyang Star can suppress him anymore."

He paused and added: "Furthermore, the Sima Immortal Clan of the Heavenly Palace lineage is specifically responsible for secretly suppressing Ziyang Palace on Ziyang Star. Whenever someone in Ziyang Palace reaches the Soul Transformation stage, they die inexplicably."

Upon hearing this, you immediately thought of one person—the Pavilion Master of the Langgan Pavilion in Ziyang Immortal City, Pavilion Master Sima Jingting.

No wonder a mere Langgan Pavilion in Ziyang Immortal City required a Prodigy from the Sima Immortal Clan to oversee it.

So, Pavilion Master Sima Jingting was the Pavilion Master on the surface, but secretly responsible for suppressing and monitoring Ziyang Palace.

Especially—behind this Langgan Pavilion also stood Venerable Tianming.

It seems the Heavenly Palace and Venerable Tianming are working together to suppress Ziyang Palace.

If it weren't for the prestige of Venerable Ziyang back in the day, coupled with the watchful eyes of various major forces, Ziyang Palace would likely have been destroyed long ago.

But why does Wanling Valley dare to make a move now?

Is Wanling Valley not afraid of death?

The more you thought about it, the angrier you became. You looked up at the dome and silently said to yourself: "My apologies. I promised you I wouldn't cause trouble before reaching the Mahayana stage, but Ziyang Palace is in trouble, and I have no choice but to intervene."

Then, you glanced at everyone and said in a calm tone: "Leave this matter to this old man; do not interfere."

After saying this, you prepared to leave.

"Senior." Lin Zhantian clenched his fists and stared at you, his eyes full of determination. "Take me with you; I will also go to help Ziyang Palace."

"I'll go too!" Lin Waner followed up.

"Yes, I'll go too. I have received kindness from Ziyang Palace, and one must not forget their roots."

"Count me in!"

Several Elders stepped forward one after another.

Meaty looked up at you with determined eyes: "I will go with you too."

Sect Master Lin Haotian did not speak. He was not afraid of death, but he had seen too many cases of mayflies trying to shake a tree, so he had no choice. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been so cautious in the past, never daring to reveal his true cultivation level.

You glanced at everyone and said calmly: "The Heavenly Palace must be behind this. If you show your faces, you might end up implicating the million Disciples of the Sect..."

Before you could finish, Lin Zhantian interjected: "Senior, I am willing to leave the Lin family. From today on, I am no longer a member of the Lin family, nor an Elder of the Haotian Sect."

"Me too!" Lin Waner followed.

"This is just a Clone of mine; if it gets destroyed, so be it." Meaty's tone was flat, with no discernible emotion.

The others also chimed in one after another.

You looked at them and said nothing.

After a moment of silence, you finally spoke: "Throwing your lives away blindly is what fools do. Keep your useful selves alive and wait to storm the Heavenly Palace with me in the future."

After saying this, without waiting for them to speak again, you took a step, and your figure disappeared.

As soon as you disappeared, Meaty moved her body and followed.

However, her speed was not as fast as yours—just as she reached a hundred thousand li away, you had already stepped into the Teleportation Array of Tianxuan Immortal City.

Lin Zhantian looked at Lin Waner: "What should we do? Without Senior and Sister Meaty taking us, I'm afraid we won't make it in time."

Lin Waner frowned and did not reply.

They were only at the Nascent Soul stage; just flying to Tianxuan Immortal City would take a considerable amount of time. By the time they reached Ziyang Palace on Ziyang Star, it would be too late.

Sect Master Lin Haotian looked in the direction where you and Meaty had disappeared and sighed heavily.

"Where righteousness lies, one does not bow to power, nor does one care for profit."

He paused, his voice dropping, his tone full of helplessness: "A true Cultivator indeed."

He wanted to go too, but that would be no different from throwing his life away.

But what if he didn't go? He would never be able to stand up to the Heavenly Palace in this lifetime.

He understood—he was growing, but he could never catch up to the speed at which the Heavenly Palace was growing.

The Heavenly Palace would only grow stronger and stronger.

They would always be the ones trampled underfoot.

Some people choose to live a cowardly life; others choose to have a clear state of mind.

Neither is wrong.

He simply chose the former.