456: Chapter 456 Knocking on Heaven (Part 1)

Inside the Heaven-Kowt Platform inner island.

The originally clear sky was now thick with dark clouds. Thunder rolled within the clouds, striking the sea surface from time to time, churning up waves.

However, the dark clouds were not evenly distributed. Many layers of clouds allowed sunlight to leak through, creating a scene where destruction and vitality were intertwined.

Just a few hours ago, the Heaven-Kowt Platform inner island was hosting a grand event where powerful experts gathered and sages arrived.

But at this moment, whether it was the inner platforms or the entire island, everything had turned into ruins, and seawater was gradually submerging these broken structures.

Black, humanoid Yao Beasts kept leaping out of the sea, continuously climbing onto these ruins to attack every Cultivator they could see.

And right between these ruins, Zhou Yan was leaping back and forth with long strides, dodging these monsters.

"Unlucky, unlucky, unlucky!"

Zhou Yan cursed, while simultaneously delivering a flying kick to the Yao Beast blocking his path, kicking its head until it exploded.

Zhou Yan didn't even look back and continued running towards the outer island.

After he had gone far away, the Yao Beast whose head had been kicked off suddenly sat up. With a few tremors of its body, it grew another head.

However, compared to its previous fish head, its head now looked more like a jellyfish head.

It looked up to the sky and let out a long howl, then quickly pursued in the direction Zhou Yan had fled.

And behind it, more Yao Beasts with jellyfish characteristics were chasing Zhou Yan.

Heaven-Kowt Assembly, three hours before it started.

"Old Man Zhang, you've arrived quite early."

A scruffy middle-aged man riding a single-horned green ox landed in the arena. Upon arriving, he immediately greeted Zhang Mingyuan, who was in the crowd.

Zhang Mingyuan glanced at him, pursed his lips, and ignored him, simply continuing to chat with the elderly monk and the young girl beside him.

The man did not leave because of this. Instead, he got off the green ox and, with a familiar air, directly put his arm around the monk beside him. If Zhang Mingyuan hadn't moved a step to the side, he would have almost been embraced by this man too.

Looking at Zhang Mingyuan's "don't touch me" expression, the man laughed loudly and began to mock him.

"Hahaha, you've been cultivating for so many years, Old Man, and this is all the decorum you have? You're not even as well-mannered as my son."

After saying this, he didn't forget to shake the monk he was holding in his arms and said,

"Great Master Huiyuan, you should say a word or two to him as well, otherwise, in a few hours, this old man will be lawless."

The monk, addressed as Great Master Huiyuan, merely showed a smile, lowered his brows slightly, recited a few Amitabhas, and did not pay attention to the man's teasing.

But on the contrary, the young girl became angry, emitting an aged voice that did not match her appearance.

"Mu Hao, you bastard, you're acting so damn arrogant after becoming a dog for the Human Dynasty, coming here to show off."

The young girl's pretty little Face scrunched up, and she pointed her finger at the man named Mu Hao, cursing loudly.

It could be called a standard zero-frame start, impossible to defend against.

Mu Hao's expression stiffened, a trace of Killing Intent flashed across his Face, but then he quickly put on his previous smiling Face again.

"What sound?"

"The Heaven-Kowt Platform can have ghosts? What kind of joke is that?"

Mu Hao exaggeratedly placed his hand over his eyes, looking into the distance, as if searching for something.

"The Seniors of the Dao Sect and the Buddhist Sect are all here, how could there be..." Halfway through, he deliberately let his gaze fall on the young girl at his feet, while exaggeratingly covering his mouth.

"Oh, my apologies, so it was you, Old Chu. I thought it was a ghost since I could only hear the voice but couldn't see the person."

"Turns out, it was just a smelly brat who can't even grow up."

Chu Huai's Face grew angrier, she rolled up her sleeves, spat out several curses, and was about to take action.

Zhang Mingyuan was watching the excitement from the side, already prepared to help Chu Huai if a fight broke out.

But just as the conflict was about to erupt, the two were stopped by Great Master Huikong, who had been silent on the side.

"The Assembly is about to begin, and many Fellow Daoists are arriving one after another."

"Since you are all Seniors, you should be setting a better example."

"Yet you are here arguing over trivial matters, and at this moment for this old monk?"

His words were clear, and his expression was very compassionate, but his tone was incredibly cold, making Mu Hao swallow involuntarily.

What's wrong with this old man? Why is he suddenly so tough? Is he throwing a tantrum because he fears death? That can't be it, this old man doesn't have such a small capacity, right?

"Forget it, forget it, I can't be bothered to haggle with you."

Mu Hao saw that the situation was not right, so he waved his hand and retreated, walking towards another group of people he was familiar with.

But his retreat did not appease Chu Huai; she glared fiercely at his back.

"Alright, since Great Master Huiyuan has spoken, you should restrain your temper a little. We can talk about whatever it is later."

"After all, you can see it too, this guy came representing the Human Dynasty, clearly with ill intent."

"If a conflict breaks out now, it would be too early."

Chu Huai took a deep breath and finally unclenched her tightly gripped fists.

"Great Master Huiyuan, today is an important day in your life, so this old one will give you some Face."

"But..."

Chu Huai changed the subject.

"It is very clear that those guys in the imperial court don't think so. I only hope you, Great Master, can have a smoother time."

After speaking, Chu Huai also left.

Seeing that they were chatting well, but suddenly it turned into this, Huiyuan also showed sadness and sighed.

"Amitabha, it seems the rumors are true. I truly hope this old monk will not sacrifice in vain."

Seeing Huiyuan like this, Zhang Mingyuan could not help but feel a sense of sorrow for the dying.

According to the normal trajectory, if he hadn't met Zhou Yan, it would have been his turn in a few more rounds.

Now, because of Zhou Yan's existence, he had escaped the shadow of death, and naturally, he couldn't help but have more sympathy, so he comforted Huiyuan.

"Great Master Huiyuan, do not worry, the Assembly will definitely be held as scheduled. With me, and with that Fellow Daoist of mine, it will be on schedule."

"Oh, a Fellow Daoist?"

"Could it be that newly ascended Void Refining stage expert of unknown origin rumored previously?"

Huiyuan was also a bit curious, his eyes even widening slightly.

"This, well, this rumor is ultimately unreliable."

"That Fellow Daoist of mine is actually a Loose Cultivator, whose cultivation has already reached the Mid Void Refinement Stage."

"It is also because his cultivation has stalled and he needs to advance further that he came out of the mountains to sell his services. It just so happened that my Dao Sect encountered him, not worth mentioning, not worth mentioning."

Then Zhang Mingyuan appropriately changed the subject and led the topic to the Yao Race.

"By the way, Great Master Huiyuan, have you noticed that the Yao Race has very few people coming this time? Most are Loose Cultivators, and it's rare to see Yao Race from major factions."

Seeing the topic change, Huiyuan also took the opportunity to chat about the Yao Race, while lowering his eyes again. However, in a place Zhang Mingyuan did not notice, a glimmer of pink light flashed in Huiyuan's lowered eyes, but it only lasted for an instant.

At this moment, in a corner far from the Heaven-Kowt Platform.

A woman wearing a bamboo hat was holding a wine bottle, taking small sips of wine.

She looked into the distance from time to time, watching those Cultivators acting hypocritically, bringing their own agendas while wearing the same masks, and was very disdainful of this.

"Hmm, it's about time, I should prepare early too."

The woman drank the last drop of wine and casually wanted to smash the bottle, but then she thought about it.

This was, after all, the last bottle of wine she would drink, so it was a bit of a pity to just smash it like this.

So she engraved some content on it, and then, while no one was paying attention, threw it into the sea.

At this time, there were two hours left before the Assembly began.