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Translator: Fate
Translation Checker: Silavin
Half a month went by in the blink of an eye.
The leaders of the various clans in the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains sprung into action immediately after hearing the news. Most turned into divine rainbows and soaring through the clouds, resulting in an astonishing sight. They rushed to Sky Deer City with either their attendants or a few clansmen in tow.
It could be said that this was a major situation related to the life and death of their people, a danger no one could disregard.
To many, whether the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains would survive or perish next depended entirely on the outcome of this event. This banquet was the only light in the darkness for them and they had high hopes for it.
Countless could be seen having a discussion in the Ancient Cities in the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains now. Those who followed them could simultaneously pass on what happened at the banquet. Of course, everyone else paid close attention to the news.
Exactly how big was the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains?
In terms of territory, it reached beyond hundreds of millions of kilometres, and the number of people in it was practically immeasurable and incalculable. The discussion on the peace pact this time had attracted everyone’s attention, filling them with expectations and nervousness.
At this moment, a divine light shone where immortal mist was thick on a majestic flying boat. The flying boat crossed the sky like a fairy boat sailing through the sky and over many borders in Sky Deer City’s direction. With rows upon rows of palaces and pavilions on it, the flying boat was like a continent suspended between heaven and earth.
All the heads of the most powerful and ancient families in the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains, including the leader of the families, the Elders of clans, and Prime Ancestors, were among those on the boat. Except for some of the younger ones, even the weakest among them was at least in the Sacred King Realm.
Before the Upper Realm conquered the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains, they were beings who possessed power so monstrous they could cause an earthquake just by stomping their feet. The Domain Rulers of the Ten Great Domains, the Leaders of the Eight Great Wastelands, and the remaining Leaders from the Three Powerful War God Clans: Vermilion Bird War God Clan, the Black Tortoise War God Clan, and White Tiger War God Clan were also on the boat. It wouldn’t be an overstatement to say that the group on the flying boat were people who stood above the rest and had the power to control the lives within the entire Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains.
“The Sky Deer City today is different from what it was before. Even though Sky Deer Goddess still reigns over the land, she barely has anything to do with Sky Deer City after she surrendered to Gu Changge. So, everyone, don’t expect that traitor of a Goddess to help us.” An Ancient Being spoke then. Even though his whole body was shrouded in mist, his face was clear, and he had a pair of bright eyes that seemed to see through the secrets of the world.
He was a True Daoist who came from a Hidden Clan. He had never appeared in public before the war between the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains and the Upper Realm. Surrounding him were a handful of ancient and strong men of similar status to him. However, none of them spoke as they kept quiet.
“Sky Deer Goddess is a traitor!” Many people here couldn’t help the anger and shamelessness in their eyes as soon as Sky Deer Goddess was mentioned. Someone among the crowd even sneered, “But she sure is smart. Now that she has landed Gu Changge, not only has she kept Sky Deer City, but her status has also risen. Not even the Immortal Forces of the Upper World dares to get on her wrong side. It’s a different case for people like us. We need to always be on guard against the Upper Realm Army, who could kill us anytime. Worst of all, we have to live submissively under the shadow of the Upper Realm either way.”
Despite the way the complaints were worded, it was hard to conceal the jealousy laced within. It was a consensus that the biggest advantage Sky Deer Goddess had over other people was her otherworldly and rare beautiful appearance. An advantage they could never hope to compete with.
Still, a few Ancient Beings kept glancing left and right as they scanned through the many clansmen behind them, trying to look for the most beautiful women among them. Gu Changge had invited everyone to discuss a truce this time, but he didn’t mention how they were going to discuss it. Feeling uneasy from not knowing what to expect, they thought it wouldn’t be a bad idea for them to get beautiful women to appease Gu Changge. Naturally, they hoped that this matter would go well, and the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains would regain its peace.
Many jolted to a stop then as their eyes flickered slightly when they saw a beautiful and charming woman with a cool temperament not far away. There was no doubt that her appearance was the most outstanding here. The rest of the women couldn’t even compare to her as they paled in comparison.
“That’s… Fairy Qingyue…”
“I didn’t think we’d see her here.”
However, her identity was one of the reasons she earned strange looks of disbelief. It was weird for her to be here.
She and Zhao Yunze, the man who died in battle in front of Sky Deer City some time ago, used to be close. There were even rumours that the two had plans to get engaged and married before Sky Deer City was destroyed. However, Zhao Yunze was defeated and brutally killed by Gu Changge in Sky Deer City. People had also heard that Fairy Qingyue almost passed out from her heartache.
[She must have come to terms with her pain, for her to appear here. As expected of Fairy Qingyue. She managed to get herself out of her grief in the face of this matter.] They lamented without giving it much thought.
After all, as Zhao Yunze’s woman, Fairy Qingyue was not one whose strength was to be trifled with in the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains. She could well be called a heroine.
There was another person beside Fairy Qingyue at this moment. His face was considerably mature, and he had white hair on his temples.
This man, who was the current Domain Ruler of the Great Cloud Domain, and he was also Zhao Yunze’s father.
As the Domain Ruler of the Great Cloud Domain, it could be said that he and Gu Changge were sworn enemies. Lord Great Cloud’s most respected son, Zhao Yunze, was subdued and killed by Gu Changge in front of Sky Deer City. It happened in front of countless soldiers from both sides.
After that day, he had always held onto this grudge. But now, him wanting to avenge his son was something that he had to leave behind. For the survival of the entire Great Cloud Domain, he had to grit his teeth and let go of this hatred for the time being as he rushed to Sky Deer City with his many clansmen.
“Don’t worry, Uncle. I know what to do and how I should go about this matter.” Fairy Qingyue nodded slightly with a calm face. She and Lord Great Cloud were naturally close because of Zhao Yunze. He, too, had always been proud of this woman who he practically considered his daughter-in-law.
Hearing this, he had a conflicted and regretful look on his face. He could only sigh at the end. “Ha… None of this would have happened if I hadn’t let Yunze join the fight. It was wrong of me.”
Fairy Qingyue quickly shook her head. “Yunze and I have talked about this. It would be a good way for him to go if he died in a battle for the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains. As the Young Master of the Great Cloud Domain, it was his destiny to protect the Great Cloud Domain.”
Those words touched Lord Great Cloud so much that he could only let out another long sigh, his helplessness instantly ageing him.
“Do you really have to do this?” He seemed to be asking himself at the same time he asked Fairy Qingyue.
“If push comes to shove and I have no other choice,” she calmly replied without directly answering the question.
“Don’t be such a pessimist. What if things turn around? Even an existence like the Supreme Mountain Elder has made his appearance. We’re not at a dead end yet. I’m actually reluctant to let you do this unless this is the last resort…” he sighed, his eyes looking somewhere not far away.
There was a blind old man with the demeanour of a transcendent being talking to the leaders of the Powerful War God Clans. His words were calm as he spoke, seemingly without any worry or uneasiness about participating in this grand banquet. His admirable bearing calmed Lord Great Cloud a little.
Soon, the flying boat rumbled across the sky like a raging wave, making a huge noise. It had passed millions of kilometres in the blink of an eye, leaving many mountains and great bodies of water behind. Pieces of vast territory quickly disappeared under everyone’s feet. Along the way, they saw the experts and clansmen from the other parts of the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains rushing over.
Sky Deer City was located in the frontier of the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains, adjacent to the Upper Realm territory. However, it was now occupied by the Upper Realm. The sea of flames that used to burn all day had slowly turned calmer. Even though the location was still remote and barren, there was a lot more vitality now compared to during the war.
Sky Deer City, as majestic as the backbone of heaven and earth, stood in a wasteland where stars hung and the moonlight gushed. At this moment, the Milky Way falling from the depths of the sky was full of a mysterious and profound brilliance, making the Sky Deer City casually sitting there look incomparably magnificent. It looked enormous and grand with dust-like stars surging around it.
There were waves of terrifying divine senses sweeping over all around in a strong and domineering manner even before the many flying boats landed in the city.
“They must be the leaders of various clans who are here as promised by Young Master Changge. Let them in.” There were no emotions in their words, and after a simple exchange of pleasantries, they allowed the visitors entry into Sky Deer City. The city gate, which was as tall as the sky, fell with a bang.
No doubt, behind these terrifying divine senses were the current defenders of Sky Deer City. Each one of them had unfathomable cultivation. After all, even the weakest ones were True Daoists.
They needed such a terrifying force since Sky Deer City didn’t have many ways to defend themselves after the breach.
Such a scene made the complexions of many rushing to this place to change. Once upon a time, Sky Deer City was no different from an Immortal City to them. An unconquerable existence. Any exit or entry in and out of the city never had to be informed to the higher-ups. Moreover, they didn’t know what they should do if they wanted to escape after they entered Sky Deer City.
[I’m back after a few months, but things have changed by so much. I wonder how Master is doing?] Xiao Yang quietly followed behind the Supreme Mountain Elder and the others. He didn’t know what to feel as he looked at Sky Deer City in front of him.
There were countless palaces and pavilions in the vast Sky Deer City. There were also Celestial Islands and Divine Mountains in the distance, but they now all belonged to the Upper Realm. The various forces had their own territories after they divided them. The discussion of the truce was being held in the Sky Deer Sanctum of Sky Deer City.
At this moment, divine rainbows could be seen flying across the city; they were the Masters of various forces from the Upper Realm. After they showed up, they kept a close eye on the leaders of the various clans from outside the city. However, the playful expressions on their faces made everyone uneasy. It was as though the Upper Realm was the cat, and everyone from the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains were their mice. Still, there was no room for regret at this point. They could only go on with the decision they made.
“Come this way please, everyone. Since you are here to participate in the discussion of the truce. You are all distinguished guests of our Young Master. The two realms might have been at war for countless years, and the grudge is still there, but Young Master Changge has the virtue of sparing lives, and he doesn’t want to take any more lives. The truce this time is also the Young Master’s sincerity to you.”
A Gu Family member who had heard the news rushed over to Sky Deer City. His strength was extremely terrifying, and with his battle armour on and divine light shining from him, he gave off a great sense of ferocity. A sense that he could reap hundreds of lives here if he so wished.
“Young Master Gu sure is considerate! If he really wants to stop this war, stop playing tricks and show some true sincerity.”
The person who spoke was a benevolent blind old man who looked so thin he could be blown away by a gust of wind. However, no one dared to underestimate him because of his aura even though they couldn’t gauge just how powerful he was. He was, at least, a True Daoist whose seniority would shock anyone who knew.
Hearing this, the leaders from the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains present quietly turned to the Supreme Mountain Elder in unison. To them, the Supreme Mountain Elder was like the backbone supporting them. The Supreme Mountain Elder was not surprised as well, He only spoke up, wanting Gu Changge to show due sincerity.
They had already disregarded life and death when they came to this banquet, obviously a trap for those invited. It would be an unimaginable disaster for them if Gu Changge decided to attack them now. Many would lose their lives here.
Upon hearing that, the Gu Family member, who was a True Daoist, let out a small smile as he led the way.
“Is sincerity something the Young Master of my Family has to truly show?” With his nonchalance, he didn’t take the crowd’s opinion to heart.
What he said immediately worried everyone from the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains. Indeed, sincerity was something that the current Gu Changge didn’t need to show. After all, the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains were at an absolute disadvantage. If things went as planned, it wouldn’t be long before they were completely destroyed by the Upper Realm.
Gu Changge had stepped forward and given them a chance to form a truce. It was entirely up to them whether to believe him or not. Gu Changge had no obligation to convince them.
Everyone felt gloom wash over them for a moment there. They came to the meeting because it was their only hope despite knowing that this was a trap, but could it be that Gu Changge had already foreseen the outcome of the discussion before it even began?
…
Sky Deer Sanctum was located in the centre of Sky Deer City, where there was a spacious square nearby. Many blurry figures could be seen among the pagodas and halls here. The cultivation of these blurry figures was so powerful that even just standing there almost caused the nearby void to collapse.
“They have this place completely secured. It’s not looking good for us.” Seeing this, a leader couldn’t help shaking his head and sighing. They were already too deep into the lion’s den to back out. A lot of people grew tense, and their palms were covered in cold sweat. If things really turned out for the worse in a while, they wouldn’t be able to run at all when the experts around them swarmed over. They would probably die in an instant.
…
With the Gu Family’s True Daoist in the lead, the group soon crossed the square and entered the sanctum ahead. The sanctum was vast enough to look like another world of its own. The banquet had already been set up at this point, and there were many alcoholic drinks, spirit fruits, and meat of rare beasts on display. The scrumptious meal exuded a radiant brilliance as visions came to life, the fragrance so tempting everyone was tempted to have a taste of the food.
Other than that, many graceful, slender women in the banquet hall were dancing with Celestial Mist surrounding them. Their every move was so beautiful they were simply delectable.
In Sky Deer Sanctum, Gu Changge, who was dressed in dark ceremonial robes, was oozing with mystery and regality. He had a faint smile on his face as he sat there waiting in the main seat for everyone’s arrival. Behind him stood Sky Deer Goddess. Her face was hidden behind a thin veil, revealing only a pair of calm doe eyes.
These were the only people present.
Such a scene left everyone from the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains who entered, stunned. This was different from what they had imagined. However, they guessed that Gu Changge had his men hiding, and he only needed to give an order for them to rush in and take them down immediately. They felt conflicted standing in front of the young man who had complete control over whether the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains lived on or perished.
Xiao Yang’s face was cold. He couldn’t hide his hatred whenever he recalled how Gu Changge easily annihilated his Eldest Senior Sister’s body and soul in the Nine Great Mountains.
…
“All distinguished guests, please take a seat,” Gu Changge offered. He was smiling as his gaze swept across everyone from the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains. He then elegantly lifted a wrist and gestured towards the seats.
“We have come to the meeting as per your request, Gu Changge. We hope that you keep your promise,” a leader warned in his deep voice. He looked like a black bear, with strands of Principles flowing around his body. One could tell how terrifyingly strong he was from the way his aura resounded like thunder, nearly bursting eardrums.
The rest of the leaders were also staring at Gu Changge at this moment with flickering divine lights intertwined with a heavenly mist of various colours in their eyes. They were all vigilant, and they did not sit down for fear that Gu Changge was trying to do something to them.
Noticing this, Gu Changge only let out a small smile as he knew what they were feeling apprehensive about. “Rest assured, everyone. I wouldn’t attack my guest from the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains that I have invited over for an important meeting. Do you not trust me even over something so trivial?”
In fact, Gu Changge had already achieved his goal when everyone decided to rush to this meeting. The Supreme Mountain Elder, Xiao Yang, and the Powerful War God Clans were his ultimate targets. Moreover, he had already obtained the Tree of Epoch, not that many people in the entire Upper Realm knew about it. So instead of destroying these great clans, it was better to let them live.
To Gu Changge, their lives were of greater value.
As for how this move would harm the interests of the rest of the forces in the Upper Realm, that had nothing to do with him.
“We hope you keep your word,” the Supreme Mountain Elder hummed before he sat down, seemingly not worried about Gu Changge playing tricks on them. Although he was blind, nothing that happened here could slip past his divine sense.
Seeing him sit down, the rest of the people breathed a sigh of relief, and they each found a seat of their own. They wanted to see what Gu Changge was up to.
Right then, a voice rang out inside the quiet sanctum.
“Gu Changge, I want to see my Master and sister.”
Xiao Yang stood up and glared at Gu Changge with red eyes. His fists were clenched tightly as he firmly demanded in a hatred-filled tone.
Fool
You little trash