Chapter 155: Southern Firmament Plains, The Strength of the Heaven-Designate Sword Lord

The Longevity Pavilion was located in the central region of the Southern Dome Ocean, an area teeming with countless sects and religious factions. Any single sect casually dispatched from there would be more powerful than the hegemonic factions of the various individual seas. The Longevity Pavilion was undoubtedly one of the top major forces in that region. In terms of the widest sphere of influence, it deservedly claimed the number one spot, with affiliated powers spread across every sea region of the Southern Dome Ocean, and its reach even extending to some of the mainland continents.

Upon the vast ocean, a large red-wood ship sped forward swiftly.

Fang Wang lay flat on the deck, his face covered by a fox mask. He was not asleep; instead, he was listening as Zhu Yan introduced the Longevity Pavilion to Xiao Zi, Zhao Zhen, and Chu Yin.

Although Chu Yin had been out on the sea for decades, his understanding of the power structure in the Southern Dome Ocean was quite limited. He only knew that the Longevity Pavilion was a colossal entity, having never examined it in detail.

Qu Xunhun chimed in from time to time, supplementing Zhu Yan's explanations.

Such days were far from monotonous, adding a touch of enjoyment to their voyage across the sea.

After chatting for a long time, the group returned to their respective cultivation routines.

Chu Yin continued to practice the Profound Yang Divine Scripture. He had found a newfound sense of confidence through this manual, and given how immensely powerful the technique was, he eagerly anticipated the day he would master it to perfection.

Qu Xunhun also paid considerable attention to Chu Yin. After all, this was a talent of the Heavenly Origin caliber; even within the Longevity Pavilion, he would be regarded with great importance.

A Heavenly Origin talent as a disciple, and the son of a Demon Emperor as a mount.

This Sword Lord's ambitions were by no means small!

In the blink of an eye, a month flew by.

On this day.

"Quick, look ahead!" Xiao Zi cried out in astonishment, prompting everyone on the ship to open their eyes.

Fang Wang swept his divine sense outward and saw that at the very edge of the horizon, a massive, towering mountain had appeared. Its left and right extremes stretched out boundlessly, resembling the edge of the world, as if the end of the ocean had been trapped against a towering wall created by the heavens.

Upon closer inspection, that was not a mountain at all—it was the sea level itself rising sharply upward!

As Fang Wang observed it, that oceanic mountain was at least two thousand zhang high, equivalent to more than six thousand meters—a truly exaggerated sight.

"Ahead lies the true Southern Dome Ocean, and the central place of this ocean is known as the Southern Dome Heavenly Plain," Qu Xunhun said, a look of fervent fanaticism appearing on his face. Clearly, he did not often return here, so he could not entirely suppress his excitement.

Zhu Yin was also visiting for the first time, hence his face betrayed a look of yearning.

Xiao Zi, Zhao Zhen, and Chu Yin, meanwhile, were already dumbstruck.

Qu Xunhun performed incantations to accelerate the red-wood ship. The closer they got to the Southern Dome Heavenly Plain, the more profoundly they could feel its towering majesty.

Gradually, they spotted other dharma ships similarly sailing toward the Southern Dome Heavenly Plain.

Before long, the red-wood ship began to tilt backward; it was sailing up an incline, and the slope was growing steeper and steeper.

Xiao Zi, Zhu Yan, Chu Yin, and Zhao Zhen came to the sides of the ship, where they could see that there really was no solid mountain beneath them—only seawater.

It truly was a massive bulge in the surface of the ocean, and the seawater was actually flowing upward, a deeply bizarre spectacle.

Fang Wang was also probing with his divine sense. When his awareness penetrated the water, he saw countless fish and demonic beasts swimming within the ocean of the Southern Dome Heavenly Plain, though he spotted no buildings or defensive arrays. It was worth noting that the spiritual energy here was exceptionally dense, surging up from the seabed toward the surface—perhaps this was the reason the seawater flowed upward.

Ascending all the way, once the red-wood ship finally sailed onto the top of the Southern Dome Heavenly Plain, the vessel leveled out. As the front half of the ship settled, the group was left awestruck by the scenery before them.

The vault of heaven ahead presented the appearance of a starry firmament, with floating islands suspended above the surface of the sea. Below them were countless more islands. Cast your gaze anywhere, and you would see the figures of magical artifacts and mounts, along with immortal cultivators flying on swords.

Massive demonic beasts leaped out of the sea from time to time, while flocks of flying birds swept across the sky in formation. They even caught sight of horned demonic dragons winding through the clouds and mist. As a strong breeze brushed against their faces, they could not help but feel relaxed and invigorated.

What an immensely rich concentration of spiritual energy!

"Sword Master, shall I lead you to settle down in the estate of the Yellow-tier Sword Lord? There is still some time before the trial begins."

Qu Xunhun walked up to Fang Wang and asked respectfully.

***

Fang Wang answered casually, "Make the arrangements as you see fit."

Qu Xunhun accepted the command and manipulated the dharma ship to change its course.

Along the way, Xiao Zi, Zhao Zhen, Zhu Yan, and Chu Yin chattered incessantly, and even Zhu Yan, a Golden Body realm expert, looked amazed.

Half an hour later.

The red-wood ship stopped at the port of an island. After Fang Wang and the others disembarked, Qu Xunhun stowed the vessel into his sleeve and led the group toward a town not far away. The town occupied a quarter of the island's total area, surrounded on three sides by mountains and presenting a rather magnificent sight.

Along the way, occasional passersby greeted Qu Xunhun. Fang Wang attracted many lingering gazes; his temperament was so uniquely extraordinary that anyone who glanced at him found it difficult to look away.

Next was Zhu Yan, who made no effort whatsoever to conceal his formidable demonic aura, causing the cultivators along the path to hastily step aside and give him a wide berth.

Chu Yin could sense that none of the cultivators here were weak, and many possessed auras so unfathomable that they left him feeling tense and uneasy.

Many people recognized Qu Xunhun, knowing his identity and the fact that he served the Yellow-tier Sword Lord.

Over the years, the Yellow-tier Sword Lord's performances had been dazzlingly striking—especially the battle at Biyou Island, where he slaughtered over ten thousand sword cultivators, including five Golden Body realm experts. He had already come to be regarded as the most formidable of all Yellow-tier Martial Lords.

Fang Wang's arrival clearly meant he intended to contend for a higher Martial Lord decree!

In an instant, the news spread rapidly.

Under Qu Xunhun's guidance, Fang Wang and the others arrived at an estate featuring three courtyards and dozens of rooms.

Fang Wang casually picked a room to settle into. Xiao Zi insisted on following him, tossing the Soul-Swallowing Gourd to Zhao Zhen so he could manage it himself.

Zhu Yan and Chu Yin each selected their own rooms, while Qu Xunhun departed to gather intelligence on the other True Immortals for Fang Wang.

Less than an hour passed before someone came to disturb them.

"May I ask if the Yellow-tier Sword Lord is in?"

An overbearing voice resonated across the entire island, causing the cultivators and demons on the island to leap into the air and gaze toward the Yellow-tier Sword Lord's estate.

The speaker was a man in a black robe embroidered with a lifelike golden雕 (golden eagle). His wide sleeves fluttered in the wind along with his hem. His expression was stern and cold, his eyes resembled those of a bear, and the stubble around his mouth lent him an even more domineering aura.

Clang!

A door flew open, and Zhu Yan, dressed in tight-fitting black clothes, stepped out. Looking up at the black-robed man, he asked with profound displeasure on his face, "Who the hell are you, disturbing my master's peace? Have you got a death wish?"

The black-robed man remained expressionless as he replied, "I am the Heaven-tier Sword Lord, Tang Changbai. Your master killed my disciple, and I require him to give me an account."

As soon as these words were spoken, the other cultivators watching from afar broke into a buzz of discussion.

Chu Yin, Xiao Zi, and Zhao Zhen also came out into the courtyard. Feeling the oppressive aura emanating from Tang Changbai, they felt a secret pang of shock.

"My master killed your disciple? Even if that's true, it just means your disciple lacked the skill and dared to provoke my master—dying was no more than he deserved! I advise you to scram right now, or this king will beat you to death!"

Zhu Yan laughed menacingly. His black robes fluttered, revealing the robust muscles across his chest. An immensely overbearing aura erupted from him, shaking the entire island!

A Golden Body realm expert!

Tang Changbai narrowed his eyes, while the cultivators watching from a distance were startled. The Yellow-tier Sword Lord actually had a Golden Body realm demonic beast as a pet.

Seemingly recalling something, Tang Changbai sneered, "Could you be Zhu Yan, the seventh son of the Monarch of Zhu? I heard you became the Yellow-tier Sword Lord's mount, and to think it's actually true. Aren't you afraid of losing face for the Monarch of Zhu?"

Zhu Yan laughed proudly. "Lose what face? You don't even have the qualifications to carry my master's shoes! Scram right now, or this king won't be polite anymore!"

"Hmph, truly..."

Before Tang Changbai could finish speaking, a fierce gust of wind surged forward. Zhu Yan threw a punch, startling Tang Changbai into hastily dodging backward. The domineering punch force soared straight up into the clouds, scattering the mist in the sky.

***

Zhu Yan rolled his neck, revealing a cruel smile. Enveloped in demonic aura, he charged at Tang Changbai once again.

He was naturally untamed and arrogant, displaying extreme insolence even when first facing Fang Wang; his years of cultivation had done nothing to alter his temperament.

He had long been itching for a proper battle—at the very least, he needed to prove his strength to his master.

Though he was only at the second layer of the Golden Body realm, he possessed the absolute confidence to sweep across the Golden Body realm!

Inside the room.

Fang Wang lay on the bed. The house was vibrating—to be precise, the entire island was trembling. Even though Tang Changbai and Zhu Yan had flown high into the sky to fight, their auras still affected numerous surrounding islands, attracting a growing crowd of cultivators and demons to watch the battle.

In the Southern Dome Heavenly Plain, demons could be seen everywhere. Transformed demons lived in peaceful harmony with human cultivators without any mutual exclusion.

The news of the Heaven-tier Sword Lord fighting the son of the Monarch of Zhu spread rapidly.

Fang Wang could sense that Tang Changbai's cultivation realm was higher, surpassing Zhu Yan by a significant margin. However, he was in no rush to intervene; this would serve as a good test for Zhu Yan.

Winning with the same cultivation level merely proved one was slightly more skilled; a true genius was meant to achieve victory across realms of cultivation!

How earth-shaking was the battle between two great Golden Body realm grand cultivators? Describing it as heaven-shaking and earth-splitting was no exaggeration.

Fang Wang caught the arrival of many powerful auras, and even an aura far surpassing that of the Heaven-tier Sword Lord descended upon the scene.

The Mahayana realm!

Fang Wang remained unperturbed, continuing to lie on his bed as he observed the battle with his divine sense.

Qu Xunhun rushed back swiftly. Entering Fang Wang's room, he bowed deeply and said, "Sword Lord, that Heaven-tier Sword Lord cannot be killed here. If he is to be killed, it must be inside the trial grounds. Although the Longevity Pavilion follows decrees rather than individuals, that rule applies outside. Within the Southern Dome Heavenly Plain, members of the Longevity Pavilion are strictly prohibited from killing one another."

With his eyes closed, Fang Wang answered nonchalantly, "Rest assured, Zhu Yan won't be able to kill him."

Qu Xunhun thought to himself privately: *Zhu Yan might not be able to kill him, but you certainly can, old sir!*

Seeing that Fang Wang harbored no murderous intent, Qu Xunhun could only bow and withdraw.

Zhu Yan and Tang Changbai fought fiercely above the sea of clouds. Sword Qi crisscrossed the sky, scattering in all directions. Zhu Yan, his body wreathed in demonic aura, relentlessly pressed forward against Tang Changbai. Every punch and kick he threw unleashed boundless demonic energy that shook the firmament.

This sea region belonged to the territory of the Longevity Pavilion, and their response was extremely prompt. A large number of cultivators began forming defensive arrays to protect the surrounding islands. No one attempted to stop the battle between Tang Changbai and Zhu Yan; even the cultivators operating the arrays watched with great relish and enthusiasm.

Tang Changbai was truly worthy of being a Heaven-tier Sword Lord. His sword techniques were peerless, and the natal spirit-sword in his hand danced through the air, bursting forth with a sword intent that was both fierce and swift.

Zhu Yan relied entirely on his bare fists, shattering Sword Qi as he continuously closed in on Tang Changbai. Yet, whenever he got close, Tang Changbai always managed to swiftly widen the distance, growing Zhu Yan's frustration all the more.

At a glance, it looked as though Tang Changbai was toying with Zhu Yan, but few people mocked Zhu Yan; instead, they showered him with praise.

"What is the background of this demon? He's actually able to fight across six minor realms and hasn't suffered any injuries yet."

"That's Zhu Yan, the seventh son of the Monarch of Zhu. Word has it he has already sworn allegiance to the Yellow-tier Sword Lord."

"The Yellow-tier Sword Lord Fang Wang? Interesting, he really did come."

"Haha, Fang Wang's true strength is by no means that of a mere Yellow-tier Sword Lord. Who do you think he has set his sights on?"

"It has to be the Heaven-tier Sword Lord. That's why Tang Changbai took the initiative to come and test him first. If he truly proves to be no match for Fang Wang, he'll probably just sit out the trial."

"True enough. An old fox like Tang Changbai has countless disciples; how could he possibly risk his life to avenge just one of them?"