263: Chapter 263: The Foundations of All Parties

Three hundred years ago, he was the strongest Sword Cultivator in the Northern Border.

Today, three hundred years later, his Sword Intent has become even more unfathomable.

Sect Leader Jian Wuxin flew before the mountain Peak but did not land.

Because the Sword Intent on the Peak was too strong, even with his cultivation at the Middle Stage of Body Integration, he did not dare approach within a hundred feet.

“Grand Elder, the ruin's Restriction has vanished. Inside lies an Opportunity to Breakthrough to the Mahayana Stage.”

“Please leave your seclusion, Grand Elder, to help the Sword Sect seize this Opportunity.”

Sect Leader Jian Wuxin's voice was soft, but it clearly transmitted into the mountain Peak.

Silence.

Supreme Elder Jian Cangqiong did not respond.

Sect Leader Jian Wuxin was in no hurry, simply hovering in mid-air, waiting patiently.

After a long time, a long sigh drifted down from the mountain Peak.

That sigh seemed to emerge from deep underground, yet also seemed to fall from the heavens.

“Mahayana Stage...”

Supreme Elder Jian Cangqiong's voice was very light, like the wind blowing through a bamboo forest.

“This old man has waited for eight hundred years.”

He opened his eyes.

Supreme Elder Jian Cangqiong's eyes were black, with faint sword light swirling within his pupils.

He looked down at his withered hands, then at the long sword resting on his knees.

“Let us go.”

With one step, he appeared in front of Sect Leader Jian Wuxin.

From the mountain top to the base was at least ten miles, yet he covered it in a single step.

This was the 'Shrinking the Earth to an Inch' technique of the Sword Dao, a supreme skill that could only be performed when one's Sword Intent had reached the ultimate level of clarity.

Sect Leader Jian Wuxin bowed.

“Grand Elder, the Sword Sect Disciples have already assembled.”

Supreme Elder Jian Cangqiong nodded: “Leave a portion of people to guard the mountain; the rest shall follow me.”

...

Finally, the City Lord's Mansion.

Before City Lord Li Qingge left, he left a message jade talisman for the Head Steward of the City Lord's Mansion.

Upon receiving the message, the Head Steward immediately summoned all core members of the City Lord's Mansion.

In the main hall of the City Lord's Mansion sat over a dozen people.

There were Guest Elders of the Void Refinement Stage, consecrated experts at the Peak Soul Transformation Stage, and managers of various departments.

They looked at each other, none of them knowing what had happened.

The Head Steward stood beside the main seat, his expression solemn.

“The City Lord has sent word that the ruin's Restriction has vanished. Inside lies an Opportunity to Breakthrough to the Mahayana Stage.”

“The City Lord has already entered and has ordered us to send reinforcements immediately.”

The hall erupted into an uproar.

Mahayana Stage? What kind of concept was that?

In the entire Northern Border, there were no Mahayana Stage Cultivators.

If they could obtain that Opportunity, the City Lord's Mansion could become the Dominator of the Northern Border.

“Head Steward, did the City Lord say how many people are needed?”

A Guest Elder of the Void Refinement Stage asked.

The Head Steward thought for a moment.

“The City Lord didn't say, but we aren't the only ones in the ruins; the Yao Race will certainly send people as well.”

“Moreover, other forces will also receive the news.”

“Therefore, send as many as can go.”

The Guest Elder nodded: “Then I shall go and gather the men right away.”

“By the way, there is one more thing—the Old City Lord is still in closed-door cultivation; we should ask for his instructions.”

The hall instantly fell silent.

The Old City Lord, City Lord Li Qingge's father, Old City Lord Li Cang.

At the Peak Body Integration Stage, he had been in seclusion for a thousand years, even longer than the Sword Sect's Grand Elder.

Some said he had already passed away, while others said he had long since broken through to the Mahayana Stage and simply hadn't come out.

No one knew the truth.

The Head Steward was silent for a moment: “I will go and invite him.”

In the ancestral grounds of the City Lord's Mansion, there was an underground secret chamber.

There was no light in the chamber, no sound, only endless darkness.

In the darkness sat a withered figure in meditation.

His hair was gone, his eyebrows were gone, and his skin was like dried bark clinging to bone.

His breathing was very slow, occurring only once every few dozen breaths, as if it might stop at any moment.

The Head Steward knelt at the entrance of the secret chamber, not daring to enter.

Because there were Restrictions in the chamber; anyone who entered would die.

“Old City Lord, the ruin's Restriction has vanished, and inside is an Opportunity to Breakthrough to the Mahayana Stage. The City Lord has already entered; please leave your seclusion, Old City Lord.”

The Head Steward's voice was very soft, but it sounded exceptionally clear in the silent chamber.

After a long while, a light chuckle came from the darkness.

The laughter was very light, like the wind blowing through withered leaves.

“Finally, I have waited long enough.”

The door to the secret chamber opened.

A golden light flashed past.

“Come, follow me to take the secret of the Great Vehicle.”

...

The Human Race had assembled, and the Yao Race was no exception.

Deep within the desolate wilds, the Ten Thousand Demon Plains.

Clan Leader Shi Tianba's message was sent using a Bloodline Divine Ability.

A golden pillar of light shot out from between his brows, piercing the sky and exploding above the Ten Thousand Demon Plains.

The pillar of light contained Clan Leader Shi Tianba's Divine Sense brand, and its content was the same: the ruin's Restriction had vanished, and the Mahayana Stage Opportunity had appeared.

The ancestral grounds of the Golden Lion Clan in the Ten Thousand Demon Plains.

A massive golden male lion lay on a mountain Peak, its mane burning like fire, reflecting the entire Peak in gold.

Its eyes were closed as if in deep sleep.

But its aura was like the mountains and seas, pressing down so hard the surrounding air trembled.

Peak Body Integration Stage.

The Old Ancestor of the Golden Lion Clan, Clan Leader Shi Tianba's father, Lion Cangqiong.

“The ruins... Mahayana Stage...”

An aged voice echoed across the mountain Peak.

The voice seemed to emerge from deep underground, yet also seemed to fall from the heavens.

The golden lion on the Peak opened its eyes.

Its eyes were golden with vertical pupils, and fire faintly flickered within them.

“Tianba, you have done well.”

It stood up and shook its mane.

Golden flames splashed from its mane, igniting several withered trees on the mountain Peak.

With one step, it appeared in the sky above the Ten Thousand Demon Plains.

“Golden Lion Clan, assemble.”

The voice was not loud, but it clearly spread throughout the entire Ten Thousand Demon Plains.

From all over the Ten Thousand Demon Plains, golden figures flew up, converging toward it.

There were Elders of the Void Refinement Stage, clansmen of the Peak Soul Transformation Stage, and young Prodigies.

They gathered behind Lion Cangqiong, their golden Demonic Qi connecting into a single mass that blotted out the sun.

The ancestral grounds of the Nine-Headed Snake Clan.

In a massive snake pit, a nine-headed snake lay coiled.

Its body was a hundred feet long, its nine heads reared high, and all twenty-seven eyes were open, their vertical pupils cold as frost.

Its body was covered in pitch-black scales, which were filled with blood-red patterns, emitting a suffocating pressure.

Late Stage of Body Integration.

The Old Ancestor of the Nine-Headed Snake Clan, the Snake Emperor.

“The ruin's Restriction has vanished... a Mahayana Stage Opportunity...”

The Snake Emperor's nine heads spoke simultaneously, their voices hoarse and piercing.

It slithered out of the snake pit, its body leaving a deep furrow in the ground.

The nine heads all looked toward the distant horizon, a flash of greed appearing in the vertical pupils.

“Nine-Headed Snake Clan, assemble.”

From all over the Ten Thousand Demon Plains, nine-headed snakes drilled out from underground, converging toward the Snake Emperor.

They were of various sizes, some only a few feet long, others dozens of feet long.

But the aura of each one was terrifying; even the weakest was at the Early Stage of Soul Transformation.

They surrounded the Snake Emperor, their black Demonic Qi connecting into a mass that covered half the sky.

The ancestral grounds of the Heaven-Swallowing Sparrow Clan.

Upon a withered tree perched a giant sparrow, entirely pitch-black.

Its body was ten feet long, and its outstretched wings blotted out the sun.

Late Stage of Body Integration.

The Old Ancestor of the Heaven-Swallowing Sparrow Clan, the Sparrow Emperor.

“The Opportunity, here I come.”

The Sparrow Emperor opened its massive beak and let out a sharp screech.

The sound was as piercing as metal scraping against glass, causing the surrounding air to tremble.

Similar events were occurring in the ancestral grounds of other Yao clans.

The Five-Colored Phoenix Clan, the Thunder Qilin Clan, the Mystic Ice Chilong Clan... the Old Ancestors of the six great Yao clans all emerged from seclusion, leading their clan elites toward the ruins.

Above the Ten Thousand Demon Plains, Demonic Qi soared to the heavens, blotting out the sunlight.

On the Human Race's side.

The Zhao Family, the Sword Sect, the City Lord's Mansion, the Luoxia Sect, the Wanbao Chamber of Commerce... the Old Ancestors of all major forces also emerged from seclusion one after another.

They led the elites of their sects and flew toward the ruins.

Above the Sword Qi Great Wall, Sword Qi soared into the sky, and spiritual light flickered.

The era of the Great Contention had officially begun.

Deep within the ruins, that soaring golden light grew brighter and brighter, as if calling to everyone.

Xiao Ran stood on a piece of debris on the outskirts of the ruins, watching the streaks of light and Demonic Qi constantly flying in the distant sky, his lips twitching.

“This is going to bring everyone from the entire Northern Border here.”

He said to Li Changsheng through their Soul Link.

Li Changsheng's voice also sounded somewhat helpless.

“Body Integration Stage, Void Refinement Stage, Peak Soul Transformation Stage... this is going to be a world war.”

“Then what should we do?”

“Scavenge, of course. Let the big shots fight each other while we pick up the scraps.”

“While they aren't paying attention, we'll take as much as we can.”

“Makes sense.”

The two continued their search in the outskirts, turning every ruin, pit, and cave upside down.

Their speed was extremely fast—so fast that by the time those big shots arrived, they had already searched several places.