Chapter 1234: Gold Qingtian

The seething killing intent in the Council Chamber lingered for a good while before Great Elder Jin Jie spoke with a somber expression: "Patriarch, what exactly is the Saint Race planning? Could it be that all their elaborate schemes are merely for the opportunities within the Dragon Spirit Grotto-Heaven? With the Saint Race's vision, surely it wouldn't be something so trivial?"

The Great Elder's keen insight immediately pinpointed the Saint Race's true motive.

The opportunities within the Dragon Spirit Grotto-Heaven are indeed significant, even containing Law Domain Seeds. Obtaining these would undoubtedly allow one to cultivate Law Domain experts. However, truthfully, while Law Domain experts are considered top-tier powerhouses, believing that a few more of them could alter anything in the face of the Saint Race's overall strength would be naive.

Jin Yanghuang pondered for a moment, then said, "What the Saint Race is plotting is currently being divined by the Sages of Myriad Beasts Heaven, but there are no results yet. Perhaps, from their perspective, this is merely a training exercise."

Many in the Council Chamber flinched. A training exercise? Was the Saint Race, dormant for so many years, finally stirring?

Jin Yanghuang slowly continued, "Regardless of the Saint Race's motives, Myriad Beasts Heaven must defend the Dragon Spirit Grotto-Heaven this time. The Sages' orders have also arrived... The Abominable Beast Race members who entered the Dragon Spirit Grotto-Heaven must all be annihilated!"

By the end of his words, a profound killing intent had permeated the air, as if transforming into a sea of blood and mountains of corpses, leaving everyone breathless.

"Due to this situation, the entry conditions for Myriad Beasts Heaven will be relaxed this time, and there will be more available slots. Concurrently, each major clan will dispatch even more elite forces to bolster our ranks."

As his words fell, whispers rippled through the hall. Some expressions showed pleasant surprise, as according to previous rules, opening the Dragon Spirit Grotto-Heaven required an artifact imbued with the essence blood of a Primeval Sacred Beast as a guide. While such items existed within each clan, they were exceptionally rare, limiting the number of entry slots. With relaxed conditions now, they would undoubtedly have more opportunities.

"Even more elite forces..." However, what piqued Zhou Yuan's interest was the latter part of Jin Yanghuang's statement.

The Dragon Spirit Grotto-Heaven also had power restrictions, allowing only those below the Law Domain stage to enter. Currently, those who had entered were peak Genesis Infant Stage cultivators like Jin Lan. But were there any stronger individuals below the Law Domain stage?

Of course there were... Zhou Yuan's eyes flickered, because between the Law Domain stage and the Genesis Infant Stage, there existed a peculiar level known as the Pseudo Law Domain.

Back in the Cangxuan Sect, Peak Masters Liu Lianyi and Ling Jun both belonged to this tier.

In the all-heavens, anyone who reached this level and possessed a Pseudo Law Domain was considered to have gradually transcended the Genesis Infant Stage. Hence, Genesis Infant experts with a Pseudo Law Domain were also referred to as "Minor Law Domain" experts.

Such individuals were not counted among the Genesis Infant Stage cultivators; for instance, the Genesis Infant Rankings in Hunyuan Heaven did not include experts of this tier.

As Zhou Yuan's thoughts raced, Jin Yanghuang flicked a finger, tearing open the void in the great hall. The next moment, a middle-aged man stepped out.

The middle-aged man was expressionless, with a robust physique and golden hair that gleamed, like a majestic lion. His aura was potent and oppressive.

When he appeared, many members of the Golden Gryphon Race exclaimed in surprise.

"Elder Jin Qingtian?" "Isn't he perpetually in secluded cultivation? To think he was also summoned!"

Zhou Yuan also intently observed the middle-aged man. The latter simply stood there silently, yet he exuded an incredibly strong pressure, a pressure that made Zhou Yuan himself involuntarily focus.

Moreover, he detected a dangerous yet familiar fluctuation from the man's body.

If his guess was correct, it was indeed the presence of a Pseudo Law Domain.

In truth, it wasn't necessarily true that Pseudo Law Domain experts were vastly stronger than peak Genesis Infant Stage cultivators. From the perspective of pure Genesis Qi reserves, the gap might not be significant. However, the troublesome aspect was the Pseudo Law Domain itself, which caused a drastic surge in their combat power.

For Pseudo Law Domain experts who had already cultivated their own pseudo-domain within their bodies, Law Domain Seeds held less significance. This was perhaps why cultivators of this caliber rarely entered the Dragon Spirit Grotto-Heaven in the past.

"Elder Jin Qingtian will also enter the Dragon Spirit Grotto-Heaven this time. He will be teamed with Jin Lan."

At these words, many gazes turned towards Jin Lan's position, filled with envy. Inside the Dragon Spirit Grotto-Heaven, participants worked in pairs. Jin Lan himself was already a top-tier Genesis Infant Stage expert, and now with Elder Jin Qingtian's assistance, it was truly like adding wings to a tiger.

Previously, everyone thought that Jin Lan would face significantly increased difficulty after losing their ancestral partner. But who could have imagined such a turn of events, with the clan arranging for a Pseudo Law Domain expert to join them?

In a way, this pairing now seemed even stronger than the team of Little Ancestor and Zhou Yuan.

After all, the Little Ancestor was a Primeval Sacred Beast, but it hadn't fully awakened yet. Its current strength was likely equivalent to a peak Genesis Infant Stage cultivator. If it were to contend with a Pseudo Law Domain expert, the outcome would be hard to predict.

Under these gazes, Jin Ya, seated beside Jin Lan, revealed a deep sense of joy on her face.

Jin Lan also showed slight pleasure and stood up, cupping his hands in salute to Jin Qingtian. After all, by seniority, Jin Qingtian was a generation above him, and his arrival would indeed be of great help.

"I heard you lost to an outsider in a recent sparring match?" Jin Qingtian glanced at Jin Lan and said indifferently.

Jin Lan's expression was a little awkward, but he ultimately nodded.

Jin Qingtian was his elder and also from their lineage, so Jin Lan could only accept the reprimand.

However, Jin Qingtian said little more. He simply sat down to the side, looking straight ahead, and spoke coolly, "It was just a momentary misstep. Don't worry, since I'm here, I won't let those cunning opportunists take advantage. If there's an opportunity, I will help you get your recompense."

Jin Lan gave a wry smile. "Uncle, I actually walked into a trap myself."

Jin Qingtian waved a hand, disinclined to hear more, and closed his eyes to rest.

Seeing this, Jin Lan could only shake his head helplessly.

"That guy seems to harbor some animosity towards me."

Although Zhou Yuan was far away, he acutely sensed Jin Qingtian's lack of goodwill towards him and immediately gave a helpless smile.

However, he felt no emotional fluctuation about it. Pseudo Law Domain experts might sound intimidating, but ultimately, they were still essentially within the Genesis Infant Stage... And as for Law Domains, who didn't have something similar?

Couldn't his "Heaven Punishing Sacred Rune" also transform into a Law Domain? Even if his wasn't a true Law Domain, could theirs be considered as such?

It was merely fakes against fakes! What truly mattered would only be known after a confrontation!

Of course, he couldn't deny that due to the Saint Race's sudden and unwarranted interference, the various clans of Myriad Beasts Heaven had elevated their focus on the Dragon Spirit Grotto-Heaven by several levels. The inclusion of these Pseudo Law Domain experts would undoubtedly make this the most fiercely contested Dragon Spirit Grotto-Heaven event in history.

"It feels like trouble follows me wherever I go..." Zhou Yuan sighed.

What was supposed to be a straightforward Dragon Spirit Grotto-Heaven event had turned into such a chaotic mess.

As Zhou Yuan mused inwardly, Jin Yanghuang finished giving his instructions. After nodding towards Yao Yao, he concluded the meeting.

Members of the Golden Gryphon Race began to file out, but continuous whispers still permeated the air. Clearly, the matter concerning the Abominable Beast Race had caused significant shock among many.

Taking a glimpse, one could infer that similar widespread upheaval was likely occurring among all major forces within Myriad Beasts Heaven.

In the days that followed, Zhou Yuan distinctly felt the atmosphere within the Golden Gryphon Race become much tenser. Almost all conversations revolved around the Abominable Beast Race.

From the information gathered, and as he had predicted, news of the Abominable Beast Race had spread throughout Myriad Beasts Heaven, causing a shockwave akin to a landslide and tsunami.

Ultimately, Zhou Yuan had underestimated the deep-seated aversion and hatred the Source Beast clans held for the Abominable Beast Race, a feeling that originated from their very bloodlines.

From the moment the Abominable Beast Race was born from the flesh and bones of the various Source Beast clans, perhaps they were destined to be two absolutely opposing races...

And so, time quietly passed amidst this atmosphere of impending storm.

The Dragon Spirit Grotto-Heaven was finally about to open.