Chapter 506: The Eve of the Heavenly Palace Secret Realm

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Taihu Spirit Realm, Zhenbei Tower.

Although they were one of the Seven Orthodox Sects, their numbers were very small. They practiced an elite system, with master-disciple inheritance as their main lineage. The sect's philosophy was to view the Endless Ice Plains as a territory that needed to be suppressed. This was one of the reasons why the Sword Sect chose this faction when evaluating the Seven Great Sects back then.

However, times change.

Today, Zhenbei Tower's ideology is completely different from when it was first founded. Not only has it colluded with the Ice Clan, but it's also deeply intertwined with them, showing a tendency to become their pawns. They themselves were completely unaware of this. They believed they were seizing the Ice Clan's inheritance, which is why they treated the Ice Clan as honored guests. Problems within Zhenbei Tower's leadership gradually led to the current situation.

On the vast frozen tundra, a thousand-zhang-tall tower stood. Pale white streams of light cascaded down from its peak like a waterfall, concealing the entire structure. This was the Ice Heaven Divine Concealment Restriction, specifically designed to counter cultivators' divine sense. Even a Nascent Soul cultivator would find it difficult to detect the building within a hundred zhang of the tower.

At that time.

At the top of Zhenbei Tower, this level had no walls on any side. Whistling cold winds swept through, and several cultivators were conversing on an observation platform at the edge. One of them was Zhenbei Tower Lord, Xue Wushuang! This person had white hair and white eyebrows, with a handsome and effeminate face. Just sitting there, he exuded an ethereal, almost divine aura. Unfortunately, the obsequiousness in his expression completely ruined this aura.

Sitting on the other side of the low table were several Ice Clan hybrids. The leader called himself Bing Jiu, the son of the Second Ice God. The few individuals with him were his trusted core subordinates, who, through some unknown secret technique, had also reached the fourth tier of power. They had clearly come for the Sacred Lord's Heavenly Palace as well.

Bing Jiu was speaking. “Tower Lord Wushuang, your sect and our clan have always maintained an intimate relationship, and many inheritances can be shared. Our clan needs your strength for this expedition to the Heavenly Palace Mystic Realm.”

Although Xue Wushuang maintained a humble demeanor, he wasn't a fool. Upon hearing this, he repeatedly shook his head and spoke in a persuasive tone. “Divine Son, although the Heavenly Palace Mystic Realm is important, Zhenbei Tower cannot expose itself before the Sword Sect yet. Maintaining our identity as one of the Seven Orthodox Sects for a while longer will allow us to play a role at a more crucial moment.”

The implication was that the Ice Clan's ultimate goal was to return to the grand stage of the Ice Hell Cultivation World, which would require a formal external stronghold. The Endless Ice Plains were clearly unsuitable. With the righteous-demonic war currently in full swing, Zhenbei Tower betraying them at a critical juncture could absolutely help the Ice Clan establish a local advantage and secure a valuable territory. Exposing themselves for the Heavenly Palace Mystic Realm wasn't worth it.

But Xue Wushuang didn't know that the Ice Phoenix, Lord of the Heavenly Palace, was actually an Ice Clan cultivator, and the treasures within the mystic realm were the Ice Clan's heritage, which had to be secured. Otherwise, given the current state of the Ice Clan, what strength did they have to contend with cultivators from both the righteous and demonic paths for the spoils of victory? Even their qualification to participate in the great war was uncertain... Otherwise, why were two generations of Ice God's sons consolidating the power of the Endless Ice Plains, with even the Gatekeeper Tribe not yet truly emerging, only sending these hybrid Ice Clan members to charge into battle? They, meanwhile, remained safely in the background.

Bing Jiu frowned deeply. As a created being, his experience was still shallow, and he was too young to discern the truth from falsehood in Xue Wushuang's words. While the relationship between the two parties was intimate, betrayal was always a possibility; a hundred percent trust was impossible to maintain. Moreover, Xue Wushuang's words had a flaw!

“From what I know, your sect has already made a move at Kuangmei Mountain and was exposed to that renowned Extreme Law Profound Pill Demonic Lord. If he secretly tips off the Sword Sect, Zhenbei Tower will also be exposed.”

Upon hearing this, Xue Wushuang burst into laughter. “It's useless. Those pedantic fools of the righteous path would never believe the words of a demonic scoundrel. Even if Wang Yu had someone from the righteous path report it themselves, those self-important 'gentlemen' wouldn't rashly suspect Zhenbei Tower.”

Bing Jiu looked puzzled. “Why is that?”

“It's about face, interests... there are many reasons from various aspects. To a certain extent, doubting the purity of Zhenbei Tower would be a slap in the face for the righteous path themselves.” And they wouldn't do such a thing.

Xue Wushuang was happy to explain to Bing Jiu. Often, the righteous path would rather suffer a loss than damage their prestige. Perhaps 'prestige' is a more accurate word than 'face' here, as 'face' might be too superficial. But that's how it is. If one has maintained an upright and righteous image throughout their life, having it ruined at the very end would be worse than death. Being burdened by fame and fortune is common among righteous cultivators.

Bing Jiu clearly still couldn't grasp the intricacies of it, only perceiving the surface layer. “In that case, Zhenbei Tower must have some unexposed Nascent Soul powerhouses. Could our clan make use of them?”

Given that the other party was still insisting, Xue Wushuang grew somewhat suspicious. Was this Heavenly Palace Mystic Realm truly that important? After a moment of contemplation, he finally nodded. The first refusal was reasonable. A second refusal, however, would be unappreciative. Although he was a cultivator at the perfected Nascent Soul stage and had cultivated a half-body Dharma Idol, he could, to some extent, be considered a half-step Spirit Transformation stage cultivator. However, when he was weak, the previous Grand Priest of the Gatekeeper Tribe had tampered with his body, and his cultivation foundation was under someone else's control. Touching it would mean certain death. Over time, after trying all sorts of methods, he had lost his sharp edge and ambition. He kept a very low profile.

“Divine Son, Zhenbei Tower can provide ten Nascent Soul cultivators for your deployment. As for the sacred tokens to enter and exit the Heavenly Palace Mystic Realm, that will depend on your own methods.”

“Then let's proceed with that for now.”

The tokens for entering and exiting the Heavenly Palace were limited. The vast majority were held by the Northern Demon Clan, a small portion by the Southern Demon Clan, and the remainder were lost or scattered. It was difficult for these scattered sacred tokens to be gathered by a single faction. However, as kin of the Sacred Lord Ice Phoenix, Bing Jiu and his group naturally had other ways to enter the Sacred Lord's Heavenly Palace.

On the eve of the mystic realm's opening, all necessary preparations were in place.

Northern Severed Realm Mountains, Demon Clan Ancestral Land.

Wang Yu, in his aurora form, arrived in a flash, quickly landing in a vermilion pavilion within a palace below. The Five-Colored Sacred Lord was seated before a chessboard, savoring spiritual tea. Seeing Wang Yu's arrival, he smiled cheerfully. “Alchemist Wang, you've arrived at just the right time. Would you care for a game of chess with this Sacred Lord?”

Wang Yu was not proficient in chess; he was merely passable. Thus, he directly shook his head and refused. “I am not skilled in chess, Sacred Lord, but may I ask when the Heavenly Palace Mystic Realm expedition will begin?”

“There are still one year and six months. The exact time has already been calculated by the Demon Clan's geomancers. We will depart in three months.”

“I see.”

After receiving the desired information, Wang Yu was about to leave, but then he suddenly spoke. “Sacred Lord, your sudden invitation for me to accompany you must be for more than just the alchemy rewards, isn't it?”

“Naturally.” The Five-Colored Sacred Lord said, showing no intention of concealment. “Actually, I have an ancient pill formula here. It describes a Fifth-Tier precious pill called the Soul-Restoring and Divine-Reforming Pill, capable of healing the injuries of the Azure Dragon Demon Venerable. Unfortunately, alchemists are scarce in the Demon Clan; those who can reach the Fourth Tier are few and far between, let alone Fifth-Tier alchemists... Alchemist Wang, your talent in cultivation is outstanding, and your alchemy talent is also one of the best in this realm. There are many ancient spirit herbs in the Heavenly Palace Mystic Realm that are now extinct, which are precisely the main ingredients missing from the pill formula. Another purpose of inviting you, Alchemist Wang, is to refine this pill. If the Azure Dragon Demon Venerable can fully recover then, it will also be a good thing for the Demonic Alliance.”

Only then did Wang Yu understand that there was this other layer of planning involved. Since it was stated so openly, he wouldn't refuse. After all, the situation was indeed as he described: the Demonic Alliance nominally encompassed all forces of Chiyuan, but in reality, it was divided into two factions: the Heaven-Refining Demonic Sect and everyone else! If the Azure Dragon Demon Venerable of the Northern Demon Clan could recover to his peak state, there would be someone to counterbalance the Heaven-Refining Demonic Venerable. In the long run, it would be a win-win situation. Therefore, the Five-Colored Sacred Lord was not afraid of Wang Yu refusing.

“I see...” As Wang Yu nodded, he continued. “With my alchemy skills, it is indeed possible to refine a Fifth-Tier spiritual pill, but the success rate would be very low, and even if successful, its quality wouldn't be very high.”

“Please rest assured on that point, Alchemist Wang. You are the most suitable candidate for the Northern Demon Clan.”

Hearing this, Wang Yu cupped his hands and said. “In that case, I will await the Sacred Lord's departure notice.”

“Good!”

Watching Wang Yu ride his aurora back to the cavern dwelling prepared for him, the Five-Colored Sacred Lord's gaze turned cold and sharp, like an emotionless, inanimate object. No one could discern his true thoughts deep within his heart...

Meanwhile.

On the Heavenly Peng Clan's Sky Platform, the Heavenly Peng King, Thunder Qilin King, Fire Crow King, and three of the Eight Great Demon Kings of the Northern Lands who had fully sided with them—the Vajra Ape King, Shadow Mastiff King, and Dragon Python King—a total of six demons, were deliberating in a quiet room separated by a formation. The mighty and extraordinary Heavenly Peng King, uncharacteristically hunched over, had an intractable melancholy etched on his face.

“Perhaps my decision back then was wrong.” He was referring to the matter of privately yielding the position of Sacred Lord to the Five-Colored Sacred Lord. Of course, the word 'yield' might be somewhat disrespectful to demons, but that was indeed what he thought. Back then, to unite the Northern Demon Clan and for the greater good, they allowed the Five-Colored King, whose benevolent reputation flourished, to ascend to the position. This was a decision made jointly by the kings of the other four upper clans, and everyone had approved it. Although they had a private spar and he lost by a single move, that was without fighting to the death. In a life-or-death battle, the Heavenly Peng King believed his strength was the greatest in the Northern Demon Clan!

However, ever since the Battle of Biyun Sect, when he witnessed the Five-Colored Sacred Lord's Natal Dharma Treasure was actually a demon lord, he had fallen into deep, anxious contemplation. He wondered if the Five-Colored Sacred Lord's reputation for benevolence was a facade he had created, concealing a deeper purpose. But at this point, regret was useless. Once involved in the war, there was no turning back. They could only trust that the Five-Colored Sacred Lord was truly acting for the benefit of the Northern Demon Clan in all his plans.

When the other demon kings heard the Heavenly Peng King's self-pitying words, the Thunder Qilin King was the first to respond. “Whether it's right or wrong no longer matters. If not for the information left by the Azure Dragon Demon Venerable when he inherited the Sacred Lord position, we would probably still believe he was in secluded cultivation at Demon Heart Lake healing his injuries. No matter what the Five-Colored Sacred Lord is plotting, for this Heavenly Palace Mystic Realm expedition, as long as Wang Yu refines the Soul-Restoring and Divine-Reforming Pill, we will definitely be able to welcome back the Demon Venerable.”

The Fire Crow King also echoed. “Well said. With all of us watching him, how could anything happen to the Demon Venerable? Whether the Five-Colored Sacred Lord is feigning or genuine, as long as we keep an eye on him, there will be no problems.”

As soon as these words were spoken, the three demon kings from the lower eight clans, who had remained silent, awkwardly scratched their heads. They had no ability to keep an eye on the Five-Colored Sacred Lord, and moreover, they always felt they had overlooked a crucial point.

At the same time, the Vajra Ape King, who appeared rough but was subtly perceptive and had two tusks growing from his lower jaw, suddenly spoke: “Three Great Kings, we cannot keep an eye on the Five-Colored Sacred Lord... and besides, he has so many helpers.”

“Helpers?”

“Helpers!”

The same words, but with two entirely different tones. The Thunder Qilin King was wondering where the Five-Colored Sacred Lord's helpers came from, when he heard the Heavenly Peng King's decisive affirmation. “That's right, he is now the Sacred Lord of the Northern Demon Clan. All the powerhouses of the Northern Demon Clan are his helpers. We are the minority, the side that doesn't hold the greater influence...”

The Five-Colored King was the Sacred Lord and could openly command all the powerhouses of the Northern Demon Clan, but their clandestine actions absolutely could not be exposed. Their long tenure in high positions had limited their perspective, and it was only after the Vajra Ape King's reminder that everyone suddenly realized this. As a result, the difficulty of keeping an eye on the Five-Colored Sacred Lord increased exponentially. As long as he didn't do anything to incur public wrath, the Five-Colored Sacred Lord, having gone through the Battle of Biyun Sect, was at the peak of his prestige. For the first time in countless years, the Demon Clan had gained territory outside the Severed Realm Mountains. These were all major events that could solidify his rule.

Furthermore, the Heavenly Peng King's suspicions were based solely on his own feelings, lacking any concrete evidence. Moreover, for this Heavenly Palace Mystic Realm expedition, the Sacred Lord had been completely open with them, revealing the entire plan to heal the Azure Dragon Demon Venerable. Even the secret information he received upon inheriting the Sacred Lord position was shared with them, giving others the illusion that, though he was the Sacred Lord, he ruled alongside them. But the other demon cultivators of the Northern Demon Clan were unaware of this. Once the Five-Colored Sacred Lord's prestige rose, they would naturally only recognize him as their Sacred Lord, not the Heavenly Peng King or similar figures.

After much thought, they couldn't find a good solution. Ultimately, they sighed several times. “We can only hope everything goes smoothly...”

A silent atmosphere swept over the small group.

While Zhenbei Tower and the Northern Demon Clan were making their intensive preparations, some scattered factions and individuals who had unexpectedly obtained sacred tokens were also getting ready. For instance, there were overseas cultivators from the Chaotic Ancient Sea, powerful Nascent Soul experts from the Tianhai Ancient Sect, and also righteous cultivators from Taihu. These powerhouses, even during wartime, were all heading north in unison, attracting considerable attention. Those who were in the know and harbored ambitions also traveled north with them. Random ambushes were launched against fellow cultivators, with the intent of seizing sacred tokens. Chaos swept across the entire northern territory of the Ice Hell Realm.

Three months later.

Wang Yu departed with the main force of the Northern Demon Clan. More than forty Nascent Soul cultivators were moving together, a formidable force that no highwayman dared to challenge. This resulted in a smooth journey for them. Upon entering the Endless Ice Plains, Xue Yu, who was hidden in Wang Yu's sleeve in a shrunken form, exuded an aura of laziness and confusion. She foolishly let out a soft 'Eh?' “Master, where are we? It feels so comfortable~”

(End of chapter)