Dong Yue was a sectless cultivator in the Southern Heaven Territory who was a Ten Directions Celestial King. He had comprehended the law of water. His highest rank in the upper realm of the Southern Heaven Ancient Realm was the 13th place. Although it had been quite a few years since he appeared on the scoreboard, no one thought he failed to make it into the top 100 because he was not powerful enough.
At this moment, Dong Yue was the topic of discussion in the safe zones in the upper realm of the Southern Heaven Ancient Realm.
âInitially, I thought Dong Yueâs absence from the upper realm previously was due to him becoming a Celestial Lord. Who wouldâve thought thatâs not the case? As it turns out, he just didnât enter the upper realm for some reason.â
âDo you really think itâs so easy to become a Celestial Lord? If it were so easy, there would be more Celestial Lords in the Southern Heaven Territory. In my opinion, Dong Yue was just in closed-door cultivation during the years he was absent in the upper realm.â
âDong Yue is really dominating the scoreboard this time around. Only three months have passed, but he has already risen to 19th place.â
âEven if he didnât become a Celestial Lord, it seems like he had some sort of breakthrough. If heâs lucky, he might even be able to enter the top 10.â
At this moment, most of the conversations in the safe zones revolved around Dong Yue. After all, not only did Dong Yue, who had not been seen for years, suddenly appear again in the upper realm, but he had even climbed to 19th place in such a short time.
âIn the past, I remember Dong Yue wasnât the type to kill indiscriminately. However, this time around, he killed everyone he encountered in the upper realm.â
âWho knows? Maybe something happened to him over the past yearsâŠâ
âThe way he kills indiscriminately is as bad as Zhang Jin Yi who suddenly appeared last year.â
âSpeaking of Zhang Jin Yi, where did he go? I donât think he has entered the upper realm yetâŠâ
âMaybe heâll enter at the end of the year? After all, his rise on the scoreboard is much faster than Dong Yue.â
Naturally, those in the upper realm of the Southern Heaven Ancient Realm were completely unaware that Dong Yue was dead, and Zhang Jin Yi was using Dong Yueâs name to enter the upper realm.
One could inscribe whatever name they wanted on the Identity Jade Token as long as the name did not coincide with the name of another participant. With this, Zhang Jin Yi easily took over Dong Yueâs identity to enter the upper realm.
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At this moment, Zhang Jin Yi hovered above a blood-red forest. He looked at the scoreboard through the Identity Jade Token before he muttered under his breath, âIt has been four months, and they still havenât entered the upper realm?â
âDid they enter using someone elseâs identities as well?â Zhang Jin Yi speculated out loud.
With that thought in mind, Zhang Jin Yi sent a message to Zhang Dong Nan, the Branch Leader of the Phantom Fox Clanâs branch in the Southern Heaven Territory.
After receiving Zhang Jin Yiâs message, Zhang Dong Nan contacted Zhang Yun Tingâs son and told him to check the scoreboard for any abnormalities.
It did not take long before Zhang Dong Nan received a reply from Zhang Yun Tingâs son. âBranch leader, the names on the scoreboard are all familiar. Thereâs nothing different or strange regarding the names on the scoreboard. In my opinion, Duan Ling Tian and the woman just havenât entered the upper realm yet.â
With that, Zhang Dong Nan relayed this information to Zhang Jin Yi. âLord Envoy, itâs likely that Duan Ling Tian and Huanâer havenât entered the upper realm yet. Please wait a little longerâŠâ
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In the end, Zhang Jin Yi who was told to wait a little longer ended up waiting for 100 years.
âThis will be the final time I enter the upper realm. Even if I donât run into Duan Ling Tian and Huanâer, I can go home.â
Up until now, Zhang Jin Yi still entered the upper realm of the Southern Heaven Ancient Realm using Dong Yueâs name.
Over the past 100 years, Zhang Jin Yi maintained Dong Yueâs rank slightly below the 10th place. He would enter the secret realm every year in hopes of running into Duan Ling Tian and Huanâer. When he could not find the duo, he lost all interest in staying in the secret realm and would crush his Identity Jade Token to leave.
In the beginning, when only a few years had passed, Zhang Jin Yi had already grown impatient and planned to return to the Phantom Fox Clan in the Heavenly Territory after failing to meet Duan Ling Tian and Huanâer. Alas, his plan to leave was thwarted by a message from a Grand Elder of the Phantom Fox Clan.
âJin Yi, I know you donât want to stay in the Southern Heaven Territory, but itâs imperative that we find the Thousand Phantoms Ice Fox. Why donât you wait for 100 years? At that time, if you still canât find them, you can return.â
As such, Zhang Jin Yi could only stay in the Southern Heaven Territory for 100 years.
âI can finally return!â Zhang Jin Yiâs mood was exceptionally good this time when he entered the upper realm. He would be able to leave the Southern Heaven Territory once the scoreboard was refreshed.
âSince this is my final time here, Iâm going to go all out. This year, Dong Yue will rank first on the scoreboard!â For more than 99 years, Zhang Jin Yi had never once used his full strength when he fought. After all, he did not want to attract attention to himself. Now that he was going to leave, he decided to fight without holding back and raise the name he had been using over the last 100 years to the top.
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The Imperial Tutor Pavilion in the Profound Nether Mansionâs estate.
âSenior.â
The old man who was fishing was startled by the sudden noise. He put down his fishing rod and turned around to see the purple-clad young man standing nearby. A white-clad lady stood next to the young man. The duo looked like a match made in heaven.
The old man asked with a smile, âBoth of you have been in closed-door cultivation for almost 100 years⊠How did it go? What are your cultivation bases now?â
The old man did not expect Duan Ling Tian and Huanâer to enter closed-door cultivation for almost 100 years. Nevertheless, he continued to ask the Mansion Master of the Profound Nether Mansion to gather cultivation resources for the duo.
Over the last 100 years, at least half of the Profound Nether Mansionâs wealth was spent on the duoâs cultivation resources.
Duan Ling Tian replied with a smile, âHuanâer is now a Ten Directions Celestial King. She just needs to wait for the right opportunity to break through and become a Celestial LordâŠâ
In fact, even Duan Ling Tian did not expect to be away for so long.
After he consumed the Flaming Green Striped Fruits, Huanâer had also given him ten drops of her blood essence. With that, he directly broke through several stages and became a Seven Stars Celestial King from a Three Talents Celestial King.
Unfortunately, Huanâer was greatly weakened after giving him ten drops of her blood essence. For each drop of blood essence, she would need to cultivate ten years. Therefore, she needed to cultivate for 100 years after giving up ten drops of her blood essence. Although she was greatly weakened, it was fortunate that her cultivation base was not affected, and she could continue to comprehend the law of space through the Supreme Powerhouse Divinity.
In the beginning, Duan Ling Tian thought to enter the upper realm without Huanâer. However, when he saw how reluctant she was to part with him, he changed his mind. Moreover, he had promised her that he would never leave again. With this, he accompanied her for 100 years.
âWhat about you?â the old man asked.
âI⊠Iâm still not a Ten Directions Celestial King.â Duan Ling Tian smiled in embarrassment.
After cultivating for 100 years and being provided with an endless supply of cultivation resources by the Profound Nether Mansion, Duan Ling Tian merely broke through and became a Nine Palaces Celestial King after he became a Seven Stars Celestial King.
âSo, whatâs next?â the old man asked again.
Duan Ling Tian did not hesitate to reveal his plan to the old man. âWeâre going to enter the upper realm one last time. Then, weâll leave the Spirit Overarching Heaven for the Jade Emperor Heaven. Once Huanâer and I grow powerful enough, weâll return to avenge the former Imperial TutorâŠâ
The old man furrowed his brows, puzzled. âWhy do you want to go to the Jade Emperor Heaven?â
âItâs dangerous for Huanâer here. The Phantom Foxesâ main clan in the Heavenly Territory is already suspicious of Huanâer. Although they have yet to confirm sheâs a Thousand Phantoms Ice Fox, itâs still dangerous for her here. Leaving the Spirit Overarching Heaven is a good way to avoid the Phantom Fox Clan.â
Upon hearing this, the old man reminded Duan Ling Tian, âThereâs a Phantom Fox Clan in the Jade Emperor Heaven as well. However, the Phantom Fox Clan in the Spirit Overarching Heaven is stronger since the clan in the Jade Emperor Heaven can be considered as a branch of the main clan here.â
Duan Ling Tian smiled and replied, âThe Jade Emperor Heavenâs Phantom Fox Clan is made out of those from the Du Clan. They wonât harm Huanâer.â
Duan Ling Tian had learned that the Phantom Fox Clan in the Jade Emperor Heaven was ruled by those from the Du Clan from a Memory Celestial Talisman in the Profound Nether Mansion a hundred years ago. At that time, he thought it was fated. After all, he was supposed to ascend to the Jade Emperor Heaven. However, due to some mishap, he came to the Spirit Overarching Heaven instead and met Huanâer whose clan members were in the Jade Emperor Heaven.
âI see.â The old man nodded after listening to Duan Ling Tianâs explanation. âSince youâve already made up your mind, I wonât dissuade you. I only hope youâll visit this old man once in a while even if you havenât grown strong enough to avenge the former Imperial Tutor.â
After all, the old man was usually alone. His only visitor was the Mansion Master of the Profound Nether Mansion. Duan Ling Tian and Huanâer had spent so many years in the Imperial Tutor Pavilion that he had also grown fond of the duo. He knew the duoâs future was incomparably bright and would definitely surpass his own achievements. In fact, if everything went smoothly, he had no doubt they would become even stronger than titled Celestial Lords or ordinary Celestial Emperors.
âSenior, we arenât leaving just yet⊠Weâll talk about this when we return from the upper realm,â Duan Ling Tian said as he shook his head.
Duan Ling Tian did not wait for the old manâs reply before he brought the Formation Compass out. He quickly inserted Celestial Crystals into the slots on the compass and was soon transported to the upper realm along with Huanâer.
This would be his second and final time in the upper realm of the Southern Heaven Ancient Realm. After that, he would bring Huanâer away from the Spirit Overarching Heaven to the Jade Emperor Heaven.
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