svetikya Chapter 89 The Sacred Pill Banquet
Chapter 89 The Sacred Pill Banquet
The Heavenly Palace convenes the Pill Refining Assembly, held once every 30,000 years, a universally recognized supreme event. For this assembly, the Heavenly Palace has specially prepared a Sacred Pill Banquet, inviting top Great Saints and even True Gods from all races of the universe. Powerful figures from all directions gather, divine radiance intertwines, auspicious energy flows in thousands of rays, and countless beams of light illuminate the already magnificent Heavenly Palace, making it appear even more divine.
The Primordial Realm, as a newly opened great realm, has made a name for itself in this Taiwei Realm battlefield. The Great Tang Dynasty, as one of the three great dynasties of the Primordial Realm, has also become famous throughout the heavens due to the powerful combat performance of the dukes and the Tang Emperor in the battlefield.
At this moment, a group of powerful figures from the Great Tang Dynasty were following behind the Tang Emperor as they entered the Heavenly Palace Holy Land. Among them, Duke Lu, Cheng Zhijie, was the most eye-catching.
Cheng Zhijie was a burly man, broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, with a rugged face. His dark, tight-fitting clothes accentuated his bulging muscles, and his heavy strides exuded an air of tyranny. He looked around, his large, bell-like eyes wide with astonishment, a wide grin spreading across his face. He couldn't help but exclaim in a gruff voice, "This Heavenly Palace is truly overflowing with wealth! Even the floor is paved with thousand-year-old sacred jade, its patterns flowing with pure sacred power. Stepping on it can nourish one's sacred body! I, old Cheng, have lived for so many years, and I've certainly broadened my horizons!"
He always spoke bluntly and without restraint, like a country bumpkin entering a palace for the first time, his eyes darting around, sometimes staring at the towering temple that seemed to reach into the clouds, sometimes at the white jade railings carved with dragons, phoenixes and auspicious beasts outside the temple, his eyes full of wonder, completely forgetting that he was in a gathering of powerful beings from all over the world. His behavior was somewhat unrestrained and frank, but it also seemed a bit out of place.
Cheng Zhijie's desire grew stronger with each glance, and he couldn't resist reaching out his large, fan-like hand to touch the ten-foot-tall white jade railing before him, to feel the texture of the sacred jade. This white jade railing was no ordinary object; it was carved by the Heavenly Palace using the sacred white jade, a special product from the White Sun Realm. Its jade body was as white as snow, faintly radiating golden light, warm to the touch, and contained pure yang sacred power. It was a treasure for forging sacred weapons and aiding cultivation, yet now it was used as a railing outside the palace, fully demonstrating the Heavenly Palace's supreme heritage.
"Old Cheng, stop!"
Seeing this, Qin Qiong quickly stepped forward, grabbed Cheng Zhijie's wrist, frowned slightly, and reprimanded him in a low voice, his tone carrying a hint of helplessness and reminder. Qin Qiong was dressed in a blue brocade robe, with a tall and straight figure, handsome face, and a calm and reserved temperament. Compared to Cheng Zhijie's roughness, he had more refinement and prudence, making him a rare and meticulous person among the military generals of the Tang Dynasty.
He pulled Cheng Zhijie along, subtly raising his chin forward, his voice so soft that only the two of them could hear: "Mind your manners. This isn't the capital of our Great Tang Dynasty, but the Heavenly Palace where powerful beings from all heavens gather. Your every word and action represents the face of the Primordial World and the Great Tang Dynasty. His Majesty is still conversing with powerful beings from all heavens. If you behave so recklessly and lose your manners, you'll surely be punished by His Majesty when we return."
Upon hearing this, Cheng Zhijie followed Qin Qiong's gaze and saw that not far ahead, Emperor Tang was standing among a group of powerful beings from all the heavens. He was tall and imposing, with a majestic and powerful stride. He wore a bright yellow robe with dragon patterns, and his body was surrounded by divine energy. His cultivation had reached the mid-level god realm. He was talking in low voice with several true gods from the Heavenly Dragon Realm. His demeanor was dignified and he exuded an aura of authority without anger.
Since Emperor Tang personally killed a True God of the Ghost Clan on the Taiwei Starfield battlefield not long ago, and became famous in one battle, the prestige of the Great Tang Dynasty has resounded throughout the universe like thunder. With Emperor Tang as a True God and several top Great Saints, the power of the Great Tang Dynasty can be compared with that of an ordinary Great World.
Upon seeing the Tang Emperor, Cheng Zhijie immediately restrained his impetuousness, quickly retracting his outstretched hand and subconsciously wiping it on the rough fabric of his chest. A sheepish smile appeared on his face as he scratched his head and said to Qin Qiong with a forced smile, "Second Brother Qin, I was rash. I couldn't help but want to see if this jade railing was really made of Baiyang Sacred Jade. I certainly didn't mean to be impolite."
He was straightforward and impulsive, but also reasonable. Knowing the special circumstances, he naturally wouldn't act recklessly anymore. However, he was still amazed by the extravagance of the Heavenly Palace and secretly lamented that although the Great Tang Dynasty was strong, it was like the light of a firefly compared to the bright moon when compared to the Heavenly Palace, which had been passed down for countless years.
Just as the two were talking in hushed tones, an extremely harsh voice, full of contempt and disdain, suddenly came from behind, breaking the peace: "Where did this bumpkin come from? It's one thing to be ignorant of the world, but to be so surprised by the mere White Sun Sacred Jade Railing outside this temple is another."
The voice was crisp yet cold, carrying an arrogant condescension. It pierced everyone's ears like a sharp blade, instantly darkening the faces of the powerful figures of the Great Tang Dynasty.
Cheng Zhijie was hot-tempered and couldn't stand being ridiculed. Upon hearing this, he immediately flew into a rage. His aura darkened, and his holy power surged. He turned his head sharply toward the source of the sound, his eyes blazing with fury, like a volcano about to erupt.
Not far behind, a group of people slowly approached. The members of the group were all dressed in white, their clothes fluttering in the wind. They were surrounded by a strong power of light and had an arrogant demeanor, as if they did not care about anything in the world. It was the group from the Heavenly Realm.
The Heavenly Realm, as the dominant world of the Western Universe, has always been arrogant and conceited. Naturally, it would provoke the people of the Primordial Realm upon seeing them.
Leading the delegation this time was the Great Saint Semir of the Temple of Light. He was extremely handsome, with a fair complexion, a high nose, and eyes like dazzling stars. He wore silver-white holy armor, which was engraved with intricate divine runes of light. Eight pairs of pure white angel wings spread out behind him, each feather crystal clear and flowing with holy light power. His cultivation had reached the peak of demigod, only one step away from true god. He was a genius of the angel race and a personal disciple of Yu Dongxuan of the Temple of Light. He held a revered position and wielded immense power in the Heavenly Realm.
The sarcastic remarks just now came from Semir's mouth. Looking at Cheng Zhijie's rough appearance and his previous naive demeanor, his eyes were full of disdain, and a contemptuous smile curled at the corner of his mouth. He slowly stepped forward, feigning surprise, but his tone became increasingly mocking: "Oh dear, I thought you were some country bumpkin from some remote little world who had never seen the world, not even recognizing the White Sun Sacred Jade. I didn't expect you to be fellow Daoists from the Primordial World. I'm truly sorry for my abrupt words earlier. Please don't be angry."
Despite this, the contempt and disdain in his eyes remained undiminished, even carrying a hint of deliberate provocation. His gaze towards the people of the Great Tang Dynasty was filled with a condescending scrutiny. However, beneath this contempt, a barely perceptible trace of caution flickered deep within Semir's eyes.
Since the battle in the Taiwei Starfield, the saints of the Primordial World have emerged out of nowhere, and even the secular powerhouses of the Dark Temple have been wiped out, shocking the entire universe.
No one in the myriad realms could have imagined that such a newly opened world could produce so many top geniuses. If it weren't for the fact that the two Yuanhui representatives of the Primordial World had already broken through to godhood, even if Semir was proud, she would never have dared to easily provoke the saints of the Primordial World.
Hearing Semir's sarcastic and contemptuous words, Cheng Zhijie could no longer suppress his anger, which erupted like a volcano. He was a troublemaker by nature and could not tolerate the slightest grievance, and now that he had been ridiculed in public, he could no longer bear it.
"Buzz!"
A burst of black light suddenly erupted from Cheng Zhijie's body, as black as ink, carrying a world-destroying demonic aura that swept across all directions. A black axe, its entire body jet black and its blade engraved with demonic patterns, instantly appeared in his hand. This axe was a sub-god-level supreme holy artifact, called the Chaos Demon Axe, containing endless mysteries of demonic rules. It was the weapon of a demon god from the Heavenly Demon Sect of the Kunlun Realm in ancient times, and its appearance exuded a heart-palpitating pressure.
Immediately afterward, Cheng Zhijie's holy body suddenly expanded, his demonic energy surging, instantly transforming into a hundred-zhang tall figure, like a black demonic mountain emerging from the ancient demonic abyss, standing imposing and dominating all directions. He stood before the people of the Heavenly Realm, like an insurmountable barrier, his large, bell-like eyes fixed on Semir, roaring angrily: "You birdman, speaking in such a sarcastic tone, how dare you mock me in public! Do you really think I, Old Cheng, am easy to bully? I challenge you to a duel, to the death!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Cheng Zhijie's demonic energy grew even stronger, the rules of the world-destroying demonic path flowed around him, and his fighting spirit soared to the sky. He showed no fear whatsoever despite Samir's peak demigod cultivation.
Seeing this, Qin Qiong, Yuchi Gong, and other dukes of the Great Tang Dynasty did not stop Cheng Zhijie. Instead, their expressions darkened, and they each drew their weapons, their holy power surging as they faced off against the Heavenly Realm's forces. Their eyes were cold, and their fighting spirit soared. They knew Cheng Zhijie's character well, and they were even more aware that Semir's provocation was aimed at the entire Primordial Realm and the entire Great Tang Dynasty. If they retreated, they would only be despised by all the heavens and myriad realms. This battle was unavoidable.
When Samir saw that Cheng Zhijie dared to stand directly in front of him and challenge him to a duel in public, a sly smile of triumph flashed in his eyes, and he was secretly pleased with himself. He had deliberately provoked Cheng Zhijie to suppress the arrogance of the Primordial Realm, and now that Cheng Zhijie had taken the initiative to fight, it was exactly what he wanted.
Immediately, the smile on Samir's face vanished, and he spoke with feigned seriousness, his voice carrying far and wide, drawing the attention of many powerful beings from the surrounding heavens: "Since the Lu Kingdom has openly challenged me, then I will gladly oblige. However, private duels are strictly forbidden within the Heavenly Palace. There is a special arena here; let us step onto the arena and settle our differences, leaving our fates to destiny!"
After saying this, Samir's body surged with light, his eyes filled with confidence. As the commander of the Heavenly Camp, his cultivation had reached the peak of demigod. Among the Great Saints in the universe, apart from the representatives of the Yuanhui, he was confident that he could suppress all opponents. He didn't take a mere Duke of the Primordial World seriously at all, and was convinced that he could easily defeat him and severely suppress the prestige of the Primordial World.
Upon hearing this, Cheng Zhijie was enraged and laughed, brandishing his Demon Axe and pointing it directly at Semir. He roared, "Come to the arena then! Who's afraid of who! Today, I'll beat you to a pulp, you birdman, and show you that cultivators of the Primordial World are not to be mocked at will!"
Samir's arrogant and disdainful demeanor thoroughly enraged Cheng Zhijie. His fighting spirit intensified, and without saying another word, he moved like a black streak of light, instantly rushing towards the fighting arena in the Heavenly Palace.
Seeing this, Semill's lips curled into a cold smile. The eight pairs of angelic wings behind her vibrated slightly, transforming into a pure white rainbow, and followed closely behind, rushing towards the arena.
The Heavenly Palace's dueling arena was carved from a single piece of Chaos Divine Stone, suspended in mid-air. Spanning hundreds of thousands of miles, it was incredibly hard; even a Great God Realm expert using their full power could not damage it. It was specifically for cultivators from all realms to duel, exchange techniques, and resolve disputes. The arena was already surrounded by powerful figures from all the myriad realms, all drawn by the commotion, stopping to watch and discuss amongst themselves.
Not far away, Emperor Tang was talking with several true gods from the Heavenly Dragon Realm when he sensed the unusual aura around him. He raised an eyebrow and instantly scanned the area with his divine sense, recognizing his beloved general Cheng Zhijie, who had clashed with Samir from the Heavenly Realm and was about to duel on the arena.
Emperor Tang remained calm, glancing only briefly at the arena without a trace of worry in his eyes. He then withdrew his gaze and continued his conversation with the True God of the Heavenly Dragon Realm, seemingly unconcerned about the duel. He had absolute confidence in his generals, especially Cheng Zhijie, whose cultivation had recently advanced by leaps and bounds, making him vastly different from before.
Several True Gods from the Heavenly Dragon Realm, seeing this, were filled with worry and tried to dissuade him: "Emperor Tang, how can you be so calm? That Samir is no ordinary cultivator. He is the personal disciple of the Jade Palace Master of the Temple of Light, possessing extraordinary talent and profound foundation. He reached the Supreme Realm three thousand years ago and has now reached the peak of Demigod. Among the Great Saints of the Universe, he is considered top-tier, with only the Yuanhui representative able to surpass him. Although Duke Lu is brave, he is ultimately too reckless. Rashly accepting the challenge may lead to a great loss, or even endanger his life!"
Beside them, several true gods from the Heavenly Realm wore expressions of schadenfreude. The second-ranked Blood God of the Blood War Temple, in particular, grinned mockingly, saying, "Emperor Tang, your subordinate is certainly courageous, but unfortunately, he's far too overconfident. Having only recently entered the Supreme Realm, he dares to challenge the commander of the Heavenly Camp—it's like throwing an egg against a rock. He's likely to meet his end here today."
Despite the mockery of the Second-Rank Blood God and the worries of the True God of the Heavenly Dragon Realm, Emperor Tang remained calm and composed on his handsome face, without the slightest ripple of emotion. He raised his eyes to look at the two who were already facing off on the arena, and spoke slowly and confidently, "Gentlemen, there is no need to worry. I have complete confidence in Duke Lu."
The Tang Emperor's words were calm, yet carried an undeniable air of authority. His aura subtly surged, revealing the confidence and power of an emperor.
On the arena, Cheng Zhijie and Saimir stood facing each other, ten feet apart. Their powerful auras suddenly erupted, sweeping in all directions. The air around the arena froze, a strong wind arose, and the air currents churned, causing the powerful figures watching from all directions to retreat, their eyes fixed on the two on the stage with solemn expressions.
Samir stood to one side of the arena, his posture upright, his silver-white holy armor gleaming, eight pairs of angelic wings unfurled behind him, and a rich power of light surged from his body, condensing into a dazzling halo of light behind him. On the halo, divine runes of light flowed, making him appear like a supreme god, sacred and inviolable. He exuded pure and domineering rules of light, suppressing the demonic energy around him.
Cheng Zhijie, clad in jet-black armor, stood as imposing as a demonic mountain, wielding a world-destroying demonic axe. His aura of annihilation surged wildly like a tidal wave, overwhelming the heavens and blotting out the sun, a stark contrast to Semir's power of light. Without hesitation, his eyes were fierce, his fighting spirit boundless. His holy power was pushed to its limit, directly manifesting a ten-thousand-foot-tall holy body dharma form. The dharma form stood tall and imposing, wielding a giant axe, like an ancient demon god descending to earth.
"drink!"
With a roar, Cheng Zhijie launched a full-force attack without any probing. He raised the Chaos Demon Axe high above his head, and the rules of the demonic path and the axe path intertwined on the axe. The power of twenty trillion rules was like a torrent, and when he swung the axe, it was as if the heavens and the earth were split open. The black axe light swept across the sky with the power to destroy the world, and slashed fiercely at Semir. The speed was so fast that it almost instantly approached Semir.
Upon seeing this, Samuel's expression changed drastically, his heart filled with shock and disbelief. He had just landed on the arena, and his breathing had not yet fully stabilized. He never expected Cheng Zhijie to be so fierce, unleashing his full power right from the start, completely disregarding common sense. The power of this axe strike far exceeded his expectations.