Chapter 1683: Banquet and Promise!

Chapter 1683: Banquet and Promise!

"Big brother, second brother, third brother!"

Zhou Zhou walked forward, smiling as he spoke.

He glanced at the Heavenly Punishment God King and the Spring-Autumn Law Master, noticing that both of them had come only as projections—only the Universal Evil Demon Sovereign had arrived in his true form.

Clearly, the situation on the Dusk Battlefield was intense.

The original bodies of his big and second brothers couldn't make it through.

Zhou Zhou thought to himself.

Previously, they had all come in their true forms.

"Regarding congratulations, I won't say much—after all, I already mentioned it during the day,"

the Heavenly Punishment God King chuckled.

"I too do."

The Spring-Autumn Law Master nodded with a smile.

Yet within his heart, a quiet groan echoed.

At this moment, even as a fragment, he sensed an invisible, ever-present pressure emanating from Zhou Zhou's true form.

Their battle tomorrow—oh, it looked like it might end in disaster.

Yet he by no means abandoned hope.

It might be hopeless.

Still, he would fight.

"Thank you, Third Brother."

The Ten Thousand Evil Demon Master spoke seriously, "The opportunity for my breakthrough largely stems from your cultivation and guidance."

"From now on, if Third Brother says go east, I will never go west."

"It's just family, don't be so serious."

Zhou Zhou patted the shoulder of Wan Xie Mo Zhu, shook his head and smiled.

"Third Brother, you're about to ascend to the Realm of Supreme Will?"

Tian Cheng Shen Wang and Chun Qiu Fa Zhu were astonished.

"Yes."

Wan Xie Mo Zhu nodded. "Unless something unexpected happens, it should be tomorrow."

"Congratulations, congratulations."

"It seems we'll have to come again tomorrow."

"At that time, I'll prepare a gift for you—guaranteed to leave you completely satisfied."

The Heavens' Punishment God King smiled.

"I will too."

Chunqiu Master chuckled, "Why don't I give you the key to my Chunqiu Treasure Vault? When you go in, just pick whatever catches your eye—take it if you like it."

"Really?"

"Is there any lie in that?"

Chunqiu Master didn't hesitate. He immediately produced a one-time key to the Chunqiu Treasure Vault and tossed it to Wan Xie Mozhushu.

Wan Xie Mozhushu eagerly caught it.

In Chunqiu Master's Treasure Vault, the treasures are overwhelmingly priceless—this is a fact known by nearly every Supreme Will-tier master and a few highest gods.

To gain entry just once and take away a single item that truly appeals to you? That is, naturally, an incalculable opportunity.

"When you ascend, I'll also give you a gift."

Zhou Zhou laughed heartily.

He intended to present his brother with a set of lower-tier will artifacts perfectly tailored to his path, a lower-tier will transcendence lineage, and a one-time treasure embodying the full force of a superior will transcendence master’s might.

With this gift, the future path of Wan Xie Mo Zhu would be carried effortlessly along the wind of destiny.

If this still fails to accelerate his rise, then he would have utterly dishonored the gifts and lineage bestowed upon him.

"Thank you, Third Brother!"

"Thank you, Elder Brother! Thank you, Second Brother!"

Wan Xie Mo Zhu expressed his gratitude.

To know these three elder brothers was truly a blessing beyond measure in his lifetime.

"When you ascend, we four brothers will all become beings of supreme will."

"Then we will have four supreme will masters and one transcendent one under the same lineage."

"This master-apprentice bond is exceedingly rare even within the ultimate void cosmos, hahahaha..."

The Heavenly Punishment God laughed, as if witnessing the glorious scene from that time.

Zhou Zhou and the others joined in, smiling in response.

At that moment,

Two more beings approached from afar, stepping forward to stand before them.

"Your Highnesses, greetings."

The Sun Emperor spoke with a cheerful smile, while the Moon Emperor stood beside him, his expression soft and gentle.

"Your Highnesses, greetings."

The four rose respectfully.

"Hmm."

The Sun Emperor and the Moon Emperor smiled and nodded in agreement, then the Sun Emperor, with eager anticipation, asked:

"Emperor of the People, among the newly ascended Supreme Will cultivators this time, is there any of ours?"

"This time, no. All twenty-two of the newly elevated Precursors to Supreme Will cultivators are from our Prajya Divine Nation."

Zhou Zhou spoke.

At the words, the Sun Emperor, the Moon Emperor, the Heavenly Punishment God King, and the Spring-Autumn Law Master all showed a look of disappointment.

Yet, immediately, they each shook their heads inwardly.

What is wrong with me?

How difficult it is to birth a Supreme Will cultivator—they couldn’t possibly not know.

It has been only one day since the last emergence of a new Supreme Will cultivator. Why am I so eager now?

They found themselves chuckling at the very thought.

Watching the Celestial Sovereign of the People produce such a "massive" number of Supreme Will Realm masters, he almost forgot just how extraordinarily rare such beings truly were—thinking that every newly emerged Supreme Will Realm master could spawn countless others daily.

Just as they were soothing themselves with this illusion, the next words from the Celestial Sovereign of the People offered them a fresh spark of hope.

"However, the four-tier Supreme Gods and near-Supreme Will Realm masters you sent possess solid foundations. By the next day, one of your Supreme Will Realm masters should emerge."

Upon hearing this, the faces of the Sun Sovereign and others instantly brightened with renewed smiles.

None of them questioned Zhou Zhou’s words.

For Zhou Zhou had proven, through countless verifications, that whatever he said—no matter how grandiose it seemed—was always fulfilled.

"Then we shall await the arrival of the next day with eager anticipation."

The Sun Sovereign burst into laughter.

With Zhou Zhou’s promise in place, their expectations for the coming day were nothing short of boundless.

Afterward, Zhou Zhou became busy once more.

His primary reason for being busy was to converse with these masters of supreme wills.

Though their talk consisted of trivial, scattered topics—random, unfocused, and utterly pointless—such social etiquette was understood by all.

After a while of chatting,

a voice suddenly appeared beside Zhou Zhou and the other newly ascended masters of supreme will.

"Come to the back."

It was the Voice of Supreme Will.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Zhou immediately set down his wine cup, explained his reasons to the other powerful beings, and, together with the new masters of supreme will, proceeded to the back where the Supreme Will was already waiting.

The Supreme Will observed them all, and finally settled his gaze upon Zhou Zhou, his face breaking into a deeply satisfied smile.

"Prepare yourselves. Think about what you'll say shortly."

"Especially you."

"Imperial Sovereign of the Common People."

The Supreme Will chuckled, "As my heir, you'll be the first to speak shortly."

Zhou Zhou nodded calmly.

He had long anticipated this moment, and thus had already prepared his speech—every word, every line, thought through in advance.

The Supreme Will nodded slightly, then conversed with each of the other transcendent willful beings.

Each of the fifteen newly ascended Sovereigns of Will exchanged words with the Supreme Will, their faces glowing with exhilaration.

For them, the Supreme Will had always been a myth from childhood—a legendary figure whispered about in stories. To now stand before Him, to speak with Him, and to find His demeanor so kind and approachable—this was something they had only dreamed of, something they had never dared imagine. And now, it had come true.

Incredible!

They felt as though they were living in a dream.

Then they turned their gaze toward Zhou Zhou, their eyes filled with deep gratitude.

Without His Majesty’s intervention, how could they have ever been granted such an opportunity—to personally encounter the Supreme Will and engage in direct conversation with it?

Almost everything they had achieved was bestowed upon them by the Emperor.

Otherwise, if they had tried to accomplish this on their own, they would have needed countless times more time—perhaps tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, even millions of years—before they could even begin to approach such a state. And even then, they would still remain at the level of Supreme Deity, utterly incapable of meeting so many Supreme Will-level beings on equal footing, let alone engaging in close, direct dialogue with the Supreme Will itself.

The Supreme Will observed the reactions of the newly ascended Supreme Will-level beings with quiet amusement, a faint smile playing at the corner of His mouth.

It seemed that His successor had already attained an unparalleled reputation among the Supreme Will-level beings under His command.

In due time, perhaps, His successor’s influence within His own ranks would surpass His own.

Yet He felt no envy, nor did He seek to suppress the Celestial Emperor’s prestige.

For that was precisely what He had intended.

If, among His subordinates, no one possessed immense prestige, how could He lead those powerful figures, govern the entire Supreme Cosmos, and face the threats from the Delusory Race and the myriad alien factions of the Ultimate Void Cosmos?

When He first ventured into the Ultimate Void Cosmos, he had forged many allies—but also incurred countless enemies.

Should He one day ascend to the rank of eternal immortality and depart from that cosmos, if his successor lacked both the strength and the renown to command the mightiest forces of the Supreme Cosmos, then even without the Red Lord’s invasion, the powers of the Supreme Cosmos would likely collapse on their own.

Now, however, with the presence of the outstanding heir, the Supreme Will feels profoundly at ease.

Though He greatly approves of Zhou Zhou, He would not so hastily bestow the title of Supreme Lord upon him. The rules must be followed. The trials of the Spring and Law Master, and the Heaven’s Punishment God King, must be overcome first. Otherwise, He fears that these heirs might grow resentful.

Whether it be the Heaven’s Punishment God King, the Spring and Law Master, the Universal Evil Demon Lord, or the People’s Emperor, whichever one ultimately becomes the Supreme Lord, the other three shall remain as subordinates under the Supreme Will.

Therefore, the aspirant to the title of Supreme Lord must, through the process of competition, conquer the other three aspiring lords—only then, upon receiving His approval, can he ascend to the position of Supreme Lord with both legitimacy and unimpeded authority.

Still able to secure three excellent subordinates!

He quietly observed Zhou Zhou, his mind murmuring:

"Third Brother's strength seems to have grown once again."

"Tomorrow's clash between Third and Second Brother—Third Brother will likely have a significant advantage."

A strange anticipation stirred within him for the battle between these two heirs tomorrow.

A feeling he hadn't experienced in a very long time.

Subsequently, Zhou Zhou and the other sixteen newly ascended beings of Supreme Will, under the guidance of the Supreme Will, arrived at the front stage to meet and speak with the other Supreme Will beings.

The first to speak was naturally Zhou Zhou.

His words were simple.

"Now I have become a being of Supreme Will."

"I won't say any empty or useless words."

"I'll say just one."

"Should any external crisis arise—whether in the highest cosmic realms or among you all—I will do everything in my power to assist."

"I know that a fierce battle is currently raging in the Dusk Battlefield."

"This conflict threatens not only the safety of our entire highest cosmos, but even that of the ultimate void cosmos itself."

"I know many of you powerful warriors have already gone to fight there."

"But I, for reasons I cannot yet disclose, have not yet departed."

"Yet I swear to you—soon, I will immediately lead the vast armies of my Solar Empire to the Dusk Battlefield, to join you in battle!!!"

"I will never be a coward before war!"

"Excellent!!!"

The many Supreme Will realm experts clapped in unison, voicing their shared agreement.

In truth, when the Highest Will had previously forbidden Zhou Zhou from venturing into the Twilight Battlefield to fight alongside them, most of these powerhouses had harbored a subtle, unspoken resentment, despite their outward silence.

After all, they were all masters of the Supreme Will realm, and he—the third candidate for the Highest Lord—possessed a strength that had already transcended the boundaries of will itself.

If a titan like him refused to step onto the battlefield, what right did he have to make them shield the front lines first?

Even though they well knew Zhou Zhou possessed the singular capability to nurture Supreme Will realm experts, and that his talents were best utilized in the rear to breed more forces, this psychological distaste was not something that could be dispelled in a mere instant.

But now.

Upon hearing Zhou Zhou's solemn vow, the lingering displeasure in their hearts vanished in an instant, replaced instead by a sudden, protective urge to dissuade him.

"Your Highness Common People's Emperor, you possess the ability to nurture Supreme Will realm experts, a pinnacle talent for raising powerhouses that none of us share; it is far better for you to remain in the rear, where your grandest gifts can truly flourish."

"Indeed, Your Highness Common People's Emperor, you are by nature a pinnacle lord, and when has a pinnacle lord ever marched to the front lines in person? It is enough to dispatch a few subordinates; there is absolutely no need for you to risk yourself."

"Precisely so!"

"Your Highness, the Sovereign Emperor of All Living Beings, you absolutely must not step onto the battlefield."

...

The gathered powerhouses of the Supreme Will Realm spoke out one after another, their voices heavy with persuasion.

Even the God-King of Heavenly Punishment seemed hesitant to speak, harborable in his heart the very same reluctance to let Zhou Zhou enter the perilous Twilight Battlefield.

"Everyone."

Zhou Zhou looked upon these formidable masters of the Supreme Will Realm, his expression resolute. "I am already a powerhouse of the Supreme Will Realm myself, and moreover, one who possesses the stage of Will Transcendence."

"If an expert such as I were to hide in the deep rear of the battlefield to evade the conflict, who else would be willing to fight wholeheartedly for our Ultimate Void Great Universe?"

"Now, the Illusory Clan approaches with raging momentum, clearly determined to seize our Supreme Great Universe and use it as a springboard to invade the entirety of the Ultimate Void Great Universe."

"In such a time of peril, it is precisely the moment for our generation to stand up!"

"Though I am a Lord, I also possess the courage and the strength to charge onto the front lines."

"There is no need for anyone to dissuade me on this matter."

"As for the issue of nurturing powerhouses of the Supreme Will Realm, you need not worry either."

"War itself has always been the catalyst for the birth of the strong."

"Allowing me to participate in the war will only enable me to foster more powerhouses of the Supreme Will Realm, better and faster, rather than delaying their cultivation."

"None of you need to worry any longer."

Hearing these words, the various powerhouses of the Supreme Will Realm felt a wave of relief wash over their hearts, while their admiration for the Emperor of Common People deepened all the more.

He occupied a lofty position, held the high regard of the Supreme Will, and possessed the unparalleled potential lauded by the Ultimate Void Grand Universe!

Yet, a being of such stature was willing to disregard his own safety and plunge into the war to defend their homeland, rather than remaining in the rear, surviving ignobly just to cash in on his potential.

Not every genius or powerhouse possessed the courage to act in this manner.

Seeing that the assembled mighty ones no longer urged against his decision, Zhou Zhou stepped back, yielding the floor to the other powerhouses of the Supreme Will Realm.

After all the newly ascended Sovereigns of the Supreme Will concluded their addresses, the banquet officially commenced.

Halfway through the festivities, Zhou Zhou took his leave and returned to the Sacred Palace of Reincarnation to resume his cultivation.