Chapter 493: Young Sect Master Lu

"The Heaven-Defying Sect?!"

The gathered guests were instantly struck with astonishment as the youth proclaimed his lineage.

If the most fervent topic among low-tier cultivators over the past two months was who would emerge victorious in the tournament, then high-tier cultivators most frequently debated the appearance of Lord Dou, the self-proclaimed Supreme Celestial Sovereign of the Heaven-Defying Sect, during the battle of Hanshui City.

He was the first immortal to make a public appearance since the Four Ancient Immortals.

Whether it was the Great Qian or the Great Yu, both were merely rumored to possess immortals, and the Great Xia was no different, with lore dictating that an immortal resided within the forbidden grounds of the imperial palace, though none had ever witnessed it.

Lord Dou's manifestation had sent shockwaves through the outside world, prompting both Body Integration and Tribulation Transmutation stage experts to question who Lord Dou truly was and what the Heaven-Defying Sect represented.

Regarding Lord Dou and his sect, opinions varied widely, and no definitive consensus had ever been reached.

Some claimed the Heaven-Defying Sect was an ancient organization that had only recently awakened, while others argued it had existed since antiquity, hidden behind the veil of history, pulling strings to orchestrate the rise and fall of dynasties as the true mastermind.

To think that today, at the grand tournament hosted by the imperial court and held during the one hundred and twenty thousand year celebration of the Daoist Sect, the Heaven-Defying Sect would appear uninvited and in such a flagrant manner was truly the height of arrogance!

Those with quick wits could already scent the thick smoke of impending war from this single action.

The Heaven-Defying Sect had clearly arrived with ill intent.

"Who goeth there?" the Immortal Fairy, acting as the sect master while controlling Lu Yang's body, demanded in a severe tone.

Her voice carried a faint, resolute aura of slaughter.

The youth from the Heaven-Defying Sect stood upon the arena stage, entirely devoid of fear despite being surrounded by the realm's mightiest figures, and instead cupped his hands in a resounding greeting.

"I presume this must be Sect Master Lu Yang, whose fame is currently at its zenith; you achieved renown at a tender age and possess a flawless foundation, such that if you were to participate, you would undoubtedly secure the championship with ease. By a stroke of coincidence, we share a lineage, for my surname is also Lu, and I am the Young Sect Master of our order."

The Immortal Fairy narrowed her eyes, ignoring his flattery as she spoke in a chilling tone: "So it is Young Sect Master Lu. I wonder for what purpose you have disrupted our tournament by coming to my Daoist Sect, and what business those individuals in the sky have here?"

Dark clouds hovered directly above the arena, and within the mist stood five formidable figures, unsmiling and stern, resembling ghosts and deities.

"I am the Protector of the Heaven-Defying Sect, the Netherworld Heavenly King."

The Netherworld Heavenly King radiated an ominous black aura, as though he had awakened from an ancient tomb, resurrected with the resentment of the deceased to bring endless calamity upon the mortal realm.

"I am the Protector of the Heaven-Defying Sect, the Hundred Herbs Heavenly King."

The scent of medicinal herbs wafted from him, a fragrance so striking that one knew instantly it possessed a marvelous origin, impossible to manifest without prolonged contact with a Lesser Herb King.

"I am the Protector of the Heaven-Defying Sect, the Indestructible Heavenly King."

The Indestructible Heavenly King resembled the golden-bodied Arhats from Buddhist lore, or perhaps he was the very archetype upon which those Arhats were based!

His physique was sinewy and immensely powerful, leaving no vulnerability to be found across his entire form, representing the absolute pinnacle of external cultivation.

"I am the Protector of the Heaven-Defying Sect, the Myriad Treasures Heavenly King."

A string of magical treasures hung from his waist, the most prominent among them being a top-tier artifact capable of inciting envy even in a Tribulation Transmutation expert, for it had already birthed an artifact spirit refined from the soul of a high-stage cultivator—truly terrifying to behold!

"I am the Protector of the Heaven-Defying Sect, the Golden Flame Heavenly King."

Wisps of golden fire flared up around his body from time to time; this flame did not belong to the one hundred and eight True Fires, but rather seemed to merge them all together, elevating the concept of fire to an entirely new realm!

The five figures stood like unscalable mountains, bearing an ancient aura that seemed to originate from antiquity.

Yet it was merely their aura that felt ancient, for anyone could perceive that these five Heavenly Kings were in the prime of their lives, far from old age, and perhaps not even at the peak of their current power.

"It feels as though these five have not yet undergone their tribulation, so why haven't the ancestors stepped forth to intercept them?" the master of the Qi Controlling Sect whispered, being exceptionally sensitive to auras and realizing none of them were at the Tribulation Transmutation stage.

Venerable Yi Qi glared at his junior, startling the sect master into realizing he had spoken out of turn, causing him to instantly fall silent.

Only then did Venerable Yi Qi send a telepathic explanation: "Do you truly believe you are the only clever one here, and that all these Tribulation Transmutation experts present are inferior to you?"

"I beg the ancestor to enlighten me."

"You must know that to enter the Daoist Sect, one must pass the River Spirit's domain; the River Spirit possesses means rivaling the Tribulation Transmutation stage, so to bypass him and enter this place is absolutely not a feat achievable by Body Integration methods alone!"

"Do you truly believe that those who have revealed themselves now constitute the entirety of the Heaven-Defying Sect's presence?"

"In my estimation, there is at least one Demi-Immortal from their sect concealing themselves in the shadows."

"Furthermore, the Daoist Sect claimed they had countermeasures against a Demi-Immortal, yet they remain passive now; I fear the worst-case scenario is true, and Lord Dou himself is here, perhaps right beneath our very noses, yet none have detected him!"

The master of the Qi Controlling Sect felt his heart tremble, a cold sweat breaking out across his spine.

"Forgive our intrusion," the Netherworld Heavenly King spoke in a deep voice, seemingly acting as the leader among them.

The five Heavenly Kings descended from the sky, causing the surrounding crowd to hastily clear a wide berth, none daring to approach them.

Feeling their terrifying presence, some of the young geniuses could barely maintain their footing.

Young Sect Master Lu acted as though he had not perceived the hostility emanating from the Immortal Fairy, a smile playing upon his lips as he replied: "Since awakening from my slumber that began in antiquity, I have never encountered a rival within the same cultivation realm. Having chanced upon the news that your noble sect was hosting a tournament, I came to partake in the excitement. I pray Sect Master Lu will forgive my uninvited presence."

A slumber since antiquity?

Upon hearing the youth's self-introduction, the guests were struck with astonishment once more.

This Heaven-Defying Sect truly did hail from ancient times.

Young Sect Master Lu cast a glance at the two geniuses upon the stage and continued: "These two are both in the mid-Golden Core stage, which happens to be my exact realm. I shall take them both as my opponents; if I lose, my sect shall withdraw immediately, but if I win, it proves my strength is noteworthy, and I shall continue in the tournament. What say you?"

"To face two opponents alone—Young Sect Master Lu certainly speaks with grand arrogance," the Immortal Fairy sneered.

"To deny your challenge would make my Great Xia appear lacking in magnanimity. Very well, if you win this match, you shall be granted eligibility to compete, but if you lose, you shall get the hell out of the Daoist Sect!"

As she reached the end of her declaration, her voice grew heavy, laced with implicit intent to kill.

The geniuses below the stage silently lauded her words, wishing they could applaud on the spot; the youth's demeanor was overbearing, completely disregarding them in his speech, yet Sect Master Lu showed no fear in the face of the formidable Heaven-Defying Sect and even threatened them in return.

By virtue of this courage alone, he surpassed every single one of them!

"Sect Master Lu speaks well! I, Qiu Jin'an, support your stance. Since time immemorial, the victors are kings and the losers are bandits; if you fail, you shall return to wherever it is you crawled out from!"

The leaders of the Five Great Immortal Sects and the First Prince stepped forward to rally behind the Immortal Fairy.

The onlookers clenched their fists in excitement as they watched the six righteous factions of the Five Great Immortal Sects and the imperial court unite against the common foe.

Only Meng Jingzhou maintained an expressionless, dead-fish gaze from start to finish as he stared at the so-called Young Sect Master Lu.

The First Prince felt rather anxious in his heart, for it was his first time participating in such an act, and he wondered if he had exposed any flaws.

Why did it feel as though the members of the Five Great Immortal Sects were so thoroughly practiced in this routine?

(End of Chapter)