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Chapter 354: Chapter 351: Choices
East Wood State.
In a building that had been slightly refurbished to serve as the command center.
Gu Jinlai’s expression was filled with astonishment.
Before him, Lu Zhanxian, Monarch You Quan, Jing Yunshan, and Leng Ningshuang, the four great Monarchs, were no exception.
"Master Wushi has been organizing the Spirit Realm for a hundred years?"
Gu Jinlai’s gaze immediately fell on Lu Zhanxian, a Monarch who had lived for over a hundred years and had witnessed the great battle a century ago: "Isn’t this Monarch an Earthly True Immortal? When did he switch to cultivating as a Heavenly Master, and even advanced to the point where he could touch the True Spirit Realm, even organizing it?"
"Switching to Heavenly Master..."
Lu Zhanxian pondered for a moment before slowly speaking, "For some truly supreme talents, perhaps, no matter which path they choose, they can achieve inconceivable feats in the eyes of ordinary people, like Master Wushi..."
His expression grew complex: "In the future, whether it is hearing about him becoming a True Immortal anchored in the world or the Creator, I won’t be surprised."
"A True Immortal! A Creator!?"
Gu Jinlai’s expression stiffened.
The evaluation of Master Wushi by Lu Zhanxian was so high!?
"Emperor Tianji was able to become the number one in the world, but in fact, I, along with many others from our time, didn’t truly accept it. He might have just had better fortune than Master Wushi, obtaining an even more formidable weapon than the World Sword and Star Heart—the Sky Extreme Sword—yet Master Wushi..."
Lu Zhanxian sighed: "I admire him."
Gu Jinlai looked at this Peak Monarch.
Lu Zhanxian, known for slaying immortals.
The Slaughter of Earthly True Immortals!
From this title alone, one could see how proud his heart was.
And how confident he was in his own future.
Of course, as it turned out, his confidence was just youthful arrogance.
He thought that with his talent, not to mention becoming an Earthly True Immortal, even slaying one wouldn’t be difficult.
Yet, having stayed at the rank of a Monarch up to today...
More than proved what it meant to aim higher than the heavens but have fate thinner than paper.
However, putting that aside, one could still see how lofty the spirit of Lu Zhanxian was.
At the moment, he genuinely admired Master Wushi.
Seems like this Earthly True Immortal...
"In fact, two hundred years ago, before the Divine Weapon had emerged, everyone shared a common understanding that the next few hundred years would undoubtedly belong to Master Wushi’s era. At that time, he was indisputably the strongest under the heavens; Emperor Tianji? Not even a Deva, the most discussed thing was how far Master Wushi could go, the first Earthly True Immortal in hundreds of years of Qiantian!"
Lu Zhanxian spoke with emotion.
"An Earthly True Immortal before Divine Weapons emerged!?"
Gu Jinlai’s expression slightly sharpened.
Before the Divine Weapons had appeared, saints of the Qiantian region would only emerge once every hundred or even several hundred years; an Earthly True Immortal...
That was virtually a myth.
Of course, at that time, Qiantian’s territory wasn’t as vast as it is now, nor could its potential match today’s.
"With the emergence of Divine Weapons, an era belonging to Earthly True Immortals began; the biggest winner among them was Emperor Tianji. Holding the supreme Divine Weapon, the Sky Extreme Sword, he soared across the world, established the Heavenly Immortal Palace, and momentarily overshadowed the Three Pure Ones’ influence. However, in the eyes of many ancient powers, Emperor Tianji... was probably seen as a nouveau riche."
Lu Zhanxian said, pausing in his speech: "This is also why Emperor Tianji was attacked by many... If we were to swap the statuses of Emperor Tianji and Master Wushi..."
He didn’t continue.
After all, back then, they had sided with Emperor Tianji at the Heavenly Immortal Palace.
"So, with his talent, he could really become a Heavenly Monarch, even a third-step Heavenly Monarch..."
Gu Jinlai spoke, unconsciously thinking of that mysterious Heavenly Monarch he had encountered in the True Spirit Realm.
That current mysterious Heavenly Monarch was very pleased to learn he was a native Heavenly Monarch from Qiantian, and hoped he would come to find him...
It was clear that the Heavenly Monarch was a native of the Qiantian region.
Adding to what Zhang Lihuo said, if one were to guess where an Upper Heavenly Monarch could exist within the Qiantian region, it would undoubtedly be either the Daqian Royal Family or the Sanqing Hall...
Master Wushi, this just fits, doesn’t it?
It seems, back then, he wanted him to join him in organizing the Spirit Realm?
"Palace Master, the Sanqing Hall has invited the Four Saints, intending to summon the power of the Six Saints to jointly slay the Sky Extreme Sword Master Venerable Xuan Tian. These Four Saints should refer to Emperor Luo, Emperor Master Tai Yuan, Li Mufeng, and you, Palace Master. What do you think?"
Lu Zhanxian looked at Gu Jinlai.
"Venerable Xuan Tian..."
Gu Jinlai slightly narrowed his eyes.
He had briefly encountered him back when Venerable Xuan Tian was still in the Divinity Transformation Realm.
Unfortunately, at that time, he was very cautious. Moreover, not understanding the true value of the Sky Extreme Sword, they did not erupt in actual conflict.
Now...
"Venerable Xuan Tian has two Divine Weapons in his possession," someone mentioned with a flicker in his eyes.
Monarch You Quan added, his eyes sparkling, "Moreover, the Sky Extreme Sword, the first Divine Weapon of Qiantian, and the World Sword, arguably the second, though this is because the wielder is Master Wushi, the world’s foremost. This fact alone reveals the true power of these Divine Weapons. With your talent and abilities, Palace Master, if you could obtain either the Sky Extreme Sword or the World Sword, there is a possibility you could become their master, and then..."
His words also made the other Monarchs present, including Gu Qingmei and other members of the Gu Family, light up with anticipation.
With Gu Jinlai’s current talent and achievements, if he could harness the power of a Divine Weapon, he would undoubtedly become even more formidable.
By then...
The whole era of Qiantian might come to belong to Gu Jinlai and Lingxiao Palace.
Just like Sanqing Hall, which had been the leading sect for years.
"Do you think Venerable Xuan Tian will be easy to deal with?"
Gu Jinlai glanced at Monarch You Quan.
His words made the several Primordial Spirit True Monarchs present pause, and soon, they began to draw conclusions.
"If Venerable Xuan Tian truly were no match for Immortal Wu Zhong, this saint of the Yuxu Lineage would not announce this news to the world, calling together the four great saints, including you, Palace Master, to confront him."
Leng Ningshuang followed Gu Jinlai’s train of thought, "Plus, the fact that the World Sword, which initially belonged to Sanqing Hall, was snatched away by Venerable Xuan Tian..."
The truth was nearly palpable.
"Immortal Wu Zhong has been defeated!"
Lu Zhanxian declared emphatically, "Based on my understanding of Immortal Wu Zhong, unless he had no other choice, with his possessive nature, he would never call upon others to confront Venerable Xuan Tian. The mere publication of this news only proves that even he, combined with Immortal Wunian, the two great saints, were not confident in subduing Venerable Xuan Tian, thus he had no choice but to call upon the four great saints, intending to combine the force of six saints to encircle him."
Lu Zhanxian’s words immediately gained everyone’s approval.
For a moment, their gaze returned to Gu Jinlai.
The Sky Extreme Sword and the World Sword, though supreme Divine Weapons, were...
Venerable Xuan Tian was so powerful that even Immortal Wu Zhong and even Immortal Wunian, both great saints, could do nothing against him.
Whether to respond to his call to confront Venerable Xuan Tian...
It would all depend on whether the Palace Master himself was willing to take a risk for the two Divine Weapons.
Gu Jinlai, facing everyone’s gaze, remained silent.
The two Divine Weapons were indeed tempting.
But...
Greed engulfs more than a snake swallowing an elephant.
Venerable Xuan Tian’s strength was evident.
Even Immortal Wu Zhong, wielding the World Sword, was no match for him and even had the World Sword taken away from him.
Keep in mind, this true immortal was from the same era as Master Wushi, Emperor Tianji, and Emperor Master Tai A, a saint for over a hundred years, and his power is by no means comparable to that of newly minted saints.
At present, with the Cheng Ying Mecha, he might have a chance to fight a newly minted saint, but if he faces Immortal Wu Zhong or Immortal Wunian, both powerful among the saints, he would likely be overmatched.
At best, he could only hope to perish together using the "Eternal Immortal" trait.
But, it would be meaningless.
If he were to perish alongside Venerable Xuan Tian, Blood Demon Emperor Luo, Immortal Wu Zhong, Immortal Wunian, and Emperor Master Tai Yuan would not simply watch him take away the Sky Extreme Sword and the World Sword.
That would inevitably lead to another fierce battle.
"Over these years, the Qiantian World has relied on Master Wushi to regulate the Spirit Realm to ensure that the Demon Realm Rift did not spread significantly. Now with Master Wushi fallen... the Qiantian World will inevitably face great changes. Not to mention the vast numbers of Demon Spirits that might emerge from the expanded Demon Realm Rift, even the Endless Mountain blocked by Li Mufeng, the Eastern Sea to the east, and the lifeless Three Thousand Marshes could potentially turn their attention to the Qiantian World."
Gu Jinlai made his decision with clear resolve, "Humanity should not continue to fight among themselves at this time. I suspect even Master Wushi would not wish to see internal conflict among the human clan following his death leading to the fall of Qiantian and widespread misery."
"That’s true, but to defend against external threats, one must first secure internal peace... If Master Wushi truly guarded Qiantian in silence for a hundred years, allowing us all to live in peace, only for his great sacrifices to be met with assassination by Venerable Xuan Tian, his crime is nothing less than a crime against humanity. If such crimes go unpunished, once Qiantian and the surrounding Demon Powers wage a full-scale war, countless people will harbor hopes of profiteering, indulging in acts of treachery..."
Lu Zhanxian said gravely.
Gu Jinlai shook his head, "What I decide represents only my personal decision. What actions Blood Demon Emperor Luo, Emperor Master Tai Yuan, and Li Mufeng, who guards Northern Winter State, choose to take is none of my concern."
Having said this, he again turned his gaze toward the two Mu States, "We need to speed up!"
"Speed up even more?"
Leng Ningshuang was slightly taken aback.
"Although I do not know whether the demons outside of Qiantian World are reluctant to enter due to fearing Master Wushi’s power, or if they have their own targets that require conquering other kingdoms and holy lands, we must prepare for any eventuality."
Gu Jinlai stated, "Speeding up might lead to some casualties, but to be cautious, we must establish defenses in Mu State as quickly as possible."
His ability was limited.
If chaos reigns in Qiantian in the future, he might not be able to protect the whole of Qiantian or act as a savior.
But since he is currently in Tian Nan, facing the Three Thousand Marshes, it is his duty to defend against the invasion of demons from the marshes.
There’s nothing particularly noble about this.
In his position, this is his duty.
Nothing more.
