NOVPUBBut now that he had already set foot into the inner city, if he were to trigger the Great Tao Manifestation again, the Great Yin’s Mortal Emperor, even if blind, could not possibly ignore the existence of the Human Path’s momentum on Shen Yuan.
In this process, Shen Yuan even used the Star Astrology Divine Power to deduce the potential crises in his surroundings.
Although the Great Yin’s Mortal Emperor had not shown any movement before, Shen Yuan still felt somewhat uneasy at heart, suspecting that the other party might be plotting to lure him into a trap once he entered the inner city.
After a moment, the Star Astrology Divine Power dissipated, and Shen Yuan completely let go of his worries, confirming that the Great Yin’s Mortal Emperor indeed had not detected the Human Path’s momentum on him.
Xu Guan’s carriage traveled along the long street, its appearance bearing almost no resemblance to that of a thousand years later.
After a long while, the Wind Qilin carriage stopped in front of a massive estate.
"The Third Prince’s Mansion has arrived!"
Shen Yuan looked at the mansion before him, his eyes involuntarily flashing with a hint of strangeness.
Even though the surrounding landscape was entirely different from the future, by judging from the inner city’s walls, Shen Yuan could ascertain that the location of the Third Prince’s estate coincided exactly with that of the Xue family’s Manor in a later era.
Crossing through thousands of years to return to the starting point, Shen Yuan’s heart was filled with a peculiar sense of marvel at the wonder of the cycle of cause and effect.
Shen Yuan stepped down from the carriage slowly, only to see a young man wearing a bright yellow robe with a flood dragon pattern and a coronet on his head, striding out from the mansion with joy on his face:
"Shen Taoist, we meet again!"
The person who came was none other than 3rd Prince Ji Zhaoyang.
In this time, thousands of years in the past, it had been just over three years since Shen Yuan last saw Ji Zhaoyang, which for a cultivator was merely the duration of one meditation session.
However, upon Ji Zhaoyang, Shen Yuan sensed an aura completely different from before.
Still at the Peak Stage of the Spirit Refining Stage, but Ji Zhaoyang no longer had his previous sense of hollowness, a clear indication that the side effects of forcibly advancing his realm during the trial had healed, and he was not far from the Return-to-Void Realm.
Beyond that, Shen Yuan also sensed a strong favor of humanity’s fate on Ji Zhaoyang, even purer than when Xia Yunqiu ascended to the imperial throne.
This difference was partly due to the Human Path still being at its peak in this world, but it also proved that Ji Zhaoyang had received some opportunity and was now capable of becoming the heir to the throne of Great Yin.
"What a pity."
A flicker of regret passed deep in Shen Yuan’s eyes.
Had he been born in another era, Ji Zhaoyang would have undoubtedly qualified to contend for the throne of the Great Yin’s Mortal Emperor and ascend the supreme seat of the Primal Chaos Realm.
Unfortunately, the Great Yin’s Mortal Emperor would cut off the Great Schism decades later, and with the backlash that followed, the Great Yin Imperial Dynasty’s tens of thousands of years of heritage would collapse during the era of Spirit Energy depletion, eventually being buried by time.
In the history known to Shen Yuan, the Mortal Emperor of the Great Schism was the last true Mortal Emperor; although Ji Zhaoyang was exceptionally talented, he never truly ascended to the throne.
The chaos from the collapse of Great Yin lasted for three thousand years until the next Age of Spirit Energy Tide, when a new human Imperial Dynasty was established, settling three millennia of turmoil.
Putting aside his cluttered thoughts, Shen Yuan looked toward the present Ji Zhaoyang, revealing a slight smile on his face.
"After the Primal Chaos Nifty Pagoda trial, in just three short years, Prince Ji Zhaoyang has been able to remedy the aftermath of advancing your realm and received the favor of the human fate. Perhaps you are also not far from the position of heir to the throne."
Ji Zhaoyang’s eyes flickered with a trace of surprise, somewhat shocked that Shen Yuan could see through him at a glance.
The stabilization of his realm might have been expected, but possessing the status of a Prince of Great Yin allowed him to suppress his personal fate under the Human Path, and in such a circumstance, the fact that Shen Yuan could speak of his favor from the Human Path’s destiny showed the latter’s fearsome insight.
Treating the matter with even greater importance in his heart, Ji Zhaoyang smiled and said:
"It is thanks to the Primal Chaos Nifty Pagoda’s blessing given by Shen Taoist before that I have received the favor of the human fate.
But compared to Shen Taoist, my progress can hardly be considered significant."
As he spoke, Ji Zhaoyang looked at Shen Yuan, his eyes filled with a sense of wonder.
After all, when they first met in the Primal Chaos Nifty Pagoda, Shen Yuan was merely a minor cultivator at the Qi Training Late Stage, and not taken seriously by them at all.
After completing the trial and slaying a Void Refining adversary, his cultivation soared sky-high into the Spirit Refining Stage over the following three years.
The progress in cultivation was secondary, the key was that he managed to assassinate the Giant Mountain Divine Venerable with a body of Spirit Refining Stage.
No matter what means were employed behind the scenes, it was enough to demonstrate Shen Yuan’s formidable strength, ranking him among the top-tier contenders at the upcoming All-Worlds Luotian Convention.
Thinking of this, the joy in his heart grew even more intense. Ji Zhaoyang extended an invitation to Shen Yuan, saying,
"It is somewhat rude to have kept our exchange outside the mansion; please, Taoist Shen, do come inside for further discourse!"
Shen Yuan walked side by side with Ji Zhaoyang into the mansion.
As the Great Yin’s 3rd Prince, whose prominence was on the rise, his mansion naturally attracted significant attention from all the powers within the Imperial Capital.
The news that Shen Yuan had appeared at the Prince’s Mansion and was personally received by the 3rd Prince spread throughout the entire Imperial Capital at breakneck speed.
Apparently, Ji Zhaoyang did not conceal Shen Yuan’s identity in the slightest and even seemed to intentionally disseminate the news, prompting the powers-that-be to swiftly confirm it through various channels.
Falling Clouds Taoist has been spotted at the 3rd Prince’s Mansion!
As this piece of news spread, the entire Imperial Capital was shaken.
In the current Primal Chaos Realm, how many were unaware of the Falling Clouds Taoist, who, with a Spirit Refining Stage body, had slain Void Refining powerful experts not once but twice?
Even the Donghuang Divine System, the renowned Little Clarity Void Grotto Heavens, had no choice but to acknowledge that Falling Clouds Taoist was indeed a peerless prodigy.
Such an extraordinary prodigy’s arrival in the Imperial Capital at this critical juncture immediately made everyone think of the imminent All-Worlds Luotian Convention.
The 10 Great Grotto Heavens Sacred Lands, 36 Little Grotto Heavens, 72 Blessed Lands, Four Waterways and Four Seas, Nine Domains Divine Sects, and the myriad immortals from overseas—all stirred at the news.
Inside the gated estates and Treasure Houses of the Imperial Capital, long-established powerful experts couldn’t help but curse aloud, and even many previously confident prodigious experts showed an extremely troubled countenance.
Despite their pride, they were very clear about the vast gulf between themselves and the Void Refining True Monarchs.
Shen Yuan’s ability to twice overcome Void Refining represented an undeniable threat to them.
Even within the dragon’s palace of the Four Waterways Temporary Stay Palace, an enraged Dragon Sovereign claimed he would arrange for strong practitioners to strike against Falling Clouds Taoist before the convention began.
The reason was simple: the All-Worlds Luotian Convention was too important.
Ever since the Taiqing Era Tao’s Way Great Exalted One began preaching to all realms 90,000 years ago, the Luotian Convention had been held a full nine times.
During these nine conventions, countless prodigious experts have risen to prominence, gaining precious inheritances and establishing their paths.
Many of the inheritances among the 10 Great Grotto Heavens Sacred Lands, 36 Little Grotto Heavens, and 72 Blessed Lands originated from the Luotian Convention.
These grotto heavens and blessed lands then claimed to be disciples of Tao’s Way Great Exalted One, and even managed to establish connections with the Upper Realm, obtaining support from Tao’s Way Great Exalted One’s Immortals.
Not only the Human Clan, but also the Aquatic Tribe of the Four Waterways and Four Seas, the Nine Domains Divine Sects, and the myriad gods from abroad have all gained innumerable treasures from the Luotian Convention, allowing them to successfully gain a foothold in the grand cosmos outside the Human Path territories.
With each additional person in such a grand gathering, the chances for others to compete for would diminish by that much more.
Not to mention a prodigy like Falling Clouds Taoist, who could very well monopolize the fortunes of this convention.
After all, a few centuries earlier, a decree had been passed down by a Taiqing Faction Upper Realm Golden Immortal stating that this Luotian Convention could very well be the last. Should anyone manage to come out on top this time, there’s a chance to truly become a disciple of Tao’s Way Great Exalted One.
The Great Yin 3rd Prince had a chance to compete for the future Mortal Emperor, so naturally, he did not need the opportunity to become a disciple of Tao’s Way Great Exalted One. However, for other factions, Shen Yuan’s arrival was definitely bad news.
Especially for the Donghuang Divine System’s Little Clarity Void Grotto Heavens, which already had a conflict with Shen Yuan, his arrival provoked indignant fury.
On that day, above the Donghuang Divine Palace, the Great Sun Chariot patrolled the vast Primal Chaos Realm and set off toward the distant Southern Sea.
The recently appointed sacred sage of Little Clarity Void Grotto Heavens also hastily dispatched the reserve Sacred Sage Xu Hao, along with the current generation of sacred sages.
Within the Imperial Capital, undercurrents surged tumultuously.
