Published: February 25, 2025
After Dantai Xuanzhong announced the conclusion, the nine meridians chief led the elders and disciples away from the Meritorious Secret Realm.
Once the nine great chiefs returned to their respective Secret Realms, they began selecting disciples to participate in the trials based on the rankings of strength among their disciples within each meridian.
The next day, at the first moment of the rooster hour, as the sun set, the nine great chiefs arrived at the Meritorious Dojo with the disciples from the nine meridians who were participating in the trials.
Of course, Shen Subing had selected fifteen hundred disciples who had already touched the barrier of the divine soul realm from the great perfection of the refining soul realm.
Dantai Xuanzhong summoned the Spirit Vessel, allowing the five thousand disciples from the ten meridians to board the vessel.
Just as the ten chiefs were about to board the Spirit Vessel, he suddenly spoke, “For this trial at the Battlefield of the Gods, aside from the meritorious chief and the supreme elder of the Meritorious Lineage who will accompany this sovereign, others do not need to go.”
Upon hearing this, the nine great chiefs were taken aback. The Holy Spirit Daoist frowned and bowed, “Sovereign, in past trials at the Battlefield of the Gods, weren’t we, the chiefs of the Immortal Sect, always required to attend?”
Before the Holy Spirit Daoist could finish speaking, Dantai Xuanzhong waved his right arm, and a powerful surge of spiritual power suddenly struck the Holy Spirit Daoist's chest.
“Bang!”
“Puff!”
The Holy Spirit Daoist spat out a mouthful of blood and was sent flying a hundred feet, crashing to the ground.
This scene left Shen Subing and the nine great chiefs in shock.
Tan Yun clearly remembered that the Holy Spirit Daoist was a spy, and in his view, Dantai Xuanzhong was teaching him a lesson for this reason.
And indeed, that was the case!
The Holy Spirit Daoist hurriedly got up, crawling on the ground, trembling, “I do not know where I have offended the sovereign. Please forgive me, Sovereign.”
Dantai Xuanzhong stared at the Holy Spirit Daoist, a fleeting glint of murderous intent in his eyes, and said in a deep voice, “What? Does this sovereign need your teaching on how to act?”
“Please do not be angry, Sovereign... I dare not,” the Holy Spirit Daoist said, shivering in fear.
“Indeed, you do not dare,” Dantai Xuanzhong said in a deep voice. “Alright, you and the other chiefs return to your respective meridians now!”
“Understood!” The Holy Spirit Daoist and the other eight chiefs complied, maneuvering the Spirit Vessel away from the Meritorious Dojo...
In the blue sky, the Holy Spirit Daoist on the Spirit Vessel roared internally, “Dantai Xuanzhong, what are you so proud of! Before long, your Huangfu Sacred Sect will meet its end, and then, won’t you be executed by the powerful forces behind this chief!”
...
In the Meritorious Dojo, Shen Subing, Shen Suzhen, and Dantai Xuanzhong boarded the Spirit Vessel together. Dantai Xuanzhong then maneuvered the vessel into the air, taking about a moment to fly out of the Meritorious Secret Realm and then out of the Huangfu Secret Realm, racing towards the divine soul celestial palace deep in the Heavenly Punishment Mountain Range.
On the Spirit Vessel, the disciples of the ten meridians recalled the scene of the sovereign injuring the Holy Spirit Daoist, and most of them appeared cautious as they looked at the sovereign.
At this moment, Tan Yun was delighted to see that among the disciples from the nine meridians participating in the trial, his close friends Huangfu Tingfeng, Ke Xinyi, Baili Longtian, Xiao Qingxuan, Jun Bu Ping, Shangguan Bingbing, and Gongsun Ruoxi had also come.
Only Lord Tsukkomi was absent.
Ignoring the doubtful gazes of their own disciples, Huangfu Tingfeng and the others stepped forward to begin talking with Tan Yun, Mu Mengyi, and Luo Fan.
Huangfu Tingfeng looked at Tan Yun, puzzled, “Brother Tan, why haven’t I seen Shi Yao and Ziyan in recent years?”