Quinn Shepherd blushed and smiled. "It is a bit much—barely nine in total."
"Nine adults like that?"
Imperial Preceptor of the Everpeace Empire felt a chill in his heart. Were all nine of them people like the Mute Smith?
If that was the case, then the origins of this Cult Master of the Heavenly Demon were truly terrifying!
"There are also nine people like me—my path is not a lonely one."
The Imperial Preceptor showed a gratified smile and murmured, "I thought that, besides me, there was no one else who had come this far. Now, suddenly, my heart feels at ease..."
Quinn looked at him curiously, suddenly wondering if using the Azure Firmament Heaven-Eye to observe the Imperial Preceptor right now would get him killed.
He really wanted to see if the Imperial Preceptor was the same kind of existence as Village Chief.
Of course, the Imperial Preceptor was inscrutable to him. He couldn't see through this man's cultivation, nor his temperament. There were so many seemingly contradictory things about him.
Recklessly using the Azure Firmament Heaven-Eye on him could very well provoke his anger.
"Preceptor, the Palace Master is speaking to you—why aren't you answering?"
Quinn turned at the sound and saw the speaker walking up from below the stage, wearing a bronze mask. This mask was unlike any other—exaggerated features, long and wide ears, a beak-like nose, an oversized mouth, two pillar-like eyes, thick eyebrows, and a hole in the forehead as if it was made for a third eye.
Then, Quinn saw that there was indeed an eye under the mask at the forehead.
This person had an eye growing right in the center of their brow!
"What kind of technique is that?" Quinn was slightly startled.
The Imperial Preceptor looked at the bronze-masked man, then let his gaze pass over him to fall on Palace Master Delia of Leaving-Love Palace. He said, "Palace Master Delia of Leaving-Love Palace, your technique—the Heaven-Severing Sword Formula—is said to be a sword art handed down by a divine being, transcending worldly love and sorrow."
His gaze landed on the next person. "Fortress Lord Charles Che of Three Marvels Fortress, Fortress Lord Jade, and Fortress Lord Li. Fortress Lord Che's technique is the Heaven-Demon Forbidden Profound Art—a demonic forbidden art from the Daoist path. Fortress Lord Jade's technique is the Five Gu Dragon Transformation Art, raising Gu insects as dragons. Fortress Lord Li refines poison as her cultivation, but I am not sure what technique she uses."
Fortress Lord Li chuckled, "Even the Preceptor doesn't know? My technique is called the Three Immortal Venom Transmutation Art—it's good at turning poison into power."
The Imperial Preceptor's gaze fell on another person. "Daoquan Zhenren, you have always healed the sick—why are you involved in rebellion? Over ten years ago, when the floods struck Yongjiang, plague swept through Jiangnan. You treated villagers and gave out medicine, earning fame throughout the land. I wanted to appoint you at the Imperial Academy, but you declined, so I only gave you the title of Zhenren (True Person)."
Daoquan Zhenren said solemnly, "Our paths are different, so we cannot work together. Preceptor, when I refused office back then, you should have known we were not the same. You have gone too far—if you mean to destroy all Daoist sects, I must oppose you."
The Imperial Preceptor fell silent. "I am destroying the Daoist sects in order to heal more people. What do you think of my work over the years?"
Daoquan Zhenren said, "You've done well. There used to be very few physicians in the world, but now they're everywhere—even tower-ships are equipped with doctors and apprentices, and plagues are hard to spread. But all the doctors trained by the Imperial Academy these years are mediocre; none can be called a divine doctor. You cannot escape blame for this."
It seems our paths truly are different.
The Imperial Preceptor looked at another person. "Minister Marshall Ma Lianshan of the Secretariat."
"I wouldn't dare."
Ma Lianshan said solemnly, "Preceptor, you promoted me, but I also have my sect. I am from the Zhongnan Mountain lineage and cultivate the Southern Brilliance Five-Separation Sword Canon."
The Imperial Preceptor said, "I asked His Majesty to appoint you as Minister Marshall, to oversee the Secretariat, because you are upright and impartial, and also excellent at leading troops. I thought you would put aside sectarian views, but you joined the rebels. I am saddened. You were a good official, and the people always spoke highly of you."
Ma Lianshan shook his head. "How many good officials have betrayed? Preceptor, you should reflect on your own actions."
The Imperial Preceptor said blankly, "Old and rotten things must be reformed. How do you reform a rotten heart? Only by revolution. If you don't change the fate of corrupt people, the world will never be peaceful. You are a good man, but you stand in my way."
He looked at the others. "Sect Master David Qi of the Beggar Sect, Hundred-Beggar Profound Art; Sect Master Loren Luo of Starnet Constellation Sect, Starnet Constellation Profound Art; Master Zhikong of Great Hero Temple, Fourfold True-Word Seals of Formation and Emptiness; Master Hongfa of Grand Putuo Temple, Bodhi Dharma-Spreading Salvation Art; Master Huayin of South Sea Gaanyin Temple, Invincible Vajra Overcoming Art. Also, Hanging-Void Dharma King, once ruler of Hanging Void Kingdom; King Duan Yan of Southcool; King Nunu Hu’er of Westfan. And these three elders from the old era."
His gaze fell on two old men and an old woman. "You three come from the old era, and are already seven or eight hundred years old, right? If you live past eight hundred, you reach the age of destiny. How many years do you have left?"
The short, thin, dark old man laughed. "I am Li Sanren, a mountain hermit, with sixteen years left. Actually, not really a hermit—the tiny country you destroyed, Chuyun, was founded by me."
I am Tian Zhenjun.
The old woman grinned. "I like to raise insects—you must have seen them already. Fortress Lord Jade of Three Marvels Fortress is my son."
The chubby old man said, "Unlike them, I don't have such a big background. I'm the Poor Scholar. Don't let my size fool you—I'm poor because I eat too much. Our sect is called the Qiongli Principle-Seeking Art—the poorer you are, the more reason you have."
Poor Scholar, you jest.
The Imperial Preceptor said solemnly, "To exhaust reason is to reach knowledge; to reflect on oneself is to put it into practice; to investigate things is to attain knowledge. I understand these principles. Since you are a scholar, why do you oppose me?"
Poor Scholar shook his head. "When poor, one should maintain personal integrity; when well-off, help the world. Preceptor, your power is too great and does no good for the world. I oppose you—not for my own benefit like the others, but for the Everpeace Empire. I see your power is overwhelming; if we don't remove you now, you'll become the emperor in a few years."
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The Imperial Preceptor stood atop the mountain, his voice calm and clear, spreading in all directions: "Who else opposes me?"
Voices rose one after another from within Daxiang City: "Me!"
Liao Yinzhi of Heavenly Immortal Gate, I dare to oppose the Preceptor!
Qiu Zhiming, Grand Master of Ceremonies, I dare to oppose the Preceptor!
Shan Mu, Marquis of Wuling, I dare to oppose the Preceptor!
Qing Mingyue, Chief Historian of the Protectorate, I dare to oppose the Preceptor!
Chen Yao, Magistrate of Wuyin County, I dare to oppose the Preceptor!
...
One voice after another rang out from Daxiang City—each was a master of life-and-death or celestial realms. As one voice fell, another rose, wave after wave, each louder and more stirring, making blood boil with excitement.
The bronze-masked man was also filled with heroic passion and shouted, "Preceptor, do you see? How little support you have! All under heaven wish to destroy you—how can you bear to live?" His voice rang out powerfully.
The Imperial Preceptor's expression did not change. He said coolly, "All under heaven? This city has only a few hundred thousand people—do they count as all under heaven? Mere commoners. If they die, so be it. Only when you are dead will the world truly be at peace."
Since that's the case, then only one side can survive.
The bronze-masked man said, "This mountain is already sealed by the Heaven-Prison Formation. Within these eight hundred mu, we can fight without worrying about the outside, or harming the soldiers beyond. This time..."
He said coldly, "We will not abide by Jianghu codes of honor or rules!"
Quinn Shepherd let out a breath and smiled at Si Yunxiang. "Then I can relax."
Monk Yun Que turned pale and stammered, "Relax about what? We're inside the seal—we'll be the first to get crushed! Do you remember Heaven-Wave City? This battle will be several times more terrifying!"
Yue Qinghong and the others also turned pale. The battle at Heaven-Wave City only saw a portion of the Nethervault Demon God's power descend, fighting against the Dragon-Taming Sect Master and another cult master-level expert, but the destruction was unimaginable—even the mighty Dragon-Qilin could barely withstand the shock.
If a battle breaks out here, the destruction will be several times greater than before!
Moreover, with these eight hundred mu sealed, the shockwaves caused by these experts will only bounce around within this space, churning and mixing!
By then, even the Dragon-Qilin might be torn apart by the aftershocks of their battle!
Just then, outside the city, countless banners fluttered—stretching for dozens of miles, spanning east to west.