Li Qingshan did not agree with that at all. “Fellow, why must you be so pessimistic and demoralising? His cultivation has been suppressed to below the fourth heavenly tribulation too, which is why he’s managed to pacify the might of the world. When it comes to an actual battle, he might even be slightly weaker than that Corpse Emperor. I’ll go fetch the Dragon Province cauldron right now and help you become the god!”
The Great Banyan Tree King said, “Sigh, you don’t understand…”
“Old friend, you actually managed to obtain the cauldrons of seven provinces. That really has surprised me.”
Si Long’s voice passed through the Profound Light Illuminates All, slightly surprising Li Qingshan. He knew the Profound Light Illuminates All was capable of hearing as well as sight, but this innate ability had never been particularly useful. He had never tried to develop it seriously either, so now, the opponent had actually used it instead.
“Was everything according to your plan?”
The Great Banyan Tree King recalled how he had advised him to forge the nine provinces back then. He never expected to become enmeshed in a web of his own spinning.
“How can that be possible? Even true immortals aren’t capable of that.”
Si Long looked over and stared at Li Qingshan. “The small friend beside you has surprised me very much. A powerful, external force probably intervened, right?” His gaze seemed as if he was trying to see through Li Qingshan. Then he shook his head. “Let’s not talk about this. Among the Seventy-two Daemon Kings, you were the one I respected the most. Unfortunately, our paths clashed, which forced us to become enemies. However, since you are an old friend, I will leave you with a chance of survival.”
Li Qingshan clenched his fist. The Great Banyan Tree King was one of the mighty Ten Daemon Kings, a god of half of the world, yet he talked about him like he was nothing, like he could be annihilated with ease.
The Great Banyan Tree King settled down. “Are you afraid I would throw my life at you?”
“If throwing your life at me worked, why would you bother with this conversation at all? Across the nine provinces, the Dragon province is the leader. Across the nine cauldrons, the Dragon Province cauldron is supreme. If you merged with the eight provinces and spent a century completely digesting them, then perhaps you might have a chance at victory. However, you’ve only merged with seven provinces so far, and the Mist province is the only one that you’ve achieved true coalescence, so why would you destroy your own chances at survival?”
Si Long fiddled around with the Dragon Province cauldron. All of the light shrank back into it.
“I still don’t understand why you returned. Was it to become the god of the world? But you could have done so five millennia ago…”
The Great Banyan Tree King was puzzled. Low level worlds were not of much use to great cultivators. With Si Long’s cultivation and pursuits, why would he return here? Just what was he after exactly?”
Rāhu Xiaoming said in thought, “A blessed land of cultivation.”
“Hmm, someone actually knows! That’s right. The nine provinces will become a blessed land for our Myriad sect!” Si Long said proudly, “How can the likes of me be confined to a world as some god of the world? Fellow, your wisdom is almost immeasurable, unrivalled in the world. It’s a pity that your experiences are a little limited, and your aspirations are a little small. Just like how those of small aspirations are unable to use their intellect effectively! On the path of cultivation, how can you cower like that?”
He raised the Dragon Province cauldron high into the air. The dragon’s cry was mighty as the world shook.
Leaping up, he turned into a golden dragon and dove into the Dragon Province cauldron.
The pattern of a dragon appeared on the cauldron, brandishing its claws as it soared along it.
Many landscapes that had never appeared before emerged around the cauldron. There were the trees of the Mist province, the deserts of the Scarlet province, the grasslands of the Frost province, the mountains of the Lightning province…
The landscapes of the eight provinces gathered on the cauldron.
Across the world, every single cutting of the Great Banyan Tree King began to tremble as if it was trying to fend off something invisible. Magnificent colours wove through the sky like auroras that filled the sky. They flowed and moved with each passing second. That was the clash of the laws of the world.
Everyone raised their heads, uncertain about what was going on.
Li Qingshan did not really understand what was going on in detail, but he did understand something at the very least. The Great Banyan Tree King had been screwed over.
The Clam King of Mirage Sea and the Frost-feathered Moth King’s encounters definitely were not exceptions. As a matter of fact, they could even be regarded as lucky survivors. The founding emperor who had already screwed over who knew how many Daemon Kings and great cultivators had understood the Great Banyan Tree King’s thoughts a long time ago. The nine cauldrons were not a shortcut to godhood but a great trap.
The eight other cauldrons were bait, and the Dragon Province cauldron was the hook hidden within the bait. From the moment the Great Banyan Tree King merged with the Mist Province cauldron and became the god of the Mist province, he had fallen into the trap.
All that could be done now was to destroy the Dragon Province cauldron.
Li Qingshan rose up, about to head to the Dragon province. At this moment, an aerial root caught him by the foot. The Great Banyan Tree King’s voice rang out in his head, “Qingshan, there is nothing that can be done anymore, so don’t walk to your death. It’s just a pity that Xiao An and your efforts have gone to waste…”
“Fellow, are you really unable to put up a fight if you gather the power of the seven cauldrons? The formation around the imperial court has already fallen, and those half-assed minions on the mountain are absolutely nothing. You only need to last for a moment…”
“That’s exactly what he wants you to think. He wants to use this opportunity to eliminate an accident like you! He personally forged the nine cauldrons, and the Dragon Province cauldron is central to the nine provinces. I can’t last for too long. I know your current strength has far surpassed any Daemon King’s. I also saw your battle with the Corpse Emperor. However, this is different. If you don’t go to the Dragon province, he can’t do anything to you for the time being. Go to the Frost province and ascend quickly!”
The Great Banyan Tree King could feel the fragments of the cauldrons inside his body beginning to surge, merging back together piece by piece and forming great cauldrons. Even the Mist Province cauldron that had completely merged with him was no different. Only the Frost Province cauldron had been devoured by the small world, so it could not be reassembled again.
Suddenly, he came to an understanding. Probably even the sensation of being locked in a stalemate right now was only a false impression.
Li Qingshan stopped, not just because of the Great Banyan Tree King’s caution, but also because of the spirit turtle’s warning. A great omen of death enveloped all of his chances at survival. Even when he faced the Corpse Emperor and the ghost tower, it had not been so terrifying.
If he went to the Dragon province right now, it was certain doom.
He had already undergone rebirth twice, and he was in a weakened state right now. He still had another rebirth, but he would turn into the phoenix’s embryo, no longer possessing any ability to fight or flee.
Several dozen great cultivators gathered on Dragonshead mountain right now. Every single one of them possessed great strength, and who knew how many more trump cards the imperial court of Great Xia was hiding. On top of that, there was even the founder of Great Xia who wielded the Dragon Province cauldron with unknown strength.
Under these circumstances, the situation was extremely disadvantageous to him.
“Li Qingshan, are you bold enough to face me in battle?”
Si Long’s voice possessed a deep dragon’s cry, echoing through the nine provinces. It was equivalent to an open provocation towards Li Qingshan before everyone in the nine provinces.
Li Qingshan sucked in a deep breath. His gaze became tranquil like the sea abyss. “Si Long, you will regret asking me that.”
“Interesting. I’ll be waiting for you in the Dragon province.”
As soon as Si Long said that, a yellow leaf drifted before Li Qingshan. Looking up, a large portion of the deep-green canopy had turned yellow. In another blink, it had all turned yellow, scattering through the air, like someone whose hair had turned grey overnight.
When he looked at the sea of trees, it had also become an ocean of yellow.
“Tree king!” There were a series of cries throughout Towering city.
The top of the tree suddenly shone with rainbow light, condensing a Fruit of Wisdom that landed in Xiao An’s hand.
“As I promised. It’s just a pity that I’m missing two provinces. You slashed me with your sword, so the two provinces can be the price!”
The Great Banyan Tree King had once promised that he would condense an ultimate Fruit of Wisdom for Li Qingshan to give to Xiao An once he became the god of the nine provinces.
A golden streak of light shot over. Madam Vine cried out, “W- what’s happening to you…”
The Great Banyan Tree King looked at her. He closed his eyes with a smile. “Fair enough.”
At that instant, the sea of trees were reduced to dust. Ten thousand years were reduced to nothing.
