All of the high level kings and even second and third step kings of Hopeless Major remained quietly out of the limelight. Raucous catcalling rose from a few first step kings and ordinary disciples yet to reach kinghood.
Yet, this modest force alone was sufficient to force the Windcall and Turtledove King back. They retreated uncertainly, dark scowls on their face.
“Turtledove King and Windcall King! I recognize you two!” a third step king suddenly called out. “You accompanied the Kaleidoscopic King to Hopeless Major the day our eminent ruler displayed her invincible prowess. You saw her negate the Nineworld Origin Cannon and cut off three of the World King’s limbs!
“You dare show your face now because you think the Empyrean King will punish us for our insurrection. You think she’ll kill a swathe of disciples to establish her might, that our internal affairs are a chaotic mess and we’re about to fall apart!” This third step king had also betrayed Qing Yu that day, and he’d been prepared to be sent to the gallows when battle was lost. Who would’ve thought that their eminent ruler would casually dismiss the uprising and carry on like nothing had taken place?
Here he stood after so many days—receiving a daily allotment of premium purple crystals, eating various high level pills, and being assigned king grade treasures. This had never happened in the previous Hopeless Major!
It seemed that everything had changed after the Empyrean King showed her true power and suppressed the revolt.
Neither were her supporters or those who’d simply abstained from the rebellion disgruntled by her leniency. They’d all served Hopeless Major and fought the Immortal Region for a hundred million years. While not all of the major’s disciples were as close as brothers and sisters, they were, at the very least, friends. If Qing Yu killed the insurgents, they would mourn the death of their own.
The Ten Valleys regularly infiltrated each other with spies, but it was very difficult for the spies to climb to positions of importance. The ninth step kings were very perceptive and examined the tiniest things; they didn’t trust even resurrected kings, much less tolerate the presence of spies. Thus, everyone in the highest echelons of power was a trusted comrade.
“Let me tell you something!” The third step king stepped forward with a shout. “Her Eminence the Empyrean King of Hopeless Major is benevolent and kind—she pardoned our crimes long ago! Today marks the day in which Hopeless Major rises again, and it’s time for you petty bandits who once meant us harm to pay the price!”
Turtledove and Windcall looked at each other with shock. There was nothing wrong with Hopeless Major’s internal affairs! The Kaleidoscopic King had underestimated the Empyrean King’s charisma and daring judgment!
Most important of all was that she displayed domineering strength superior to the World King. Though she borrowed certain power from her territory, that was no matter. If the situation was how the third step king said, that Hopeless Major was about to rise, then this was a very unwelcome development.
After all these years, they were accustomed to a weak Hopeless Major being their vanguard and cannon fodder. The smallest member of the ten had no choice in the matter since they lacked a sufficient powerhouse at their helm.
Their rise overnight meant that the interests of the Ten Valleys of Evil needed to be reallocated and most crucially, they keenly remembered their old ruler’s death.
This can’t be allowed to continue further, I must bring word of this back. The others don’t matter, but Origin World must be ready! The Turtledove King whirled around and yanked the Windcall King with him to leave.
A magnificent power swooped down from the sky and locked onto the two of them.
“Since you have come, fellow daoists of Origin World, why are you in such a hurry to leave?” the Soulmask King’s voice rang in the air. “Our eminent one feels deeply sorry for having ruined your great Scroll of Shepherding Immortals and has secluded herself to repair it. When her attempts are complete, Her Eminence will call on Origin World to tender her personal apologies!
“Men, arrange quarters for our guests and make sure they have a good time!” She enunciated “good time” with particular articulation.
The cultivators lining the main palace hall were swift to grasp her meaning and escorted the two visitors out. Color drained from Turtledove and Windcall’s faces when they heard that the Hopeless Major ruler would be paying a personal visit to their home.
Meanwhile, Qing Yu was utilizing the time formation disk that Lu Yun had given her to speed up time within the Nethersoul Formation. The Autumn King’s replicas, strands of consciousness, and other contingencies were swiftly refined through the void.
Thick fear overpowering all other emotion, Autumn was almost out of his mind with panic and dread.
“They’re all gone! Your Eminence, do we kill him now?” Emerald light glittered brightly in Daredevil’s eyes.
“Not yet, killing him now will cause Origin World to be their guard. I’m still planning to pay them a visit.” Qing Yu waved off the suggestion with a faint smile. She reached out and plucked the Autumn King from the formation, stuffing him into her storage treasure.
Naturally, he wanted to self detonate and was quickly prevented from doing so. Lu Yun lacked a ninth step king guardian; Qing Yu would fully relax once the Autumn King became his Infernum.
“The Scroll of Shepherding Immortals is complete!” Lu Yun’s voice suddenly echoed in Qing Yu’s ears. “The little fox is about to break through, bring her back and stand guard for her!”
“Alright!” Qing Yu beamed and grabbed the little fox without a word of explanation, flashing back to her room.
As opposed to her room, it would be more accurate to describe it as a minor world, one that Violetgrave had once resided in. It’d been completely closed off after her departure; not even the previous eminent ruler had set foot in it.
Qing Yu had gifted the scroll to the little fox after she had no use for it and it’d melded with Miao’s nascent spirit. Now that the two scrolls were combined and returned to their origin, the most immediate benefit that the little fox received was ascending to kinghood through cultivation level!
“…oh! I’m about to become a titled king through cultivation!” A gobsmacked little fox finally realized what was going on. “Oof! Yeah, that’s happening!”
Purple light barrelled out of her body and pierced through the minor world, shooting out of Hopeless Major. Everyone in the faction looked up at the beam of resplendent purple light.
Rumble!
The Hongmeng Tower arrived. Instead of a projection, it was the actual tower!
Its replicas numbered in the thousands and they could appear anywhere in the third realm at the same time. The one visiting Hopeless Major, however, was the primary tower!
Beams of light melded into the little fox’s body to forge her dao rules.
“Miao, be careful not to ascend straight into ninth step king! You’ll be hit with a tribulation, ah… wait, the tribulation’s here!” Qing Yu looked around with alarm.
Indeed, the little fox was also a ninth step king as soon as she ascended to kinghood. Nine dao rules soared to the heavens and tunneled into the earth, as if nine pillars holding up the sky.
Their part of the world suddenly darkened as an immense shadow descended upon them, so foreboding that it choked the breath out of their bodies.
There were no tribulations when cultivators ascended to kinghood, but starting off at ninth step king attracted a death tribulation!
Eyes wide open, the little fox summoned the Scroll of Shepherding Immortals to her from the Truefire World cauldron and sent it circling around her.
“That’s not enough, what is it? I can’t even begin to think of resisting it, it’s so strong!” She was completely solemn with no traces of her usual levity to be found.
Lu Yun also released the Bridge of Forgetfulness, but the bridge found nothing out of the ordinary!
“The only way out of this is to destroy one of your dao rules,” Qing Yu murmured. She suddenly raised a streak of sword light and charged the shadow in the sky, buying time for the little fox.
