Starspace Region was different from other regions as it was a fertile hinterland rich with resources. More than a thousand large crystal veins ran through it, so the Enforcer Alliance would never relinquish the territory.
Not only were they sending out their kings, but they were also sending out their geniuses to fight the ghost race and gain further experience. This meant that the venerated enforcer would certainly come to Cloudruin Region.
If the Enforcer Alliance was on the scene, then there was nothing for Cloudruin Region to worry about.
Additionally, since the alliance safeguarded the Hongmeng, they were deeply beloved and would be answered by many factions if they issued a call to arms. Even a significant region like Multitude would send out kings and geniuses to reinforce Starspace and other surrounding regions.
At the very least, the Bloodclad Duke of Multitude Region had already arrived.
“Apart from the Champion and Bloodclad Dukes, many other geniuses of the realm are already in the city. None of them have a duke title, so things are about to get interesting.” The Earthmartial King looked at Lu Yun’s position with some amusement.
As for the Dawn King—city lord of Cloudexit City—he was just a first step king and one of the weaker ones among his peers. The Earthmartial King didn’t think much of him at all.
……
Lu Yun called himself the Champion Duke—a champion of an entire army. Far from being a random title, it’d been a rank of nobility in the Han Dynasty. He’d set foot on the immortal dao due to a layout of absolute death in a Han Dynasty tomb on Earth. After it killed him, the Tome of Life and Death brought him to the world of immortals.
That Han Dynasty tomb was his beginning; he’d been a minor tomb raider before that, an ant on Earth.
“So you’re the Champion Duke?” An athletic young man dressed in a combat outfit barred Lu Yun’s way. He looked suspiciously at the stranger. “I’ve never seen you before or heard of your name. You call yourself the Champion Duke as soon as you show your face—you’re not another Extraordinary Duke, are you?”
The Extraordinary Duke referred to Zhuo Bufan—he whose name meant extraordinary and remarkable.
That good-for-nothing second generation became the laughingstock of the Hongmeng after the Starspace King bestowed him the title of the Extraordinary Duke, on account of his father. Rather than feeling shame at the undeserved honor, Zhuo Bufan delighted in smug pride.
The title “Extraordinary Duke” was an insult in the Hongmeng, the equivalent of calling one a blockhead.
“Oh? What knowledge might you have to impart?” Lu Yun raised an eyebrow. He knew that he’d attract dissatisfaction from other geniuses if he used this name in Cloudexit City.
Dukes were second only to kings, a sign of acknowledgement from the entire realm for the half step king in question. All of them won their title and general acceptance only after countless battles—dukes like Zhuo Bufan being the exception.
“I wouldn’t dare say I have knowledge to impart, I just want to weigh up your abilities and see by what right do you have to call yourself a duke!”
Humm!
The young man grasped at empty air with his right hand and came back with sharp blade light that condensed into a gleaming broadsword. He pointed it at Lu Yun.
“Li Zhen of the Li Clan in Azure Dragon Region,” the young man gave his name and background.
Azure Dragon Region!
Lu Yun’s eyebrows rose further—this was a major region in the Hongmeng and the rumored birthplace of the first azure dragon in the realm. It’d created Dragonhollow Mountain and the ancestral blood that Dragon Butterfly wanted was blood that the azure dragon had left behind before its death.
Such was the law of the four divisions and a layout present in all three realms. The four sacred beasts existed everywhere, and Lu Yun had yet to determine the nature of the relationship between them.
In the Hongmeng, the azure dragon was the ancestor of all dragons. All dragon bloodlines originated from it, a different development compared to the chaos and worlds.
The dragon ancestor in the chaos was the chaos dragon and wielder of the Dragonquake Scripture. Chaos dragons were once the foremost clan in the second realm.
In the worlds, the azure dragon had become a god due to certain influences. The Azure Dragon King was of its bloodline and the patriarch of the clan. Another kind of dragon occupied the role of the dragon ancestor.
The Li Clan was a major clan in Azure Dragon Region and they possessed a very diluted dragon bloodline. They’d broken off from Dragonhollow Mountain at some point to form their own faction.
Li Zhen was a strong half step king genius among his clan and only a hair’s breadth away from becoming king. However, he wasn’t a duke since he’d once failed his challenge of the Purpleclad Duke.
Thus, he naturally objected to a random superior realm cultivator calling himself a duke. He knew full well how strong they really were.
“Champion Duke of Trueriver Sect in Multitude Region!” Lu Yun collected pale blue light into sword light with a wave of his hand. It turned into a flying sword one meter long, cerulean blue in color and lacking a hilt or guard. It shifted over his palm like a wraith.
“A flying sword refined from Stellar Light Magneticus!” Li Zhen gasped when he saw the pale blue sword.
“No, not Stellar Light Magneticus. It’s actually made from Stellar Stone Magneticus.” Lu Yun smiled faintly.
“It looks like the Trueriver Sect does have a deep relationship with the Immortal King!” Li Zhen digested the unpleasant revelation.
Stellar Light Magneticus was already frightening enough, but Stellar Stone Magneticus was its root and could release infinite light. The Champion Duke’s sword could most likely slay kings!
“Naturally,” Lu Yun responded without skipping a beat. “My sect was neighbors with the Immortal Pagoda and we often helped each other. We were forced out of Multitude City because of the pagoda’s affairs, so the Immortal King gifted us many treasures as reparation. This Stellar Sword is one of them.”
His words weren’t false as the two had once stood across the street from each other. They had no conflict of interest and it was natural for neighbors to lend a helping hand. Trueriver Sect had taken care of many troubles for Lu Yun; the two were secret allies.
Why else would he have given them nine thousand premium crystal veins in one go? If it’d been anyone else, gifting them a dozen veins would be extraordinarily generous.
Lu Yun pretending to be a Trueriver disciple was also something he’d discussed beforehand with the Trueriver King. Meanwhile, the Stellar Sword was a weapon he’d refined for himself. He’d given Quiet to Qing Yu as the sword was too flashy. He didn’t dare bring it out for use.
All of his Stellar Stone Magneticus had been melded into the Purple Stellar Mountain, the material for this flying sword had been looted from Origin World. There’d been half a kilogram of it, enough for his purposes.
Li Zhen took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Alright then, show me how strong a sword made of Stellar Stone Magneticus is!”
Whoosh!
He stepped forward with a burst of keen light from his broadsword and brought it down on Lu Yun’s head. It was a straightforward stroke with no embellishment, closing their gap with the shortest distance possible.
Nearby superior realm cultivators and patrolling guards quickly backed away, not wanting to be caught in the area of effect. This was the move of a half step king!
“Well met!” Lu Yun shouted and answered with a similarly direct slash. The Stellar Sword was a ray of blue light that crashed into snowy brilliance.
Clang!
A crisp collision sounded in the air as Li Zhen’s domineering sword clattered to the ground in two pieces.
