Nine Kings Meeting, the Golden Pool Is About to Open

Not long after, Inside the palace on Great Lo Peak, Sky Vulture Emperor returned to the main hall. He cupped his hands toward the still-sullen Lin Jing and said with a smile, "Miss Lin, congratulations."

"Just now, our Domain Lord contacted your Realm Mistress through the cross-continent communication array."

"She agreed to let you stay, but only for one year. After that year is up, your Martial Realm will send someone to take you back. What do you think?"

"Really?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Jing instantly raised her head, her sparkling eyes fixed on Sky Vulture Emperor, her face full of incredulous delight.

"This old man would not dare falsify a notice from the Martial Realm."

Sky Vulture Emperor stroked his beard and smiled.

"I knew it. My mother is the best."

A bright smile immediately bloomed across Lin Jing's face, her eyes brimming with sweetness.

Lu Chen and Nine Nether exchanged a glance, surprise flickering in both their eyes as they communicated through voice transmission.

"What do we do next?"

"What else can we do? Since the Martial Realm has already spoken, we can only accept it."

"But there's no need to worry about this girl's safety from now on. Since the Martial Realm knows, they'll definitely arrange guards for her. They might already be on their way. We just need to wait patiently."

Nine Nether nodded slightly at his words.

When it came to such major matters, Lu Chen had always been more decisive than she was. Although she came from the Nine Netherbird Clan, she had always relied on strength to settle matters and disliked thinking about such troublesome things.

"Now that Miss Lin's matter has been resolved, Little Nine Nether, there is something else this old man must remind you about."

Seeing that none of the three objected to the Martial Realm's arrangements, Sky Vulture Emperor turned to Nine Nether, his expression becoming serious.

Hearing this, Nine Nether quickly sat upright and said, "Vulture Elder, please speak. I'm listening."

"The Nine Kings Meeting will be held tomorrow. Since returning these past few years, you have not attended it even once. Spirit Eye Emperor has quite a few complaints about that."

"Ordinarily, this old man could delay things for you a while longer. But tomorrow's meeting is unusual—it will determine the quotas for the upcoming Great Lo Golden Pool. Your Nine Nether Palace never participated in this matter in previous years, so I never mentioned it to you."

"In previous years, Nine Nether Palace's quota was divided among the other eight kings. If Nine Nether Palace wishes to participate in this year's contest for the Golden Pool, then you must attend tomorrow's Nine Kings Meeting."

"But there is no need for you to worry. You only need to make an appearance at the meeting. This old man will naturally recover Nine Nether Palace's allotted quota for you."

Sky Vulture Emperor said with a genial smile as he stroked his beard.

Upon hearing this, Nine Nether and Lu Chen exchanged a glance, then bowed to Sky Vulture Emperor in thanks. "Then we'll have to trouble you, Senior/Vulture Elder."

"Mm. If there is nothing else, then go back."

"This old man still has affairs within the domain to handle and has no time to chat with you."

"If you intend to participate in the contest for the Golden Pool, then go back and cultivate properly. Do not slack off. If not this time, there will still be another opportunity."

Sky Vulture Emperor nodded. Without wasting words on pleasantries, he straightforwardly issued an order to see them off.

"Then we juniors shall take our leave."

Lu Chen's expression turned solemn as he cupped his hands.

Nine Nether and Lin Jing also bid Sky Vulture Emperor farewell in turn.

Afterward, the three left together.

After they had gone, Sky Vulture Emperor finally let out a sigh of relief. The vague sensation of being watched vanished at once, and only then did he turn and head toward Golden Pool Peak.

He had to quickly deliver the Grand Purity Profound Ice Leaf to the Domain Lord.

The next day.

The heart of Great Lo Heaven, Great Lo Peak.

Great Lo Peak was clearly especially bustling today. The sounds of rushing wind continually rang through the sky as streaks of light flew in from afar, finally landing atop the towering peak.

At the summit of Great Lo Peak stood a majestic hall in silence. It exuded an ancient aura, as though it had remained since primordial times, inspiring awe in all who saw it.

Before the hall lay a vast platform. All the streaks of light landed upon it, gathering in distinct clusters, clearly belonging to different factions.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, three streams of light swept over from the distant horizon and landed on the platform.

"Hmm, isn't that the Nine Nether King? She actually came back?"

"I heard she went to undergo her tribulation. To achieve Transcending Spirit Transformation at such an age—her talent is truly astonishing!"

"Hehe, what use is talent? These past years, Nine Nether Palace has been severely suppressed by several kings led by Blood Eagle King. Its territory has nearly been swallowed up entirely. I heard they can barely even afford to maintain the Nine Nether Guard within the palace..."

"Sigh, with Sky Vulture Emperor backing her, she should at least be able to recover some of it..."

"Hehe, so what if there's Sky Vulture Emperor? He still has to follow our Domain Lord's rules. In territorial disputes between subordinate factions, the various emperors and kings are not allowed to interfere..."

Ignoring the murmurs around her as though she had not heard them, Nine Nether merely looked toward a group on the left side of the platform, her narrow, beautiful eyes slightly narrowing.

Behind her stood the arriving Lu Chen and Tang Bing, who had already broken through to the Supreme Realm.

As for Lin Jing, she had yet to cultivate a Supreme Sovereign Celestial Body. Even if they secured a slot for her, it would be useless, so she had remained at Nine Nether Palace with Tang Rou.

Following Nine Nether's gaze, Lu Chen saw a middle-aged man with blood-red hair standing at the front of that group.

His eyes were exceedingly sharp and sinister, like a hawk looking down upon its prey, ready at any moment to deliver a fatal strike.

At that moment, he was also smiling at Nine Nether as he made a throat-slitting gesture in her direction.

"That is the Blood Eagle King..."

Tang Bing quietly reminded Lu Chen beside him.

Lu Chen nodded, but his gaze landed on the man standing behind the Blood Eagle King.

He was a man dressed in white. He was fairly handsome, but his expression was somewhat stiff at the moment, and he kept his head slightly lowered, not daring to look at Nine Nether ahead of him.

Seeing this, Lu Chen already understood. This person must be Cao Feng, the one who had left Nine Nether Palace...

"Cao Feng, it has been so long since you saw your old master. Why are you acting so distant?"

"Why don't you go up and greet the Nine Nether King? Rekindle those feelings. Back then, she certainly did not raise you for nothing..."

The Blood Eagle King folded his arms and said casually with a smile.

Only then did Cao Feng raise his head. He stiffly cupped his hands toward Nine Nether and said, "Greetings, Nine Nether King!"

Nine Nether swept her gaze over him indifferently, paying him no attention at all. Instead, she looked at the Blood Eagle King beside him. "Blood Eagle, everything you have taken from my Nine Nether Palace over the years—you should prepare to spit it all back out."

"Oh, oh, oh. Our little Nine Nether has not improved much in cultivation after all these years, but her temper has certainly grown."

"If you want it, then take it with your own ability. But when that time comes, do not blame me for refusing to give Sky Vulture Emperor any face."

The Blood Eagle King gave a sinister smile, his words full of arrogance.

Nine Nether had backing, but so did he. The Da Luo Territory was not ruled by Sky Vulture Emperor alone. As for Spirit Eye Emperor, he had paid his respects every year.

Nine Nether gave a cold snort and stopped bothering with him, striding toward the great hall.

Lu Chen gave Cao Feng a deep look before following after her with Tang Bing.