Thousand Sects Gather at Holy Lion City

"Young Miss, there's no need for the family to intervene. The Misty Cloud Sect is already close to ruin."

"Elder Ling, why do you say that?" Gu Xun Er asked.

Ling Ying chuckled and said, "The Misty Cloud Sect is constantly expanding its influence, which has already attracted the attention of certain individuals in the northwest. If this continues, someone will surely take action.

Furthermore, if you were to send word to the Ancient Clan, would you still have a chance to remain at Jia Nan Academy? Your clan members would undoubtedly bring you back."

The Ancient Eight Clans were powerful not only because they possessed numerous Dou Saint powerhouses but also because each ancient family controlled the cultivation resources of the major regions in the southeast, northwest, east, and west.

The development trend of the Misty Cloud Sect had already made certain families and forces take notice, which was why Ling Ying judged the Misty Cloud Sect's future tragic end.

Gu Xun Er furrowed her delicate brows. She truly hadn't considered this point. "Elder Ling, which family governs the Northwest Continent region?"

Ling Ying replied, "The west belongs to metal and is governed by the Shi Clan; the east belongs to wood and is governed by the Lei Clan; the north belongs to water and is governed by the Ling Clan; the south belongs to fire and is governed by the Yan Clan. The Central Plains belong to earth, with the Central Plains governed by the Ancient Clan, Yao Clan, and Soul Clan. The Northwest Continent lies in the gap between the west and north, naturally falling under the control of the Shi Clan and Ling Clan."

Gu Xun Er asked, "Even so, would the Shi Clan and Ling Clan truly intervene?"

Ling Ying said, "They definitely will. Although many major powers on the Northwest Continent appear strong, they pay tribute annually to the regions governed by the Ancient Clans. This newly risen major power, the Misty Cloud Empire, has not reported itself to the regional representatives of the Shi and Ling Clans since its establishment. The consequences are predictable."

Gu Xun Er nodded, but she was still somewhat angry. "But they bullied my brother Xiao Yan. I don't want them to live for a few more days. Here's what you do: send a message back to the Ancient Clan saying that I, this young lady, was bullied by the Misty Cloud Sect. It would be best if that Gu Yao fellow found out. Hehe, Gu Yao has the support of Elder Tong Xuan behind him. No matter how powerful the Misty Cloud Sect is, they can't stand against a Half-Saint, right?"

Ten short days passed in the blink of an eye, and it was already the day of the Lion Underworld Sect's grand ceremony.

Ye Qianqian, dressed in luxurious attire, brought Yun Shan, She Qingqing, Saber, and Wang Ba, boarding a Dou Qi Warship and heading towards the direction of the Lion Underworld Sect.

The Qing Luan warship flew at a very high speed, fueled by the combustion of thousands of Dou Qi crystals. However, the Misty Cloud Sect was at least ten thousand miles away from the Lion Underworld Sect. To alleviate the boredom on the journey, Ye Qianqian took out a deck of cards and taught Yun Shan and the others how to play Dou Dizhu.

"Elder She Qingqing, aren't you playing?" Ye Qianqian asked, noticing She Qingqing's solemn expression.

She Qingqing shook her head with a wry smile. She was in no mood to play right now. The Lion Underworld Sect's grand invitation to over a thousand major sects must have some immeasurable secret. It was still unknown whether their trip would bring fortune or misfortune.

"Forget it, I won't play either," Ye Qianqian said, putting down the cards in her hand. She turned to Wang Ba and She Qingqing and said, "You two are both familiar with the sects of the Northwest Continent. Why don't you tell me what kind of sect this Lion Underworld Sect is?"

This Lion Underworld Sect had always been unfamiliar to her. In the previous timeline's plot, it was merely a minor character that was wiped out by Xiao Laosan after only a few appearances. Thus, she was very curious.

As the branch master of the Hall of Souls, Wang Ba possessed thorough intelligence on the Lion Underworld Sect. Seeing Ye Qianqian's question, he immediately began to slowly recount the sect's origin and strength.

"The Lion Underworld Sect originated from a Nine-Turn Dou Venerate named Venerate Tian Shi. Two thousand years ago, this expert named Venerate Tian Shi made a fearsome name for himself on the Dou Qi Continent. He was also a beast tamer, a profession on par with Alchemists.

According to legend, Venerate Tian Shi raised a Nether Mighty Lion with the strength of an Eight-Turn Dou Venerate. When facing strong enemies, the human and the lion would complement each other, and they would not fear even a siege by two Nine-Turn Dou Venerate powerhouses."

Yun Shan and Ye Qianqian were slightly surprised. This Lion Underworld Sect was founded by a Nine-Turn Dou Venerate? It seemed truly extraordinary.

"So, does this mean the Lion Underworld Sect has a Nine-Turn Dou Venerate powerhouse presiding over it?"

She Qingqing shook her head and said, "Not exactly. No matter how powerful Venerate Tian Shi was, he was ultimately just a rogue cultivator of the first tier. He was too arrogant at the time and didn't put anyone else in his eyes. He directly angered the person governing the Northwest Continent on behalf of the Ancient Clans. That governing individual was actually a Half-Saint. Within a few breaths, he erased Venerate Tian Shi with a single palm strike.

Since then, the Lion Underworld Sect has declined. To preserve the sect, they obediently pay tribute to the Ancient Clans every year. With sects like the Lion Underworld Sect leading the way, other major sects also offered their tribute. My Heavenly Snake Mansion did the same."

Hearing Wang Ba and She Qingqing's words, Ye Qianqian's mood became extremely terrible. This Northwest Continent was actually under the jurisdiction of the Ancient Clans. If the Misty Cloud Sect wished to develop and grow stronger, it would likely face oppression from the Ancient Clans as well.

As if sensing Ye Qianqian's worries, Wang Ba continued, "Senior, please don't be disheartened. The Ancient Clans have a common iron rule on the Dou Qi Continent: Half-Saint and Dou Saint powerhouses absolutely cannot make a move casually. Anyone who does will face accusations from other clans."

"Heh heh," Ye Qianqian's face darkened, her mouth twitching uncontrollably. The person was already dead, what use were accusations!

It seemed she had to speed up her development. Otherwise, if a Half-Saint from an Ancient Clan made a move, she wouldn't even have a speck of dust left.

The group discussed the various situations on the Northwest Continent a bit more, and the warship finally arrived at Holy Lion City.

This city was magnificent and resplendent, covering an area of forty li in circumference, twice the size of Jiama Sacred City. From the sky, it looked like a scene of bustling prosperity.

At the same time, below, numerous sects and forces were also flocking towards this city, all representatives and sect masters from various factions.

After disembarking from the warship, She Qingqing waved her delicate hand, storing the Qing Luan warship into her storage ring.

Yun Shan said, "Ancestor, the resting place for the major sects is just ahead. Let's go register and check in! I heard the Lion Underworld Sect has arranged a high-class resting place for us."

Most of the major sects had already arrived, waiting for the Lion Underworld Sect's grand ceremony to begin tomorrow. Yun Shan was both excited and thrilled. If not for the appearance of the ancestor Ye Qianqian, a sect master of a small sect like his would never have had the opportunity to stay in a high-class resting place.

"No rush, let's stroll around Holy Lion City first," Ye Qianqian said, extremely curious about this city and wanting to look around.

She approached a street stall and crouched down to examine the items. Her eyes suddenly lit up.

The items sold at this stall were extremely precious: over ten Tier 2 magic cores, five or six bottles of Grade 3 Qi Gathering Powder, and a sword crafted by a Tier 4 Alchemist.

With so many valuable items being sold at a street stall, wasn't she afraid of them being stolen?

Looking at the other stalls, they basically had the same items. This made her sigh at the power of the Lion Underworld Sect, as they didn't even seem to care about Tier 3 and Tier 4 items.

"Hey, kid, that knife on your back is nice. Name your price!"

Just then, a burly man walked over, pointing at the Zanpakuto on Wang Ba's back and asking greedily.

Wang Ba ignored the man and walked away.

However, the burly man was uncivilized. He grabbed Wang Ba's shoulder and said, "Kid, I'm talking to you, didn't you hear me?"

"Get lost," Wang Ba gently shook his shoulder, sending the burly man flying backward. After rolling on the ground for more than ten times, he sat down with a thud.

"Damn it, do you know who I am? I'm the sect master of the Myriad Blade Sect, a Nine-Star Dou Spirit realm expert, and an honored guest invited by the Lion Underworld Sect. How dare you provoke me, it's an unforgivable crime! I'm in a good mood today, so I'll let you off."

The burly man was terrified by Wang Ba's strength. A foul-smelling yellow liquid dripped from his pant legs; he had actually wet himself in fear. After uttering a threat, he fled in a panic.

"Pfft," Ye Qianqian couldn't help but laugh. At the same time, she was extremely puzzled. What was the Lion Underworld Sect doing, inviting even a small sect whose master was not even a Dou King?

However, as soon as she descended, she felt that this city was a bit off. The surroundings were enveloped by a strange soul power. If she hadn't eaten the Soul-Soul Fruit, she wouldn't have been able to sense this fluctuation at all.

Coincidentally, Wang Ba also sensed this power.

"Wang Ba, you are the Hall Master of the Hall of Souls, and your understanding of souls is quite high. Can you sense where the source of this fluctuation is?"

Upon hearing Ye Qianqian's question, Wang Ba quickly closed his eyes and used a soul secret technique to investigate. After a moment, he suddenly opened his eyes and said, "It should be underground!"

"Underground?"

Ye Qianqian found the grand ceremony of the Lion Underworld Sect increasingly mysterious.

"Oh my, so it's the esteemed guests from the Misty Cloud Sect who have arrived. We apologize for not welcoming you sooner!" At this moment, an elder with white hair and a youthful complexion, followed by a team of disciples, walked over with a hearty laugh.

Everyone looked and saw that the elder's strength had actually reached the realm of a two-star Dou Venerate.

The elder smiled and cupped his hands towards Yun Shan and the others, saying, "This old man is Shi Yutian, the Grand Elder of the Lion Underworld Sect. I have been waiting here for a long time today, specifically to welcome the esteemed guests from the Misty Cloud Sect. I have already prepared a welcoming banquet for you all. Please accompany this old man."