Strange Changes in the Situation

Xuan Zhen and Lin Xiqiu exchanged a glance. "No wonder those three left. So it was because of this!"

Yang Qingyu, standing nearby, looked utterly bewildered. "Why would Tianxian Dao destroy Tianji Pavilion?"

"What else could it be? It must be for the Struggle for Authority!" Li Jianning said.

"Tianxian Dao has entered the fray. Doesn't that mean the Struggle for Authority has already reached its final stage?" Yang Qingyu came to her senses and said.

Li Jianning grinned. "Who cares whether it's the final stage? All I know is that the Central Region is definitely not going to be peaceful from now on!"

"Could Tianxian Dao attack other forces as well?"

"That's hard to say. Since Tianxian Dao has chosen to act, they'll certainly suppress all the various forces with overwhelming might and eliminate every threat while it's still in its infancy!"

"Aren't they afraid that everyone will rise up against them?"

"They might be, but isn't the Tianxian Dao Master still around?"

Li Jianning and Yang Qingyu began discussing the matter. Yang Zhengshan listened to them and found Li Jianning's reasoning quite convincing.

Since Tianxian Dao had acted, it must have made comprehensive preparations. They were certainly determined to eliminate every threat. Otherwise, they would never have acted so lightly.

If that was the case, then the various forces of the Myriad Flower Domain would probably be unable to escape Tianxian Dao's suppression.

As for whether Tianxian Dao could suppress all the major forces, they did not have the ability to do so based on their strength. Even if the Tianxian Dao Master personally intervened, it would still be difficult to suppress every force.

However, as long as Tianxian Dao displayed a sufficiently forceful attitude, none of the various forces would dare oppose them.

The title of master of the Myriad Flower Domain was not an empty one.

As long as the Tianxian Dao Master remained alive, the other forces would have no chance to rise.

Yang Zhengshan soon understood the crux of the matter. "Let's go. We're heading back!"

With that, he had Yang Qingyu activate the Flying Boat and led everyone back to Chunyang Valley. Of course, Li Jianning and Li Jianan still had to remain in Wanbao Immortal City to oversee the business.

Although Yang Zhengshan had taken back the Grotto-Heaven Portal inside Chunyang Valley, he could put it back at any time.

Now that Tianxian Dao had entered the fray, the Wuchang Ghost Sect certainly would not have the time to cause them trouble for the time being. Thus, Yang Zhengshan returned to the Life Realm Immortal Palace without worry.

After returning to the Life Realm Immortal Palace, Yang Zhengshan immediately put the refinement of the Nine Tripod Divine Pill on the agenda.

Refining the Nine Tripod Divine Pill was extremely difficult, but after gaining experience refining the Myriad Wood Evergreen Pill, Yang Zhengshan was still somewhat confident about refining it.

Yang Zhengshan soon completed his preparations. He once again summoned Zhang Hexuan and Yang Zongyuan to assist him, then began the refinement.

Just as Yang Zhengshan began refining the Nine Tripod Divine Pill, the situation outside had already become turbulent and unpredictable.

Tianji Pavilion had been destroyed.

That was right!

The initial news had only said that Tianxian Dao had attacked the Land of Destiny belonging to Tianji Pavilion. But very soon, the various forces confirmed that Tianji Pavilion had been destroyed by Tianxian Dao.

Even Tianji Shangren had died under the combined assault of several Dao Envoys from Tianxian Dao.

With Tianji Shangren, its pillar, gone, even if Tianji Pavilion still had some remaining forces, it was already powerless to turn the tide.

After the destruction of Tianji Pavilion was confirmed, the various major forces immediately fell into a state of panic.

Within the Hundred Realms Cave Heaven, inside Zhaohui Hall.

The upper echelons of the Wanbao Sect had gathered in the hall, discussing the matter with solemn expressions.

Seated at the head of the hall was a lean old man dressed in a black robe. His hair and beard were completely white, and his kind, benevolent features gave him quite the bearing of an immortal.

Wan Hong, Sect Master of the Wanbao Sect, was also its strongest individual.

Unlike other sects, in the Wanbao Sect, whoever possessed the highest cultivation could take the position of Sect Master. In other sects, the position was generally given to someone skilled at handling mundane affairs. Though such a Sect Master wielded great authority, he could not have the final say in everything.

Wan Hong was different. He was the Sect Master, and he possessed absolute prestige within the Wanbao Sect. Few people would question his decisions.

Of course, under normal circumstances, he did not act arbitrarily.

That was because the Wanbao Sect was actually more like an alliance of immortal clans. Within the Wanbao Sect were three major immortal clans: the Wan Family, the Zhongli Family, and the Situ Family. There were also four minor immortal clans: the Jiang Family, the Lin Family, the Li Family, and the Zhang Family.

At present, the Wanbao Sect was a sect formed by these seven families. Of course, the Wanbao Sect also had many disciples, but those disciples essentially served the seven immortal clans.

They operated Wanbao Immortal City and Wanbao Pavilion, providing the seven families with various resources. At the same time, the sect formed by the seven families provided them with protection and allocated resources to them.

The immortal clans within the Wanbao Sect were not fixed. If a clan had no Golden Core cultivator, it would be kicked out of the upper echelons. If one of its disciples became a Golden Core cultivator, that disciple's family would become a spokesperson for the sect.

Thus, Wan Hong, the Sect Master, was more like an alliance leader.

He did not need to handle all kinds of mundane affairs, but he did need to preside over the overall situation of the Wanbao Sect.

Wan Hong looked at the people below, his gaze eventually settling on Duobao True Monarch and Jinhua Zhenjun, who were seated in the front row.

There was no need to say much about Duobao True Monarch. As for Jinhua Zhenjun, she was the Golden Core Ancestor of the Situ Family. She was a female cultivator with regular features and a steady bearing. She lacked the lofty, inviolable extraordinary refinement of an immortal maiden, but she inspired a formidable awe that made people respect her without anger.

If not for her clothing and appearance being more feminine, one might even have taken her for a man.

"Duobao, Jinhua, what are your thoughts on Tianxian Dao?" Wan Hong asked.

Duobao True Monarch stroked his silvery-white beard and pondered without speaking.

Jinhua Zhenjun said directly, "What else can we think? Since they've already acted, we should keep a low profile!"

"Keep a low profile?" Wan Hong revealed a thoughtful expression.

Tianxian Dao's might was truly immense. At the very least, Wan Hong currently had no intention of opposing them.

Likewise, Jinhua Zhenjun had no such intention. Both of them held a measure of awe toward Tianxian Dao.

"I'm only afraid that even if we don't want to provoke them, they'll come and provoke us!" Duobao True Monarch said.

"That's right. Since they've already acted, how could they overlook us?" Wan Hong felt uneasy.

Jinhua Zhenjun furrowed her brows. "Then we should avoid them for a while!"

"How?" Duobao True Monarch looked at her.

"Seal the Hundred Realms Cave Heaven," Jinhua Zhenjun said.

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone's brows furrowed.

Sealing the Hundred Realms Cave Heaven sounded simple, but it was not easy to do.

Yang Zhengshan had been able to seal the Life Realm Immortal Palace because the Yang Family had not had many assets in the outside world at the time.

The Wanbao Sect was different. Outside, the Wanbao Sect possessed not only Wanbao Immortal City but also many Wanbao Trading Companies.

If the Wanbao Sect sealed the Hundred Realms Cave Heaven, it would be equivalent to abandoning Wanbao Immortal City and all those Wanbao Trading Companies.

That would be almost the same as giving up the foundation of the Wanbao Sect.

Seeing that everyone seemed to oppose her suggestion, Jinhua Zhenjun continued, "We aren't afraid of those Dao Envoys from Tianxian Dao, but what if the Dao Master comes?"

"Could we possibly withstand the might of a Dao Master?"

Upon hearing this, everyone could not help sighing again.

Who could withstand the Tianxian Dao Master?

Even if the Tianxian Dao Master had reached the At the End of One's Life stage, he was still not someone they could withstand.

The Wanbao Sect possessed many trump cards. Perhaps they could fight the Tianxian Dao Master, but no one dared guarantee that they could win.

"Can't we wait and see first? Perhaps they won't attack us," someone said.

Jinhua Zhenjun glanced over at the speaker. "How can we cling to luck when our lives and deaths are at stake?"

Would Tianxian Dao attack the Wanbao Sect?

Apart from the people of Tianxian Dao, no one knew.

Perhaps they would. Perhaps they would not.

But they could not place their hopes on "perhaps."

They either had to prepare for a desperate battle or hide and avoid the storm for a while.

"Then can we join forces with other factions to oppose Tianxian Dao?" someone else suggested.

This time, Jinhua Zhenjun did not object, but Duobao True Monarch spoke up. "Who can we ally with? The Wuchang Ghost Sect or the Hengshan Sect?"

An alliance with the Wuchang Ghost Sect was naturally impossible. Although the Wanbao Sect had no grudge against the Wuchang Ghost Sect, they had no friendship with them either. They had always disliked the Wuchang Ghost Sect's way of doing things.

The Hengshan Sect was a possibility, but it was also a competitor of the Wanbao Sect. Both sides wanted to compete for the Position of Authority. Under such circumstances, how could they establish a foundation of trust, let alone form a close alliance?

If they could not form a close alliance, it would be meaningless.

Clearly, joining forces with other factions was unreliable.

Wan Hong took a deep breath and said solemnly, "Then seal the Hundred Realms Cave Heaven."

Everyone fell silent, tacitly accepting Wan Hong's decision.

Of course, sealing the Hundred Realms Cave Heaven did not mean that the Wanbao Sect would completely abandon everything in the outside world.

The Wanbao Sect was reputed to possess a hundred grotto-heavens. The Hundred Realms Cave Heaven was the core grotto-heaven and could be sealed temporarily, but portals to the other grotto-heavens could still be left outside.

Wan Hong's idea was actually the same as Yang Zhengshan's: open a portal in some remote mountain ravine. That would seal the Hundred Realms Cave Heaven while maintaining contact with the outside world.

Although this would greatly affect Wanbao Immortal City and the Wanbao Trading Companies, it would not cause the Wanbao Sect to completely lose its foundation outside.

The Wanbao Sect soon took action. They first recalled the Golden Core cultivators stationed outside, then entrusted Wanbao Immortal City to the Four Great Immortal Clans. Finally, they activated the Protection Formation in the inner city and closed the passage between the Hundred Realms Cave Heaven and the outside world.

The Wanbao Sect's actions immediately caused a disturbance in the Myriad Flower Central Region. Even the Wanbao Sect had hidden itself away, so what about the other forces?

The Hengshan Sect did not hide because it still had to fight the South Sea Demon Court.

The Wuchang Ghost Sect did not hide either because it still had to fight the Wanhua Demon Court.

However, the battlefields of both sides suddenly fell silent. Whether it was the Hengshan Sect and the Wuchang Ghost Sect or the South Sea Demon Court and the Wanhua Demon Court, all four forces chose to cease hostilities at this time.

For a time, it seemed as though the entire Myriad Flower Domain had become peaceful. The war that had lasted for a century entered a rare period of peace.

Everyone was waiting to see how Tianxian Dao would react, yet Tianxian Dao also fell silent.

Tianxian Dao naturally possessed its own grotto-heaven, and its core forces were within that grotto-heaven. However, Tianxian Dao also had a base in the outside world: the Tianxian Dao Court.

The Tianxian Dao Court was located at the center of the Central Region, east of the Wilderness of Ten Thousand Waters and north of the Hengshan Mountain Range, atop Tianwei Mountain.

Tianwei Mountain could not be considered a majestic mountain. It was merely a peak of moderate height.

Yet this mountain was the most imposing peak in the Myriad Flower Domain because the Tianxian Dao Court stood on its mountain top.

A mountain need not be tall; where an immortal dwelled, it possessed spirit.

Tianwei Mountain had once been bustling beyond compare, but now it was incomparably desolate. There was no Spiritual Light on the mountain, nor could any figures be seen. Even the golden roof of the Dao Court had vanished.

At first, no one noticed this. But as time passed, many people suddenly discovered that the Tianxian Dao Court had disappeared.

The Tianxian Dao Court had disappeared?

How was that possible?

Everyone who received this news wore an expression of disbelief.

Apart from Tianxian Dao itself, who could make the Tianxian Dao Court disappear from Tianwei Mountain?

But why would Tianxian Dao take away the Tianxian Dao Court?

Such an eerie situation made the various forces even less willing to act rashly.

And so, peace actually continued to hold throughout the Myriad Flower Domain.

The Myriad Flower Domain had become peaceful. No one had expected such a development.

Even Yang Zhengshan found it baffling.

Inside the Pill Hall.

Yang Zhengshan, who was refining pills, heard the news from Lin Xiqiu and could not help freezing for a moment.

"How could the Tianxian Dao Court have disappeared?"

He watched the situation inside the Spirit Sealing Profound Fire Furnace while muttering to himself, surprised and doubtful.

Lin Xiqiu shook his head. "Who knows? Apparently, it had already disappeared some time ago. It might have vanished after they destroyed Tianji Pavilion!"

"Did they hide away too? Good grief, are they playing hide-and-seek?" Yang Zhengshan said.

It was one thing for other people to hide. After all, everyone feared an attack from Tianxian Dao.

But why would Tianxian Dao hide?

Could there be an existence in the Myriad Flower Domain that even Tianxian Dao feared?

Yang Zhengshan's heart stirred. That was not necessarily impossible.

"Is there an existence in the Myriad Flower Domain that Tianxian Dao fears?"

Lin Xiqiu froze. "There shouldn't be, right?"

"If there isn't one in the Myriad Flower Domain, what about beyond the Myriad Flower Domain?" Yang Zhengshan asked.

"What do you mean?" Lin Xiqiu did not understand Yang Zhengshan's thoughts for a moment.

Yang Zhengshan's eyes shone as he said, "There's more than one realm boundary in the Great Void. More accurately, countless realm boundaries exist within the Great Void. We can't travel to other realm boundaries because we're afraid of becoming lost in the Great Void, but could cultivators from other realm boundaries really be unable to find the Myriad Flower Domain?"

"The Tianxian Dao Master isn't a true Dao Master. He's only a Lord of Authority!"

"There isn't a true Dao Master in the Myriad Flower Domain, but does that mean there aren't any in the other realm boundaries?"

"If a Dao Master visited the Myriad Flower Domain, do you think the Tianxian Dao Master would be wary?"

Lin Xiqiu was stunned for a long time before saying, "But why would a Dao Master from another realm boundary come to the Myriad Flower Domain? Could he want the Position of Authority too?"

"A Dao Master naturally wouldn't need the Position of Authority, but what about his relatives and friends, or his descendants?" Yang Zhengshan said.

Lin Xiqiu frowned. "There are no legends about this in the Myriad Flower Domain!"

"Having no legends doesn't mean there are no facts." Yang Zhengshan felt that his guess made sense. Otherwise, there was no other reason that could explain why Tianxian Dao had hidden itself.