Heroes Gather

That pressure was terrifying in the extreme, filled with an aura that forced men to submit. It nearly crushed Wang Ding flat to the ground; if not for his firm will, he would probably already have been kneeling.

I can't kneel. In this world, no one can make me kneel, Wang Ding roared in his heart. Just as he was about to be unable to hold on any longer, the pressure suddenly vanished, and the golden pillar of light deep in the mountain range disappeared as well. However, a continuous phantom of celestial palaces appeared in the sky above the mountains.

The instant the pressure disappeared, Wang Ding collapsed onto the ground as if all strength had left him. Sweat beaded all over his body, and he gasped violently for breath. It was clear how much stamina that brief moment had consumed.

Before Wang Ding could recover, dozens of unimaginably powerful auras suddenly appeared at the horizon and flew toward the phantom in the sky. Feeling those majestic presences, the joy Wang Ding had felt from just breaking through vanished without a trace in an instant.

Wang Ding had never felt so insignificant as he did now. In the eyes of those people in the sky, an existence like him was probably not even worth an ant.

Wang Ding had never yearned for power as much as he did now. I must become as powerful as them. No, I must become even stronger. I will surpass everything. My fate must be grasped in my own hands. I will never let anyone else rule my life. Wang Ding looked at the mighty figures in the sky, raging flames in his eyes—the longing for power.

It had only been a quarter of an hour since those dozens of figures had reached the phantom of celestial palaces in the sky when, one after another, over a hundred cultivators riding magical treasures charged toward the phantom from the horizon.

Among the dozens who had arrived first, one elderly cultivator with a face full of arrogance went out to meet the crowd and shouted, "The God Sect is handling affairs here. Unrelated parties, get lost, or be killed without mercy."

The cultivators who arrived later instantly exploded into an uproar with a boom. A sinister voice rang out from within the crowd: "Killed without mercy? The God Sect truly has such grand prestige. This phenomenon shook heaven and earth; it must be the birth of a treasure hoard. Could it be that your God Sect wants to swallow the treasure all by yourselves?" The cultivators joined in, clamoring, "That's right. Could it be your God Sect wants to monopolize it? Fellow Daoists under heaven will not agree."

The arrogant-faced elderly cultivator looked at the clamoring cultivators and immediately flew into embarrassed rage, roaring, "What are you shouting for? Central Province has been the Daoist field of my God Sect since ancient times. This treasure hoard must have been left behind by a senior of my God Sect, so by rights it belongs to my God Sect."

At this moment, that sinister voice sounded again: "Then are we Rogue Cultivators of Central Province also the house slaves of your God Sect?"

The old Daoist's expression changed, and he shouted sharply, "What rat dares hide there? Roll out here." As soon as he finished speaking, he immediately struck. A great white hand of vital energy grabbed into the crowd, and a panicked, ugly-faced middle-aged Daoist was seized out. The Daoist struggled incessantly within the vital-energy hand, trying to escape its confinement.

The God Sect Daoist said, "All of you, look clearly. This is the fate of those who oppose my God Sect."

With that, he controlled the great hand of vital energy and clenched hard. The middle-aged Daoist's expression changed, but before he could make a sound, he was crushed alive until he exploded. Blood splashed down in all directions, and the crowd of Rogue Cultivators was instantly shocked.

"Too vicious. Too tyrannical."

"Doesn't this God Sect claim to be a famous and upright great sect? How can they be so vicious, treating us as if we're nothing?"

"Heh. When there's no profit involved, naturally they're a famous and upright great sect. Now it's obvious that an ancient supreme treasure has appeared here, so why would they talk to you about famous and upright great sects?"

"Who else dares question my God Sect? All of you, step forward." The old Daoist of the God Sect looked at the crowd of Rogue Cultivators with triumphant satisfaction. Wherever his gaze swept, every cultivator it touched fell silent as cicadas in winter, not daring to make a sound, terrified of being taken for the bird that stuck its head out.

"Why aren't you getting lost?"

The crowd of Rogue Cultivators looked at one another, hesitant and indecisive. They wanted to leave but were unwilling; they wanted to stay but feared the God Sect.

Seeing that the Rogue Cultivators were still hesitating, rage suddenly rose in the old Daoist of the God Sect's heart. "Refusing face when it's given—since you seek death, don't blame me for giving you no way to live." He raised his right hand, about to use another method.

The Rogue Cultivators instantly knew things were bad, and panic appeared on each of their faces.

"What matter has provoked the famous Demon-Destroying Killing God, True Person Xu, into such great anger?" A gentle voice sounded from the horizon. More than a dozen auras no weaker than the God Sect cultivators suddenly came from afar. As soon as the words fell, a group of people had already arrived a hundred meters opposite True Person Xu.

"So it is Fellow Daoist Fang of the Dragon Tiger Sect. Instead of enjoying your blessings on Dragon Tiger Mountain, why have you run to my God Sect's territory? I wonder what you intend to do." True Person Xu looked at the newcomer with a grave expression.

That True Person Xu was named Xu Tianhua. In his youth, he had roamed the world and slain countless disciples of demonic sects, demons, ghosts, and monsters. Even Rogue Cultivators and small righteous-path sects who provoked him were slaughtered clean. His fierce reputation spread far and wide, and relying on his status as a disciple of the God Sect, no one dared offend him. He had earned the bandit title of Demon-Destroying Killing God, and it was said that he was a figure who cared nothing for righteous or evil.

The Daoist who had spoken to needle Xu Tianhua was Fang Weiyi, a supreme elder of Dragon Tiger Mountain, a mighty figure of the Spirit Refining realm. He was one of the Seven of Dragon Tiger Mountain, with divine abilities that reached through heaven and earth, one of the few such figures beneath the sky.

Fang Weiyi was just about to answer when he looked toward the horizon and stopped speaking. Seeing this, everyone looked in the direction Fang Weiyi was watching. Before long, countless lights lit up and flew toward this place.

It turned out to be countless cultivators riding magical treasures. On one colossal sailboat stood dozens of cultivators. Their leader was an old man dressed in luxurious robes, with snow-white hair, flying phoenix brows, and a dignified face.

"That is the supreme elder of the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion, Wan Zhongtian. I saw him once at an auction," someone among the Rogue Cultivators cried out in shock.

At this moment, a huge sea island, mixed with terrifying astral winds, came charging toward the phantom of celestial palaces.

"That is one of the Ten Thousand Seas Pavilion's top-grade magical treasures, End of the World Island."

"That is the White Bone Demonic Path's top-grade magical treasure, White Bone Mountain."

"That is the Taisu Sect's Mountain and River Map."

"That is the Taiyi Sect's Heavenly Cauldron Mountain."

More than a dozen top-grade magical treasures flew toward the sky, each emitting treasure light that soared to the heavens, their pressure bearing down on all directions, looking down on all beneath them.

The God Sect and Dragon Tiger Mountain felt the pressure and each brought out their own magical treasures. Dragon Tiger Mountain's was the Dragon Tiger Altar. On an altar appeared the phenomenon of dragons chanting and tigers roaring, and a ring of light protected the Dragon Tiger Mountain cultivators, keeping them untouched by the pressure of the magical treasures.

Xu Tianhua of the God Sect brought out an ancient sword. The blade was purple, ancient in style, carved with archaic seal script, and its hilt was a small jade-green sword one foot long. The moment the small sword appeared, a thread of heavenly might emerged, suppressing the scene on the spot and pressing down all the magical treasures.

In this world, magical treasures were divided into five ranks and twenty levels: spiritual instruments, ritual instruments, magical treasures, acquired treasures, and innate treasures. Each was divided into four grades: upper, middle, lower, and top-grade.

After Xu Tianhua suppressed the magical treasures of the various sects, he said, "I wonder why all of you have mobilized such forces to come to my God Sect. My God Sect is currently handling affairs, so forgive me for being unable to receive you. Everyone, please return."

Just as he finished speaking, a clear voice rang out. "Straightforward people do not speak in riddles. My Taisu Sect's sect master has already sent word to me. This is the celestial palace left behind by the Primordial Great Emperor in the ancient era. It has nothing whatsoever to do with your God Sect. Don't bring out such nonsense as it being left behind by a senior of your God Sect and embarrass yourself. If you want to monopolize the treasure hoard, don't even think about it." It was the leader of the Taisu Sect, a middle-aged cultivator dressed in moon-white robes, his face like crowned jade, with a one-inch mustache and eyes like gemstones, speaking to Xu Tianhua without the slightest mercy.

After being scolded, Xu Tianhua immediately flew into a rage and said, "Bai Huazi, do you want to start a war?"

In an instant, the atmosphere grew tense.