Mighty Figures Gather

In the imperial capital of the Rippling Mountain Empire.

The hall was resplendent in gold and jade. An elderly man with snow-white hair sat upon a gilded dragon throne, while a young man below recounted events to him in detail.

"Could it be that you suspect this expert was a Dou Wang?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. If he had merely been at the Dou Ling level, it would have been impossible for a fleeting aura alone to fill me with fear."

The young man was none other than Feng Jing. He was reporting the events of that day to the ruler seated upon the throne.

The man on the throne was Lan Cangsheng, the peak Dou Wang expert and ruler of the Rippling Mountain Empire.

"At the very least, he was a Dou Wang-level expert? Your junior sister and the others did not clash with him, did they?" Lan Cangsheng asked Feng Jing.

Feng Jing replied, "No. It was only that Second Junior Brother and Third Junior Sister spoke somewhat disrespectfully, but I stopped them."

"Mm, you handled this well. Those two youngsters have grown accustomed to being arrogant in the imperial capital."

"They truly think everyone fears their families. If they provoke a Dou Wang expert, their families will have quite the headache to deal with."

Lan Cangsheng rose and patted Feng Jing on the shoulder. "Since you mentioned the Dou Zong cave estate to that expert, he will likely head there in the next few days. You will probably meet again then."

"Enough. Go back and rest. While you are at it, tell your master that in the next couple of days, I will summon the Moon-Sealing Sect and the major families of the imperial capital to head there together."

With his hands clasped behind his back, Lan Cangsheng spoke as he walked away.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

After cupping his fists in salute, Feng Jing departed.

Watching Feng Jing's retreating figure, Lan Cangsheng turned to look at the sky beyond the imperial capital and murmured, "These truly are troubled times."

The Rippling Mountain Empire lay in a barren region of the Northwest Region. Dou Huangs were exceedingly rare, and Dou Wangs were the strongest experts. Every time a Dou Wang appeared, he had no choice but to take it seriously.

Seven days later.

As news of the Dou Zong cave estate spread over the past few days, quite a few experts from the Rippling Mountain Empire and beyond had already headed there.

The Rippling Mountain Empire also happened to lie along the only route leading to the outskirts of the Heavenshade Mountains.

Thus, many outsiders had entered the empire over the past two days, including our protagonist, Xie Tianxiao.

When Xie Tianxiao left the Heavenshade Mountains, he had packed up all the resources in his secluded cultivation cave. He had entered the Rippling Mountain Empire several days ago.

However, he had spent these past few days sightseeing rather than heading to that cave estate.

Inside a tavern in one of the cities.

"Waiter, bring out every good dish you have."

Xie Tianxiao called out. He had yet to taste the food of the Battle Qi Continent, so today he intended to savor it properly.

As for why he had not gone early to take the resources from the Dou Zong cave estate.

It was because he wanted all the major nearby factions to arrive first. Once they had fought over it long enough, it would be easier for him to make his move.

Otherwise, as a Half-Saint expert, he could have long since taken everything inside the Dou Zong cave estate. What would have been left for these factions?

"Right away, sir! Please wait a moment!"

Seeing that he had encountered a wealthy customer, the waiter beamed and hurried to instruct the kitchen to serve the dishes.

As Xie Tianxiao ate and drank, he listened to the discussions around him.

"Hey, have you heard? A Dou Zong expert's cave estate was discovered five hundred li from the border between our Rippling Mountain Empire and the Heavenshade Mountains!" a man said to several men beside him.

"Yeah. We have not even heard of anyone in the Rippling Mountain Empire becoming a Dou Huang, much less of a legendary Dou Zong expert's cave estate."

"Exactly. A few days ago, His Majesty personally brought the Moon-Sealing Sect and several major families of the imperial capital to the cave estate."

"Really? When did that happen?"

"You do not even know that? Could it be your newlywed wife locked you in your room for days?"

"Ah..."

Hearing that, the man smiled awkwardly and said no more.

"Forget him. This news came out over half a month ago. And it is not just our empire—many experts from other places have come as well."

"A Dou Zong expert's cave estate! Who would not covet it? If I could find a Xuan-tier cultivation technique inside, it would be enough to feed me for the rest of my life!" one man sighed.

"Give it a rest. You are only a two-star Dou Zhe. You would probably be eaten by magical beasts in the mountains before you even got there."

"Ha ha ha ha!"

The people in the tavern chatted merrily, each adding a word or two as they discussed the events of the past few days.

Hearing this, Xie Tianxiao thought, Looks like it is time to set out. At least I did not wait these past few days for nothing.

"Waiter, take the money." After saying this, Xie Tianxiao tossed several gold coins onto the table. With a flash, he vanished from the tavern, leaving behind only the bewildered waiter who had come to collect the payment.

Five hundred li from the border between the outer Heavenshade Mountains and the northern region of the Rippling Mountain Empire.

A large crowd had split into two camps, gathered outside the Dou Zong cave estate in a tense standoff.

Nine figures hovered in the sky, their battle qi condensed into wings behind them, making them especially conspicuous.

Because the Rippling Mountain Empire had five Dou Wangs, the visiting independent cultivators and factions from other regions had formed an alliance.

The alliance was led by four Dou Wangs in the sky, who stood against the people of the Rippling Mountain Empire.

Below them, Dou Lings, Da Dou Shis, Dou Shis, and scattered Dou Zhes nervously watched the nine people in the sky with battle qi wings.

"Everyone, this Dou Zong cave estate lies within the territory of our Rippling Mountain Empire. Naturally, the Rippling Mountain Empire should decide what happens here."

A middle-aged man with fiery red battle qi wings spoke to the four Dou Wangs before him.

The middle-aged man was Wang Hui, the head of the Wang Family, one of the Chu and Wang Families besides the royal family and the Moon-Sealing Sect.

The empire's two great families and the Moon-Sealing Sect all stood with the royal family. There was no relationship of mutual restraint between them.

Each of the two great families had sent one Dou Wang, while the Moon-Sealing Sect had sent a Dou Wang expert.

Together with the peak Dou Wang ruler and a four-star Dou Wang from the royal family.

He believed that if they all attacked together, they could certainly defeat these four Dou Wangs.

"Your territory? Fortuitous opportunities and treasures belong to the capable. That sort of argument may fool ignorant youngsters, but not us."

The leading Dou Wang, who had blue wings behind his back, replied coldly.

He was the strongest among the four Dou Wangs. His name was Yan Mao, and he possessed the strength of a nine-star Dou Wang. He was also a local overlord in another small nation.

Having heard that a Dou Zong cave estate had been discovered in the mountains of the Rippling Mountain Empire, he had traveled thousands of miles to investigate it.