Zhao Gongming Arrives, and the Explanatory Sect Turns Green

"Luofu Cave on Mount Emei."

"Uncle-Master Zhao Gongming."

As Wen Zhong's words fell.

Lin Yuan stood where he was, silent for a full two breaths.

He had arrived.

The real big shot had finally arrived.

Shiji, the Four Sages of Nine-Dragon Island, the Ten Heavenly Lords—every one of them had brought him considerable improvements.

But added together, their current reputation and strength in the Primordial World still made them difficult to compare with Zhao Gongming.

A top expert among the Intercepting Sect's outer disciples.

A Daluo Golden Immortal.

With twenty-four Sea-Calming Pearls in hand, once he truly began fighting, even the Twelve Golden Immortals of the Explanatory Sect would have a headache.

Most importantly—

He was also a famously unlucky soul on the Investiture of the Gods.

He fought ferociously in the early stages.

Yet died in the most stiflingly humiliating way later on.

"Junior Brother?"

Seeing Lin Yuan stare silently at him, Wen Zhong frowned slightly.

"What's wrong?"

Lin Yuan came back to his senses.

"Nothing."

"I've long heard of Uncle-Master Zhao's great reputation."

"Hearing that he's coming so suddenly made me a little excited."

Wen Zhong did not find that strange.

Among the younger generation of the Intercepting Sect, there were far too many who had heard Zhao Gongming's name.

Compared to many great figures of the Intercepting Sect who remained in seclusion year-round, Zhao Gongming was forthright by nature and regularly kept in contact with many fellow disciples.

His popularity within the Intercepting Sect had always been quite good.

"Uncle-Master Zhao had not originally planned to intervene directly this time."

Wen Zhong said.

"But after news of the Ten Ultimate Formation spread, the Twelve Golden Immortals of the Explanatory Sect entered the fray one after another."

"And West Qi has been pressing us ever harder."

"After hearing of it, Uncle-Master Zhao voluntarily sent word that he wanted to come take a look."

Lin Yuan understood.

He said he merely wanted to take a look.

But given Zhao Gongming's temperament.

There was a high chance that, after looking for a while, he would start fighting.

And he would be looking with the intention of knocking the other side flat.

Speak of the devil, and he appeared.

A rumble like dragons roaring and tigers howling suddenly came from the distant horizon.

A terrifying aura far beyond the level of Profound Immortals and Golden Immortals swept forth from the depths of the sea of clouds.

Qin Wan, Wang Mo, and the others, who had been meditating in the camp, all opened their eyes at once.

Lin Yuan's Innate Spiritual Perception was pushed to its limit in an instant.

Danger.

Extremely powerful.

Yet this sense of danger was not directed at him.

It was more like the instinctive awe his body felt when facing a being of a higher realm.

A streak of black divine light crossed the sky.

It landed in the Shang Camp in the blink of an eye.

The divine light dispersed.

A Daoist in robes appeared before the crowd, his stern features carrying a hint of boldness.

The Black Tiger beneath him gave a low growl.

Yet its aura was exceptionally well concealed.

If they had not just witnessed the pressure of a Daluo Realm expert descend from the sky, he would have looked like an ordinary cultivator at first glance.

Wen Zhong was the first to step forward.

"This disciple greets Uncle-Master."

Wang Mo, Qin Wan, and the others also offered their greetings.

"Greetings, Senior Brother Zhao."

"Greetings, Fellow Daoist Zhao."

Zhao Gongming swept his gaze around.

He first saw the Ten Heavenly Lords.

All ten were present.

Then he looked at the Four Sages of Nine-Dragon Island.

The four of them were likewise alive and kicking.

He had clearly heard quite a bit before arriving, and he could not help but laugh.

"Not bad."

"This Daoist had originally worried that you would suffer losses in West Qi."

"But now it seems every one of you is looking quite well."

Gao Yougan said cheerfully:

"For that, we have to thank our Junior Brother Lin."

"Without him."

"Who knows whether we'd be looking well or not."

"But we definitely wouldn't all be here like this."

Zhao Gongming's gaze finally fell upon Lin Yuan.

Lin Yuan stepped forward.

"This disciple, Lin Yuan, greets Uncle-Master Zhao."

"You're Lin Yuan?"

Zhao Gongming looked him over a few times.

Early Profound Immortal.

Such cultivation naturally amounted to nothing in his eyes.

But a Profound Immortal who could make the Four Sages of Nine-Dragon Island and the Ten Heavenly Lords all sing his praises.

That was interesting.

Zhao Gongming raised his hand.

And gave Lin Yuan's shoulder a heavy slap.

The force was not light.

Fortunately, Lin Yuan now possessed both the Blackstone Dao Body and the Vajra Immortal Bone.

His shoulder merely sank slightly.

He was not slapped flat to the ground.

Interest immediately grew in Zhao Gongming's eyes.

"Your physical body is not bad either."

"I heard that most of the later changes to the Ten Ultimate Formation were your ideas?"

Lin Yuan shook his head.

"The ten senior brothers and sisters have deep foundations in formation arts."

"This disciple merely helped adjust some details."

Qin Wan, standing nearby, twitched at the corner of his mouth.

"Uncle-Master."

"The few details he mentioned were probably taking the Ten Ultimate Formation apart from beginning to end and rebuilding it."

Lin Yuan: "..."

Senior Brother Qin.

Did he even know how to talk?

Zhao Gongming burst into laughter.

"Good!"

"As long as you have ability, that's enough."

"Our Intercepting Sect has so many disciples. We should not be bullied one by one."

As he spoke, he looked toward West Qi.

The smile gradually faded from his face.

"I heard the Explanatory Sect has been quite impressive these past few days."

Wen Zhong said in a low voice:

"The Twelve Golden Immortals personally entered the Ten Ultimate Formation earlier."

"Although they failed to kill Fellow Daoists Qin Wan and the other ten, we only managed to contend with them through the formation."

"In a true head-on battle of Dao arts."

"They still hold the advantage."

Zhao Gongming nodded.

"Formations are a method."

"A head-on battle of Dao arts is also a method."

"Since they are willing to come."

"Then this Daoist will play with them."

Lin Yuan stood nearby.

At that moment, a new prompt appeared deep within his consciousness.

[High-value predetermined death tribulation target detected.]

[Target: Zhao Gongming.]

[Current cultivation far exceeds the host.]

[Degree of involvement in death tribulation: Extremely deep.]

Extremely deep.

Seeing those two words, Lin Yuan became even more energized.

The system had never specifically emphasized "high-value" before.

The value of Zhao Gongming's card was already plain to see.

But the higher the value.

The harder his death tribulation would likely be to alter.

Lin Yuan did not rush forward just because of the system prompt.

Zhao Gongming was in no danger at the moment.

He was even in the strongest period of his career in the Investiture of the Gods.

The real problem.

Lay in what came later.

That very day.

West Qi quickly received news that Zhao Gongming had arrived at the Shang Camp.

The Explanatory Sect members, who had fallen somewhat quiet after their failure in the Ten Ultimate Formation, gathered once again.

The next day.

Before the two armies.

Zhao Gongming rode out on the Black Tiger.

He set up no formation.

Laid no ambush.

He did not even bring Wang Mo and the others.

Alone.

He went directly to the front lines.

"Fellow Daoists of the Explanatory Sect."

"I heard that these past few days, you've bullied quite a few disciples of our Intercepting Sect."

"This Daoist is Zhao Gongming."

"Come out and have a chat?"

His voice echoed across the entire battlefield.

From the direction of West Qi.

Jade Clarity Immortal Light rose.

Taiyi, Guangchengzi, and the others appeared one after another.

When they truly saw Zhao Gongming,

quite a few of them looked rather grim.

The Twelve Golden Immortals could suppress the Ten Heavenly Lords.

But Zhao Gongming...

He was someone who could genuinely beat them all head-on.

Taiyi frowned.

"Zhao Gongming."

"The conflict between Shang and Zhou has its own ordained human fate."

"Why must you involve yourself?"

Zhao Gongming smiled.

"All twelve Golden Immortals of your Explanatory Sect have entered the fray."

"And now you're telling this poor Daoist that I shouldn't get involved?"

"What?"

"You're allowed to come down from the mountains,"

"but my Intercepting Sect isn't allowed to leave home?"

A burst of laughter immediately came from the direction of the Shang Camp.

Lin Yuan stood beside Wen Zhong.

He felt like laughing as well.

That question truly was difficult to answer.

When the Explanatory Sect entered the fray, it was called following the will of Heaven.

When the Intercepting Sect did so, it was called defying Heaven.

They more or less held all the authority to interpret the narrative in their own hands.

Guangchengzi did not continue arguing.

"Since Fellow Daoist Zhao wishes to have a bout,"

"then please."

The smile on Zhao Gongming's face instantly deepened.

"Wouldn't it have been better if you'd said that from the start?"

The next moment,

he raised a hand.

A precious pearl radiating five-colored divine light slowly rose.

Immediately after,

a second one.

A third one.

One stream of Five-Colored Divine Light after another illuminated the battlefield.

At last, a full twenty-four Sea-Calming Pearls hovered around Zhao Gongming.

Lin Yuan stood in the distance.

After merely one glance,

his breathing could not help but pause for half a beat.

This thing...

Its sheer presence alone was utterly unreasonable.

Zhao Gongming raised a hand and pointed.

All twenty-four Sea-Calming Pearls trembled at once.

"Who will go first?"