Lin Jing

With the Branch Martial Assembly over, peace began to return to the Futuo Realm, but the battle in which Futu Yijing had schooled Maha You remained a favorite topic of conversation.

Whenever members of the Futu Ancient Clan mentioned it, their eyes filled with longing. They, too, wanted to display an invincible bearing before everyone, just like their young master.

The representatives of the various superpowers who had come to watch also departed one after another after staying with the Futu Ancient Clan for several days, returning to their own territories.

Before long, word of this Branch Martial Assembly would spread, and Futu Yijing's name would circulate among the various powers.

Within the Futuo Realm, a vast, tranquil manor stood atop one of the clan's mountains. Stone pavilions dotted its grounds among rock gardens and flowing streams, while birdsong and fragrant flowers lent the place a distinctive charm.

This estate was Futu Yijing's residence. Since the Branch Martial Assembly ended, he had remained there.

Qing Xuan had also stayed there with Futu Yijing.

She wanted to spend a little more time with him while she could.

Futu Yijing did not conceal his experiences on the Saint Abyss Continent. After all, anyone who made careful inquiries could learn of his exploits.

As a Demon-Slayer King, he was just like Qin Tian. His experiences on the Saint Abyss Continent had begun circulating from the moment he became a Demon-Slayer King, and the most widely told story was of Futu Yijing being chased across the entire continent by a Demon Emperor.

Futu Yijing stayed with the Futu Ancient Clan for half a month, and Qing Xuan kept him company throughout.

Then a rumor reached both Futu Yijing and Qing Xuan.

The Ancient Heavenly Palace Ruins had appeared!

"The Ancient Heavenly Palace has emerged," Qing Xuan said softly, her eyes full of reluctance as she looked at Futu Yijing.

She had been happy these past few days, but she also knew that Futu Yijing could not remain in the clan forever.

"It's time for me to set out, too."

The Ancient Heavenly Palace was a terrifying power-the only one to have truly ruled over the Tianluo Continent from ancient times to the present. Even in that ancient age, when mighty figures gathered like clouds, the Ancient Heavenly Palace had been exceptionally illustrious.

For its founder was the Celestial Emperor, who had been known in ancient times as one of the Nine Emperors!

During the catastrophic invasion by the Outer Realm Evil Clan in ancient times, the Ancient Heavenly Palace had vanished without a trace. Rumors concerning its ruins had occasionally surfaced before, but in the end, they had all proved unfounded.

This time, however, Futu Yijing was absolutely certain it was real!

After all, he had read the original novel.

Every major power on the Tianluo Continent qualified to covet the ruins was now keeping a constant watch on their location. Even some powers beyond the Tianluo Continent were following these developments.

People like Futu Yijing, for instance.

The opportunities within the Ancient Heavenly Palace left behind by the Celestial Emperor would tempt not merely an Upper Earth Sovereign, but likely even a Complete Earthly Sovereign, or a terrifying existence capable of stepping into the Heavenly Sovereign Realm.

However, the Futuo Continent was far from the Tianluo Continent, and getting there would take him quite some time.

Fortunately, with a spirit ship from the Futu Ancient Clan as his transport, he could save a considerable amount of time compared to flying there himself.

Meanwhile, the many powers of the Tianluo Continent were already itching to act. The powers of the Northern Realm had even formed an alliance, which included the Great Luo Heavenly Domain where Mu Chen belonged.

Almost everyone knew how powerful the Ancient Heavenly Palace had once been. It had been a true colossus.

Faced with the ruins left behind by such a colossus, there was likely no one on the entire Tianluo Continent who could remain calm. Securing even a few opportunities within those ancient ruins would surely allow one to leap through the dragon gate like a carp, becoming dazzlingly brilliant and rising upon the wind.

Thus, the struggle for the Ancient Heavenly Palace Ruins was certain to be the fiercest the Tianluo Continent had seen in countless millennia. No power with any strength would stay away. After all, the allure of the name "Ancient Heavenly Palace" was simply too astonishing.

Futu Yijing had no fear of these powers.

Take the Northern Realm's alliance, for example. Futu Yijing's Complete Earthly Sovereign cultivation put him above the leaders of numerous powers, not to mention that he was the strongest among Complete Earthly Sovereigns.

As for that classic routine of concealing one's cultivation while traveling, Futu Yijing would never do such a thing.

If he still had to hide his cultivation after reaching this realm, what the hell was the point of cultivating?

If cultivation was not about standing high above others, it was meaningless!

Playing the pig to eat the tiger simply had no place in Futu Yijing's approach. He would crush everything in his path!

The far west of the Tianluo Continent was an exceptionally barren region plagued by countless natural disasters. Fierce gales swept through with enough force to tear mountains apart. Snow fell with a chill that froze the land for a hundred thousand miles. Strange beasts roamed there, lacking intelligence but each possessing uncanny abilities that made them extremely troublesome.

These threats meant that few ever set foot in the far west. Aside from organizations that specialized in hunting strange beasts and searching for rare treasures of heaven and earth, people generally avoided the region.

Yet in less than half a year, that situation had changed completely. Deep within the far west, space had fractured, revealing faint glimpses of ancient palaces.

Those ancient palaces were the Ancient Heavenly Palace that so many powers had long coveted.

Once the rumor was confirmed, countless experts appeared in the seldom-visited far west, pouring into it like a ravenous swarm of locusts.

In just half a year, they transformed this barren region into a place comparable to the most prosperous areas at the continent's center.

In fact, in both the number and caliber of its experts, it surpassed even those places.

It was no exaggeration to say that the far west had now become the center of the entire Tianluo Continent. All of this was because the continent's former overlord, the Ancient Heavenly Palace, had emerged.

Just as Futu Yijing's spirit ship reached the Tianluo Continent, another spirit ship appeared nearby, every bit as luxurious as the one he rode.

Anyone who possessed such a spirit ship had to come from a superpower of the Great Thousand World, at the very least.

Futu Yijing also saw a girl in a white dress standing aboard it. Her brows were as exquisite as a painting, her features as lovely as an immortal's, and her beautiful eyes were exceptionally lively, making her look like a fairy who had stepped out of a painting.

Taking a closer look, Futu Yijing recognized the girl.

She was Lin Jing, the little princess of the Martial Realm, one of the Great Thousand World's foremost superpowers.

Across from him, Lin Jing had noticed Futu Yijing as well.

"Miss, that is a spirit ship of the Futu Ancient Clan. That man is their young master," a guard beside Lin Jing said.

"To think the Ancient Heavenly Palace's emergence would draw such an important figure here," Lin Jing murmured upon learning Futu Yijing's identity.