Cooperation

After discovering the people from the Great Luo Heavenly Domain, Futu Yijing stayed put and went nowhere else.

He never told Mandala and the others why he insisted on staying, but with his formidable strength, they had no way to drive him away.

Over the next few days, another group arrived, including five Lower Earthly Sovereigns. When they saw Futu Yijing, their eyes filled with wariness.

The Northern Realm's Earthly Sovereigns had truly turned out in full force this time: one Upper Earth Sovereign and five Lower Earthly Sovereigns. Even the top powers of the Tianluo Continent could not afford to take such a lineup lightly.

Meanwhile, news arrived from West City that Mu Chen had defeated Xia Hong, the fourth prince of the Great Xia Dynasty, vaulting straight to twentieth place on the Tianluo Continent's young Strongest Expert List. He had made his name in a single stroke.

After gathering enough information, Mu Chen set off back with Nine Nether and the others, ready to rejoin the main force.

Lin Jing came along with Mu Chen and the others too. She had always loved excitement, and the Ancient Heavenly Palace was now practically the liveliest place on the Tianluo Continent. Naturally, she wanted to join the fun.

By the time Mu Chen and the others reached the Northern Realm contingent's encampment, dusk had already fallen.

The moment they arrived, they sensed numerous sharp gazes trained on them, their owners mostly around the seventh or eighth grade.

Upon reaching the summit, Mu Chen spotted Mandala's petite figure at a glance.

Lin Jing, however, looked elsewhere, toward a young man in black battle armor who stood conspicuously apart from the groups around him.

That young man was Futu Yijing, who had stubbornly remained among the Great Luo Heavenly Domain's people.

Ever since Mu Chen appeared, Futu Yijing's gaze had stayed fixed on him.

Mu Chen was not so extraordinarily handsome, but the sharp edge of youth remained keen within him. From the tiny Northern Spiritual Realm all the way to this place, the young man's original resolve had never changed.

While speaking with Mandala, Mu Chen also noticed this unusual fellow.

He had never seen the man before, so he asked Mandala curiously:

"Who's that?"

Following his question, Mandala glanced over. Seeing that Mu Chen meant Futu Yijing, she shook her head.

"I don't know, but he's here to find you."

"To find me?" Mu Chen looked astonished.

He did not know that man at all.

Just then, Lin Jing spoke up beside him.

"Mu Chen, that's the important figure I told you about, the one drawn here by the Ancient Heavenly Palace."

Mandala turned a scrutinizing gaze on Lin Jing. She had noticed her early on, and when she tried to sense Lin Jing, she faintly felt a trace of resistance. Some powerful being must have left an imprint on her to protect the girl.

Noticing Mandala's gaze, Mu Chen hurriedly introduced her. "This is my friend, Lin Jing."

Mandala gave Lin Jing a slight nod, then asked, "You know that man?"

"I only know of him. I wouldn't say I know him," Lin Jing replied, then changed the subject. "When can we enter the Ancient Heavenly Palace?"

Mandala shook her head. "Right now, the Ancient Heavenly Palace has strained the space there almost to the breaking point. Once someone at the Earthly Sovereign level steps inside, it will reach the limit of what it can hold. The space will explode, and even an Upper Earth Sovereign would struggle to withstand that destructive impact. Worse still, if you're trapped in the shattered space and lose your bearings, you'll likely be exiled into the void. If you're lucky, you might stumble upon a Lower Plane and survive there. If not, you'll simply perish."

"There's only one place inside whose space can withstand Earthly Sovereigns like us: the Heavenly Emperor Mausoleum."

"So, for now, the most likely solution is for the powerful figures of the various factions to open a temporary passage and send in those this space can withstand." Mandala fixed her gaze on Mu Chen.

"Someone like you. And if you manage to enter the Heavenly Emperor Mausoleum, crush this object. We'll be able to use it as an anchor to tear through space and enter the Heavenly Emperor Mausoleum directly."

Hearing this, Lin Jing, who stood beside Mu Chen, looked at Futu Yijing with a glimmer of understanding.

No wonder he's staying here. So it's because he can't get in!

Mu Chen accepted a coordinate jade token from Mandala, feeling relieved instead. Without any Earthly Sovereigns inside the Ancient Heavenly Palace, it would be easier for him to act.

"You're interested in One Qi Transforms into Three Pure Ones too? I'm just worried there'll be too many monks and too little gruel when the time comes. It won't be easy to win the struggle for it," Mu Chen said, rubbing the jade.

Mandala lowered her eyelids slightly and said calmly, "My most important purpose in entering the Ancient Heavenly Palace is to find my true body. A divine ability like that isn't something just anyone can cultivate."

Just then, a man's voice abruptly cut into their conversation.

"Your true body should be an Ancient Mandala Flower of the Great Thousand World. Rumor has it that the Ancient Heavenly Emperor once possessed one."

In the Great Thousand World, there was a divine flower known as the Mandala Flower. Wondrous beyond measure and born with intelligence, it could rival those supreme divine beasts once it reached its peak, and in certain respects, it was even more formidable.

But this divine flower was far too rare. Whenever one appeared, countless supreme powers would eye it like hungry tigers. After all, if they could take it back and nurture it, they might someday gain a being comparable to a Heavenly Sovereign.

Everyone turned toward the speaker. Mandala had not expected him to discern her true identity from just a single remark.

Mu Chen looked at the man before him in puzzlement. Mandala had just said that this man had come to find him.

The man was an Earthly Sovereign, yet from his days in the Northern Spiritual Realm until now, Mu Chen had encountered very few Earthly Sovereigns. He could not understand what an unfamiliar Earthly Sovereign would want with him.

"To avoid unnecessary trouble, let's cooperate. I need the spatial coordinates of the Heavenly Emperor Mausoleum," Futu Yijing said calmly.

It was not that he could not cross the spatial storm outside the Ancient Heavenly Palace, but it would still be somewhat troublesome. Besides, apart from One Qi Transforms into Three Pure Ones, none of the opportunities within the Ancient Heavenly Palace interested him. Enduring a spatial explosion for opportunities he did not care about simply was not worth it.

"And what can you offer us?" Mandala asked.

At the same time, five people approached from nearby, each radiating the spiritual energy fluctuations of an Earthly Sovereign.

Since they were discussing cooperation, both sides needed to show their strength if they wanted the terms to favor them.

The spiritual energy pressure of one Upper Earth Sovereign and five Lower Earthly Sovereigns bore down on Futu Yijing.

"I can guarantee that no one inside will be able to lay a hand on any of you," Futu Yijing said with a smile. At that moment, the spiritual energy pressure of a Complete Earthly Sovereign erupted from within him.