The virtue of a king

"I imagine everyone here already knows what happened. Since he has appeared, it means the Hundred Broken Mountains are about to open again."

The Mountain-Guarding Elder, Tao Ye, held a lofty position. With the Heaven Mending Pavilion's Pavilion Master still in seclusion, he served as the Grand Supreme Elder. Holding a gleaming yellow Golden Gourd, he sat at the head of the hall. Apart from the vacant Pavilion Master's seat in the center, his was the foremost chair on the left. He swept his gaze around and spoke.

"But this is far too strange. This time, he didn't go to the Sacred Academy or the Genius Camp. Instead, he went to the ordinary new disciples' quarters. This is downright uncanny."

An elder voiced his bewilderment.

"It certainly is strange. Also, who is this young man?"

Another elder looked curiously at Xiao Tian as he spoke.

"Grandpa elders, what are you talking about? Why can't I understand a single word?"

Shi Hao sounded puzzled.

"Child, disaster is hanging over your head, yet you still don't know it. Let me ask you one thing: do you want to live?"

Tao Ye looked at Shi Hao with a beaming smile, like an old charlatan.

"What do you mean? Explain yourself."

Shi Hao felt a little creeped out and instinctively tightened his arms around Elder Xiong Fei's neck.

"Ahem, ease up. You're breaking my neck."

Elder Xiong Fei spoke with a darkened face.

Soon, Elder Xiong Fei suddenly felt he understood why he had chosen an ordinary disciple. Judging by his habits, he had originally chosen outstanding elders, then later switched to talented disciples.

Feeling that he had grasped the truth, Elder Xiong Fei made his voice as gentle as possible. "Child, come down. He won't follow you in here."

"Child, you understand what I'm saying. You've provoked the greatest source of ill omen in our Heaven Mending Pavilion. Everyone who gets involved with him has to promise to help him find his sword. Otherwise, they simply cannot survive. From ancient times until now, not a single person has lived."

Elder Tao Ye spoke very solemnly.

"Isn't the sword stuck in the top of his head?"

Shi Hao asked in confusion.

Tao Ye shook his head regretfully. "We deduced long ago that it wasn't his sword. It should be the weapon of an enemy he faced in the past.

"Since his appearances always coincide with the opening of the Hundred Broken Mountains Range, we suspect his sword was lost there, and he needs someone to retrieve it for him.

"But no one has ever succeeded."

"The Hundred Broken Mountains Range?"

Shi Hao was a little confused.

"The Hundred Broken Mountains are unfathomably mysterious. Experts at the spirit transformation realm or above cannot enter. Those in the blood moving realm can enter, but none have ever come out alive. Over time, it became a training ground for geniuses, with the cave heaven realm being the ideal cultivation level for entry.

"Every time it opens, Ancient Kingdoms, Great Teachings, and even ancient Pure-Blooded Fierce Beast Descendants compete to enter.

"That's because it contains Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures that even those in the array formation realm, or even Venerables, can only dream of obtaining.

"There are countless opportunities inside. Anyone who enters to train and ultimately comes out alive becomes, at the very least, a marquis-sealing powerhouse. Even more become king-sealing powerhouses.

"In fact, many Human Emperors of Ancient Kingdoms, leaders of Great Teachings, and lords of Primordial Divine Mountains went there in their youth."

Tao Ye patiently explained everything to Shi Hao. As he spoke, he occasionally glanced at Xiao Tian, that troublesome brat. Just practicing a treasure art today, he had actually brought about snowfall in June. What a talent.

Seeing the old man glance his way, Xiao Tian gave him an enormous, irritated eye roll. What a crafty old man. Why drag someone as low-key as him into taking the blame? And why was he now trying to tempt him into entering the Hundred Broken Mountains?

He was definitely going, but he simply hated that old man's calculating expression.

"There have long been legends that the Hundred Broken Mountains may originally have been a battlefield for the ancient sages, a place where gods shed tears and spilled blood. But later, it changed. It no longer permitted powerful experts to enter, and became suitable only for geniuses to train."

Ancestor Mu Yan spoke.

The Hundred Broken Mountains were probably a fragment of a world connected to the Seven Kings of the Border Wasteland. There were far too many good things inside, things that might not be obtainable even in the Upper Realm.

The Little Bone Pagoda, an unusual cultivator beyond the Immortal King level, was hiding inside for refuge. The God-Striking Stone, a descendant of the most mysterious of the Ten Fiends, had been placed here to grow.

This place could be called a special beginner village.

"Ah, don't think you can trick me into going in."

Hearing this, Shi Hao immediately shook his head like a rattle drum.

"If you don't go, you can only wait to die.

"Since ancient times, those who got involved with him and failed to carry out their promises have had grass taller than you growing over their graves. Some have even had their bones crumble into dust."

Tao Ye sat there, utterly unperturbed.

Shi Hao's expression shifted again and again, his eyes darting about. When he saw Xiao Tian, his eyes suddenly lit up. But remembering that everyone here was a thousand-year-old fox, he quickly looked away.

Unfortunately, he was still too late. The four senior elders, who had been watching him all along and had already seen through his identity, exchanged knowing glances.

"Have you made up your mind? That place is a coveted prize these days. The great ancient families of the human race will come to blows over a single entry slot. The Human Emperor's Descendants, Pure-Blooded Fierce Beast Descendants, and Great Teaching Prodigies will all be sent inside. It's an arena where young prodigies contend for supremacy. The descendants of the White Tiger, Chi Dragon, Nine-Headed Lion, and others will all scramble to enter.

"Descendants of primordial remnants enter in droves to train as well."

Tao Ye spoke casually, secretly keeping an eye on Xiao Tian sitting nearby.

They had already confirmed Bear Child's identity, even suspecting that he was the child at the center of the Martial King Manor scandal, the poor boy whose Supreme Bone had been dug out when he was little. That was why they were especially patient with Shi Hao.

Now they were curious about Xiao Tian's identity. In fact, judging by his age, Elder Tao Ye had a bold idea.

"Is it really that good in there? Didn't you say it was dangerous?" Little One couldn't quite understand. Wasn't being alive good enough? Why insist on going in and risking your life?

"You don't understand, child. If you want to become a Peerless Powerhouse, you have to fight for it. Over eight hundred years ago, when Crosscut Mountain opened, the Stone Kingdom's Human Emperor, the Deer-Chasing Academy's former headmaster, and some Pure-Blooded Fierce Beasts from the Primordial Divine Mountains entered. Today, they have all become towering figures who rule over vast territories, protecting hundreds of billions of the Human Race from becoming bloody meals and snacks for fierce beasts and demonic birds."

Elder Han spoke with a solemn expression, his voice ringing with fervor.

In fact, precisely because the Heaven Mending Pavilion's Pavilion Master had missed the chance to enter Crosscut Mountain, he was now stuck at the threshold of the venerable realm, unable to advance.

Shi Hao couldn't help recalling how, when he was little, four great primordial remnants had fought over the Mountain Treasure, slaughtering the living beings across a hundred thousand li. Countless Human Race Villages and great clans had vanished.

For instance, the dozen or so factions that had once visited Stone Village, including the Purple Mountain Clan, Thunder Clan, Luofu Marsh, and Wolf Clan, all had marquis-sealing powerhouses overseeing them. Yet the humans of the Human Race under their protection were gone, leaving only crumbling walls and ruins.

Shi Hao was still young. He didn't really understand the great questions of right and wrong, much less the greater cause of his race. Still, his heart ached. The fox mourned when the rabbit died; such sorrow was inevitable.

Now he understood one thing: if he trained in the Hundred Broken Mountains, he could become one of the greatest experts in this stretch of the Great Wilderness. Would he then be able to protect many people, so that children wouldn't be swallowed in one bite by a fierce beast before they even understood anything?

Perhaps this was what made him the Desolate Heaven Emperor. Even at such a tender age, he already possessed an extraordinarily kind heart.

Besides, his wastrel big brother would definitely enter the Hundred Broken Mountains. One look was enough to tell that he was a troublesome bear of a child. Back when the four great fierce beasts fought, he had even dared to run out there. Entering the Hundred Broken Mountains would be a trifling matter to him.

When the time came, he and Xiao Tian would join forces. The treasure blood and Treasure Bones of all the ancient Pure-Blooded Fierce Beasts and primordial remnants inside would belong to the two brothers.

"I can go in, but I want something in return. I want to learn powerful secret methods and treasure arts to make myself stronger."

Shi Hao declared loudly.

Since he was going in, he had to get some benefits first. He was certain these old men had something in mind when they coaxed him into going.

"Mm, this matter does require careful consideration. We'll discuss it in a meeting. Xiong Fei, Zhuo Yun, take the two of them out for now."

Elder Tao Ye spoke.

They had finally settled one bear of a child. There was still a young fox left, but there was no hurry. They could take their time.

Xiao Tian rolled his eyes and was led out with Shi Hao.

Once outside, Shi Hao remained jumpy and suspicious. Fortunately, Ghost Master didn't approach him again, allowing him to breathe a quiet sigh of relief.

Xiao Tian emerged from the ancient hall and stretched, instinctively tilting his head back to look at the sky. Then he saw an old fellow whose face was almost pressed against his own. "Aah-!" A full-throated scream imbued with the Pulao Roar rang out, shattering stone and startling the heavens. It shook the ancient hall so fiercely that rows of protective runes appeared.

Xiong Fei instinctively activated his treasure art. An enormous Iron-Eating Beast formed from runes rushed out to shield him.

On Elder Zhuo Yun's side, a Tiger Flood Dragon formed from runes burst from his body, with a tiger's torso, a flood dragon's tail, and a dragon's head. This was yet another primordial remnant treasure art-the depth of the Heaven Mending Pavilion's foundations was clear.

Instinctively, Xiao Tian threw a punch. The Bai Ze Treasure Art enveloped him, making him resemble a blazing white sun, radiant and upright, impervious to all evil. Blood energy like molten lava surged through his body. Thud! Xiao Tian sent Ghost Master flying with a single punch, black smoke rising from him with a sizzling hiss. The Bai Ze Treasure Art was particularly effective against a being like him.

After all, White Marsh was an auspicious beast in ancient Chinese mythology. He could speak, understood the nature of all things, and knew the affairs of ghosts and gods. He appeared only when "a king possessed virtue" and could dispel all evil energies in the mortal world.

The very fact that Xiao Tian had obtained such a treasure art proved that he possessed the virtue of a king and enjoyed the favor of heaven and earth's fortune.

Soon, a large crowd of elders poured out. All had been alarmed and rushed from the ancient hall.

"What happened?"

Ancestor Mu Yan's booming voice rang out. He looked at Elders Xiong Fei and Zhuo Yun, waiting for their explanation.

"It seems he appeared, and this boy who looks older than his years saw him."

Elder Xiong Fei spoke.

Wasn't that display of power just now something only a spirit transformation realm expert could unleash?

Elder Zhuo Yun, meanwhile, was dumbstruck. He pointed at Xiao Tian, unable to utter a word.

"Everyone, enter the ancient hall immediately."

The corners of Elder Tao Ye's mouth lifted slightly. Just as he had thought-it seemed his guess had been right.

Had the circumstances permitted it, he would have thrown back his head and let out a long cry, then laughed three times.

(End of chapter)