Sovereign of the Ashes

The first to reply was the Golden Spirit Mother.

She smoothed her long golden hair and said gracefully, “I believe we should offer our assistance to the Magus Civilization.

“Although our Master is no longer with us, our friendly relations with the Magus Civilization have continued uninterrupted over the years. Judging from the law contract presented by the Magus Civilization, they are also showing considerable sincerity.”

She then turned to the others and added, “In recent years, although Jie Sect has not produced as many new sage-level powerhouses as Chan Sect or the Buddhist faction, the number of Heavenly Immortal and Profound Immortal-level cultivators within our sect has increased dramatically compared to the past hundred thousand years.”[1]

“Until we discover new civilizations beyond our borders to expand into, joining the Magus Civilization’s war, just as we have done in the past, is not out of the question,” she concluded.

“It seems the Dragon Clan has already mobilized. If we intervene this time, I can call upon the Phoenix Clan as well,” the Golden Spirit Mother suggested.

During the Dragon-Phoenix Great Tribulation, the Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin clans of Primordial World all suffered devastating losses. Their populations shrank to a mere fraction of what they had once been, and the momentum of their racial development came to a halt.

However, over the past hundred thousand years, as the Immortal Realm Civilization recovered and expanded outward, the Dragon and Phoenix clans finally began to flourish once more, relying on the immense power of their ancestral bloodlines.

One only had to look at the number of overlord-level combatants among the Immortal Realm’s Dragon Clan to see that clearly.

The Phoenix Clan’s growth had not been as rapid as the Dragon Clan’s, but there were still several overlord-level phoenixes in existence today.

Moreover, the Fire Phoenix and Ice Phoenix of the Magus Alliance seemed to have some connection to the Phoenix Clan of the Immortal Realm.

Unlike dragon-type creatures, which could be found throughout many parts of the Astral Realm, phoenix-type species showed a certain degree of regional specificity.

Their population size and reproductive ability were also nowhere near as impressive as those of dragons.

Within Primordial World, only the Qilin Clan remained in a state of stagnation.

Although the qilin population was still fairly large, most of them were now hybrid qilins. Pure-blooded qilins seemed to have become extremely rare within the Immortal Realm Civilization.

There had always been a subtle rivalry between the Dragon and Phoenix clans. Now that the Dragon Clan had mobilized to seize benefits, the Phoenix Clan naturally could not afford to fall behind.

The Golden Spirit Mother had clearly stated her view. Celestial Venerable Duobao nodded, then turned his gaze toward Kui Niu.

Kui Niu, the famous Bull King of Primordial World, scratched his head and horn before saying, “I have no objections. I have two brothers who are already rallying soldiers and generals to aid the Magus Civilization.”

“Fuhai has already followed the Dragon Clan to the Magus Civilization’s battlefield. If I make a move, those brothers of mine will probably join in as well,” he said.

Jie Sect’s hidden strength was still quite substantial. Both the Phoenix Clan and the Yao Clan maintained close ties with Jie Sect.

Celestial Venerable Duobao finally turned his gaze toward Zhao Gongming.

Among the sage-level powerhouses of the Immortal Realm, Zhao Gongming was by no means weak.

However, his aged features and faintly sorrowful expression were connected to certain events from his past.

Zhao Gongming’s Overlord Soul was not especially abundant.

In order to help his younger sister’s divine soul pass through the Reincarnation Underworld, he had gone to great lengths over the years. Not only had he invested countless resources, but he had also neglected his own cultivation.

At least for now, Zhao Gongming was no longer a match for his former arch-rival, the Burning-Lamp Buddha.

That old bald monk had now ascended to Rank Eight and become one of the most powerful figures in the entire Buddhist faction.

Apart from the founding patriarch, Sage Zhunti, the only figures in the Buddhist faction who could currently stand on equal footing with the Lamp-Bearing Buddha were the Thus-Come Buddha and the Bodhisattva of Mercy.[2]

Facing the questioning gaze of his senior brother, Celestial Venerable Duobao, Zhao Gongming fell silent for a moment before replying, “Yunxiao’s reincarnated body should be nearing maturity by now. I wonder how she is doing.”

“Taking part in the Magus Civilization War may allow us cultivators of the Immortal Realm to experience another wave of explosive growth. Of course, it comes with great danger. But on the path of cultivation, where we defy the heavens, what road is ever truly safe?” he mused.

Zhao Gongming also had a famous title in the Immortal Realm—the God of Wealth!

A significant portion of Jie Sect’s wealth was managed by Zhao Gongming.

In a Clash of Civilizations, victory depended not only on strength, but also on resources and logistics.

Since Zhao Gongming had spoken so decisively, Celestial Venerable Duobao finally made his decision.

“Then we shall reply to the Magus Civilization immediately and notify Jie Sect’s members to prepare for cross-star-domain combat.”

After a moment of thought, he continued, “As for the battlefield, the Magus Civilization seems to prefer that we avoid interfering in their direct confrontation with the Gallant Federation.”

“The star domain we are heading to is the Grand Cosmic World battlefield. There, we will face... the legions of the Amenkha Empire.”

True to its reputation as a Daoist sect of the Immortal Realm with close ties to the Magus Civilization, Jie Sect certainly did not waste time.

Tomov felt as though he had barely spent any time on Golden Turtle Island before Celestial Venerable Duobao gave him an official reply.

As all of Jie Sect began to mobilize, Celestial Venerable Duobao saw off his two junior brothers and sister.

Then, he stood alone atop the highest peak of Golden Turtle Island, gazing out over the boundless Primordial Sea.

In terms of area and overall scale, Primordial World was a size larger than Magus World.

Otherwise, it would have been impossible for it to nurture so many sages and give rise to such a prosperous, magnificent civilization.

The surging seawater relentlessly battered the reefs around Golden Turtle Island, sending towering waves crashing into the air.

Amidst the roar of the waves, Celestial Venerable Duobao murmured to himself, “I wonder what decision Master would have made if he were still alive.”

“It has been some time since the Reincarnation Underworld was established. Where is his reincarnated form now?”

Tomov’s initial impression that Jie Sect seemed somewhat desolate when he arrived on Golden Turtle Island was, in fact, correct.

Since the passing of Sect Master Tongtian, Jie Sect’s development had indeed declined significantly.

By taking part in the Magus Civilization’s war, Celestial Venerable Duobao hoped Jie Sect could seize a new opportunity for growth and live up to his master’s trust.

***

In stark contrast to Jie Sect’s swift agreement to send troops, the envoy dispatched by the Magus Civilization to the South Pole Immortal Court received a rather cold reception.

Chan Sect did not indicate that it would immediately send troops to aid the Magus Civilization. In its reply, the Immortal Emperor of the South Pole merely stated that he first needed to report the matter to the sage who presided over Jade Void Palace.

In the negotiations that followed, Chan Sect also expressed dissatisfaction with the terms offered by the Magus Civilization.

Chan Sect was reluctant to get involved in the battlefield against the Amenkha Empire, but it showed considerable interest in the Magus Civilization’s conquest of the Gallant Federation’s homeland.

Indeed, there were no fools in this world.

Chan Sect wanted to reap the benefits while avoiding the threat posed by the Amenkha Empire.

If the Magus Civilization were truly facing a critical crisis, they might have no choice but to grit their teeth and accept Chan Sect’s opportunistic demands.

But for now, the Magus Civilization was clearly not yet in such a desperate situation.

And so, the negotiations remained deadlocked.

Actually, now that the Dragon Clan of the Immortal Realm had joined the war, whether Chan Sect joined or not no longer mattered quite as much.

After all, Jie Sect had already agreed to intervene!

The Yao Clan was also likely to make a move.

The envoy representing the Magus Civilization, who had met with the Immortal Emperor of the South Pole, did not receive a direct answer. However, he was in no hurry to leave the South Pole Immortal Court either.

For now, all they could do was wait and see whether Chan Sect would eventually change its mind.

If the Dragon Clan, Jie Sect, the Yao Clan, and the other powers all gained substantial benefits on the Magus Civilization’s battlefield, there was no doubt that Chan Sect would eventually be tempted.

***

Meanwhile, the Magus Civilization envoy who traveled to the Tianshu World also met with the White-Eyebrow Sage.

Although he failed to secure the full support of the Mount Shu Sword School, the school’s current head stated that he would dispatch a group of sword cultivators who were willing to participate in the war and join the Magus Civilization’s campaign.

Its affiliated sword schools, including the Emei School, Qingcheng School, and others, would also send a group of sword cultivators who were interested in joining the Magus Civilization’s campaign and taking part in the extermination of evil.

Judging from the final outcome, the response from the White-Eyebrow Sage was far more favorable than the one received from Chan Sect.

1. Translator’s Recap: Heavenly Immortal = Rank Five, Profound Immortal = Rank Six. ☜

2. Translator’s Note: The Lamp-Bearing Buddha (also known as Dipankara, Lamp Bearer) is one of the Buddhas of the past. In Buddhism, the "Thus Come One" (or Tathagata) is one of the primary titles for the Buddha. It refers to Siddhartha Gautama, the historical founder of Buddhism, and describes an enlightened one who embodies the ultimate truth of the universe and has arrived from, or gone to, the realm of absolute reality. The Bodhisattva of Mercy, also known as the Goddess of Mercy, is most commonly known as Guanyin in Chinese culture. She is a revered Bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism and Daoism who embodies infinite compassion, unconditional love, and protection. Her name loosely translates to “[The One Who] Perceives the Sounds of the World”, meaning she hears and answers the cries of all who are suffering. ☜

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