# Chapter 1469: Qi Kingdom
Qi Kingdom, also one of the Nine Abyss Twelve Kingdoms, possessed vast and boundless territory, containing countless nations and cities that were all vassals of Qi Kingdom, with Qi Kingdom reigning supreme over this expansive region.
In the Eight Wastelands Realm, few knew that the ruler of Qi Kingdom was actually the Martial Emperor of the Qi Clan from the Eastern Wasteland, and moreover, he was the father of the current Qi Clan head, Qi Huang, known as Eastern Emperor. The Qi Kingdom and the Eastern Wasteland Qi Clan were one and the same. Only those occupying high positions in the Eight Wastelands vaguely knew of such secrets. Furthermore, it wasn't just the Qi Clan; other forces in the Eight Wastelands Realm also had countless connections with the Nine Abyss Twelve Kingdoms. Especially the other two of the three major powers, the Wen Clan and the Sikong Family, whose relationships with certain kingdoms of the Nine Abyss Twelve Kingdoms were just like that of the Qi Clan and Qi Kingdom.
This didn't seem to be much of a secret, yet ordinary people would never have the opportunity to learn of it. For instance, the former Lin Feng could never have touched upon such matters. Only when he stood at a certain height and held a certain status in the Eight Wastelands did he gradually come into contact with these hidden secrets. As his strength grew, his field of vision not only didn't narrow, but instead became broader, allowing him to see more and farther.
Even between the Eight Wastelands Realm and the Nine Abyss Twelve Kingdoms, there existed all sorts of hidden secrets. What about the Holy City Central Continent? For many, it remained an unknown. Only by stepping out would they come to know all of this.
Qi Kingdom, Imperial City, the vast Imperial Palace sat atop a series of steps. Those steps numbered a full one hundred thousand, ascending layer by layer. For an ordinary person, it would take a long time to climb them. Looking from afar, the sight was extremely magnificent and vast, boundless in its majesty, as if the entire Imperial Palace sat atop the heavens themselves — a celestial palace, a divine mansion.
At this moment, the Qi Kingdom's Imperial Palace was exceptionally lively and bustling. Figures tread upon those one hundred thousand steps, ascending step by step as if on a pilgrimage. Yet as they walked, they chatted idly, clearly not on a true pilgrimage, but merely guests.
At the top of the one hundred thousand steps, a group of soldiers clad in resplendent silver-white armor stood guard, exuding boundless majesty. At the Qi Kingdom's Imperial Palace, anyone had to ascend the one hundred thousand steps on foot; flying was forbidden. Only members of the Qi Kingdom's royal family could soar through the air, manifesting the nobility of the imperial clan. Therefore, even some powerful figures from the Eight Wastelands Realm who arrived here abided by the rules, climbing the one hundred thousand steps step by step without any discontent in their hearts. If among them there were Mid-rank Emperors, they too could establish such seemingly overbearing rules. Rules were always set by those in power, and in this world, those in power were determined by martial strength. If your martial arts cultivation determined you were weak yet you still held power, you would be destroyed!
However, at this moment, someone was soaring through the void above the one hundred thousand steps, disregarding the Qi Clan's rules, as if the rules of Qi Kingdom were invalid for them.
Many people lifted their heads slightly, gazing into the void. Instantly, quite a few gazes froze, sharpness flashing in their eyes. It was him!
Many recognized the young expert soaring through the void. In the Eight Wastelands Realm, this young man's reputation had grown immensely of late, even to the point where he could be compared to the Heavenly Terrace's monstrous prodigy, Lin Feng. Throughout the vast Eight Wastelands, although not many had seen him in person, there were truly few who hadn't heard his name.
"Xia Tianfan, he actually dares to soar through the air in the Qi Kingdom's Imperial City, disregarding the Qi Kingdom's rules." The crowd thought to themselves, marveling at Xia Tianfan's arrogance. Countless experts in the Eight Wastelands dared not violate these rules of Qi Kingdom, yet Xia Tianfan did, ignoring them completely.
"Xia Tianfan's surname is Xia. He's not a member of the Qi Clan, nor is he a Martial Emperor. Does he dare to show disrespect to the Qi Kingdom's emperor, Eastern Emperor, relying solely on his monstrous strength?" Some people wondered inwardly. They saw Xia Tianfan step into the Imperial Palace beyond the one hundred thousand steps, with no one stopping him. The soldiers guarding the one hundred thousand steps of Qi Kingdom hadn't even sent a single person to stop Xia Tianfan, as if his actions weren't disrespectful, but rather taken for granted.
"This person appeared suddenly, his identity mysterious, yet his strength is incredibly powerful. He has challenged many monstrous prodigies of the Eight Wastelands and defeated quite a few. What background does he have?" Many speculated in their hearts, but they wouldn't find the answer. Perhaps only the core members of the Qi Clan would know Xia Tianfan's true identity. Otherwise, they wouldn't allow him to act so recklessly, disregarding their Qi Kingdom's rules.
"Xia Tianfan's identity must be extraordinary!" Someone murmured. The people who came to the Qi Kingdom's Imperial Palace today were all elite figures of the Eight Wastelands. Yet seeing Xia Tianfan soaring through the air, they still felt an uncomfortable sensation, as if Xia Tianfan stood above them, his radiance far more dazzling than theirs.
"Someone else is flying through the air. Who is that?" At this moment, the crowd looked up again, gazing into the void. Several more people were flying over, seemingly chatting and laughing, as if very familiar with each other, brushing past above the heads of the crowd.
"That white-robed figure in the middle seems unfathomable. I actually feel a sense of looking up to him. This feeling only comes when I see my master!" A disciple from a Martial Emperor faction thought to himself. The white-robed middle-aged man in the center exuded no aura, yet gave people an illusion, as if he had merged with the heaven and earth void, as if he were part of that expanse of sky.
"It's the Envoy!"
Some who had entered the ancient battlefield and walked out alive trembled slightly in their hearts. That white-robed middle-aged figure in the void was actually the Envoy. He had indeed arrived. But who were those young men walking side by side with him? Their cultivation levels were all at the Sovereign Martial Realm — some at the Sovereign Lord level, some not yet reaching it — yet they chatted and laughed with the Envoy, whom even the Emperors greatly respected. Clearly, their status was also extraordinary.
However, some recognized a few of them. They were all young figures who had recently made a name for themselves in the Eight Wastelands, rising suddenly, their reputations spreading far and wide, their strength formidable, known as monstrous prodigies, all very terrifying.
"It seems just as my master said — after the Assembly of Emperors passed, both the Eight Wastelands and the Nine Abyss seem to have changed. Turbulent times gather, as if the waters have grown deeper." The crowd thought to themselves. Then they saw a group of white-armored soldiers from Qi Kingdom rise into the air, bowing to the newcomers and calling out, "Envoy!"
The Envoy smiled slightly, then waved his hand, continuing to step forward. He was quite satisfied with the respect shown by the people of Qi Kingdom. This Eastern Emperor fellow knew how to conduct himself, at least giving him sufficient reverence. Others wouldn't receive such treatment.
Indeed, after the Envoy, figures tread through the void one after another, walking above the one hundred thousand steps, calm and unhurried, bathed in sunlight.
"The Emperors have also arrived. They certainly give face to Eastern Emperor!" The crowd thought to themselves. They were all looking for their own masters and elders. Only Martial Emperors were qualified to be free from rules and restraints, to tread above the one hundred thousand steps. They were figures standing atop the clouds, the absolute rulers of the Eight Wastelands Realm and the Nine Abyss Twelve Kingdoms.
"Hmm?" At this moment, someone's eyes flashed with sharpness, gazing at one of the experts. That Martial Emperor expert was none other than the Heavenly Terrace's Yu Emperor. Yu Emperor, who had disappeared for a long time, had reappeared and had also descended upon the Qi Kingdom's Imperial Palace to attend Qi Yan's wedding.
"Today, the Emperors and the Envoy are all present. Even if Eastern Emperor and the Qi Clan have deep grudges with Yu Emperor, they probably won't make a move against him during Qi Yan's wedding. However, there might be some difficulties."
The crowd thought to themselves. Just a few days ago, they had heard news from the Eastern Wasteland that the Heavenly Terrace disciple Lin Feng, along with Ruoxie, had launched a night raid on the Qi Clan, killing a hundred Sovereign Martial Realm experts from the Qi Clan before retreating unscathed. Moreover, that number of a hundred was likely an understatement, not an exaggeration. This was undoubtedly a mockery of the Qi Clan — a dignified Martial Emperor clan, breached by two people who killed their men and escaped without being stopped.
"Do you think Lin Feng will come today?" Someone asked at this moment.
"Most likely not. If Lin Feng comes, the Qi Clan will do everything in their power to take his life. The person the Qi Clan hates most is probably this fellow Lin Feng. He has killed descendants of the Qi Emperor, broken into the Qi Clan itself, and repeatedly caused the Qi Clan to lose face. If he comes, the Qi Clan won't let him leave alive." Someone replied.
"Unless he's bold enough to not care about his life!"
"Heh, this Lin Feng has always seemed lawless. Who can say for sure this time?" One person chuckled softly, walking past those who were talking. This person was actually the Wen Clan's Wen Tian Ge, with Wen Aoxue standing beside him.
The crowd continued ascending the one hundred thousand steps one after another, passing through the majestic Heavenly Gate, arriving at a vast and boundless square.
PS: The computer is about to shut down automatically... No time to say more.