Chapter 1805: Ascending the Star
When they were still a hundred miles from the planet, the water surface was no longer calm. Instead, it churned and spun rapidly, throwing up waves dozens of meters high. Even massive stone blocks, as large as palaces and mountains, flew through the air at dozens of times the speed of sound, carried by the currents, forming a barrier zone. Even for cultivators at the Saint King Realm, rashly attempting to break through would be extremely dangerous.
The roaring sound was incessant. The fierce gale seemed as if it would blow all cultivators away.
"Swoosh."
The circular star cluster above the White Jade Sacred Ship suddenly expanded tenfold, enveloping the ship's hull, allowing the sacred vessel to pass smoothly through the dangerous zone and finally arrive beneath the planet.
The cultivators on the sacred ship all looked up, examining the black planet before them.
Suddenly, two beams of golden light rose from the planet's surface, breaking through the atmosphere, and transformed into two figures clad in gold-threaded sacred armor, looking down at the White Jade Sacred Ship below.
Zhang Ruochen recognized their identities from the armor and accessories on the two figures, his expression turning strange: "The Golden Armor Imperial Guards of the Imperial Ancestor Crown Prince."
Zhang Ruochen finally began to understand the Fourteenth Prince's intentions.
One of the Golden Armor Imperial Guards, as if unable to recognize the White Jade Sacred Ship, called out loudly, "This planet has been occupied by the Crown Prince of the Imperial Ancestor Divine Dynasty. All who approach, retreat immediately."
On the White Jade Sacred Ship, Bai Shang, who carried a broadsword on his back, sneered, "Isn't the Crown Prince being a bit too overbearing? This is the Kunlun Realm, not his Juxing Star fiefdom. Does he think he can just claim it as he pleases?"
"That's right, we also want to ascend the planet and gather sacred medicine," Nie Qingli added.
Following this, the cultivators on the sacred ship all began to clamor, accusing the Imperial Ancestor Crown Prince of going too far.
No one knew who, but someone unleashed a sacred sword, sending a sword light several miles long flying out, striking the two Golden Armor Imperial Guards standing in midair. They were sent flying, falling into the water, their fate unknown.
Immediately after, the White Jade Sacred Ship soared up, charging into the atmosphere of the black planet and descending onto the vast, rock-covered ground.
On the planet, many sacred medicines grew, emitting a strong medicinal fragrance.
The cultivators on the White Jade Sacred Ship were all extremely excited, turning into streaks of light as they rushed out of the ship and scattered in all directions.
But soon, they retreated, or rather, they were forced to retreat.
"Rumble."
Nearly a hundred Golden Armor Imperial Guards, riding golden, radiant giant deer beasts and carrying war halberds, surrounded them. Each one was at the Saint King Realm, emitting astonishing fluctuations of the sacred path. The sacred armor and war halberds they wore were engraved with the same formation inscriptions, which, when activated, could form a grand formation. The more people there were, the more powerful the formation became.
With nearly a hundred Golden Armor Imperial Guards gathered together, even a Nine-Step Saint King would have to give way.
Zhang Ruochen also drew in a cold breath and transmitted his voice, "The foundation of the Imperial Ancestor Divine Dynasty is truly terrifying. A single Crown Prince actually possesses a Saint King guard corps."
To put it in perspective, the entire Guanghan Realm had only about three thousand Saint Kings. The Kunlun Realm had even fewer.
In other words, as long as Great Saints and Gods did not interfere, a single Crown Prince of the Imperial Ancestor Divine Dynasty had the strength to sweep through half of the Kunlun Realm.
Of course, after the Kunlun Realm's revival, the number of Saint Kings and Saints was rapidly increasing. Many cultivators who had previously been unable to break through had become Saints or even Kings.
Ji Fanxin said, "The Imperial Ancestor Crown Prince's mother is the Divine Empress of the Imperial Ancestor Divine Lord, and also the daughter of the Can Tian Sect Leader. Several of the Crown Prince's uncles are also powerful figures in the Imperial Ancestor Divine Dynasty. With such a background, obtaining a Golden Armor Imperial Guard corps is hardly a difficult matter."
Zhang Ruochen smiled and said, "That Imperial Ancestor Divine Lord is truly a formidable figure, able to marry both the Saintess of the Xingyun Sect and the daughter of the Can Tian Sect Leader."
"You should think of it differently. It was because the Imperial Ancestor Divine Lord married the Saintess of the Xingyun Sect and the daughter of the Can Tian Sect Leader that he was able to take control of the Imperial Ancestor Divine Dynasty and become the Divine Lord," Ji Fanxin said.
Zhang Ruochen showed a thoughtful expression.
Ji Fanxin continued, "The Imperial Ancestor Divine Lord's talent in his youth was certainly far beyond ordinary. But without the support of various ancient and powerful forces, he could not have grown up, let alone become a Divine Lord."
"The best way to gain support is through marriage alliances."
"By the time the Imperial Ancestor Divine Lord ascended the throne, he represented the interests of these major forces. Of course, the Imperial Ancestor Divine Lord's methods were extremely formidable. After becoming a God, he gradually broke free from the control of the Xingyun Sect, the Can Tian Sect, and other forces, instead rectifying them and consolidating his own imperial power."
Zhang Ruochen sighed softly, "I never imagined that even a figure as brilliant as the Imperial Ancestor Divine Lord had to compromise and borrow power before he could rise."
Ji Fanxin seemed to see through Zhang Ruochen's thoughts and said, "If you want to rebuild the Sacred Bright Central Empire and restore the Kunlun Realm's former glory, you too will have to unite various forces and borrow power from all the top-tier powers to have even a slight chance of success."
Zhang Ruochen said, "I am no longer a cultivator of the Kunlun Realm. The Kunlun Realm's glory and decline have nothing to do with me."
"The future will be cruel. When the time comes for you to decide the life and death of billions of people alone, how will you escape then?"
Ji Fanxin, an outsider, saw things more clearly than Zhang Ruochen, who was in the midst of it.
"Boom."
"Boom."
...
The ground trembled violently as four golden-armored giants, each a hundred meters tall, stepped out from among the Golden Armor Imperial Guards.
One of the golden-armored giants, exuding intense killing intent, said, "Retreat, or die."
That killing intent was truly terrifying. Even the Saints and Saint Kings present turned pale, and some trembled, almost falling to their knees.
The Fourteenth Prince walked out of the White Jade Sacred Ship, surveyed the area, and called out loudly, "We are all cultivators of the Heavenly Court, here on the Kunlun Realm's Merit Battlefield as comrades-in-arms. Yet you want to kill your own comrades? Are you ignoring the decrees of the Heavenly Palace and the Merit God Hall?"
The Saint Realm cultivators present naturally knew they were being used by the Fourteenth Prince.
But giving up the sacred medicine on the planet and retreating in disgrace was absolutely out of the question.
So, some cultivators chimed in, "This planet belongs to the Kunlun Realm, not the Imperial Ancestor Crown Prince's fiefdom. On what grounds do you expel us?"
"Who dares to kill me? I am the son of the Wind Realm Cloud Emperor."
"The opportunities of the Kunlun Realm can be seized by anyone. The Imperial Ancestor Crown Prince cannot monopolize them."
...
The four golden-armored giants, each like a primordial ferocious beast, had thunderous sounds rumbling within their bodies as they activated their sacred Qi, preparing to make a move.
The sacred might erupting from their bodies caused some Saint Realm cultivators to collapse weakly to the ground.
The Fourteenth Prince watched all this with a smile on his face. Beside him, the Spirit Child held a scroll, ready to record the upcoming scene.
"Stop."
A thin, dry old man with four arms flew out, stopping the four golden-armored giants.
This man was called Que Gonggong, the top expert by the Imperial Ancestor Crown Prince's side.
The Fourteenth Prince clasped his hands and said, "Greetings, Que Gonggong."
"Fourteenth Young Master, there's no need to be so polite. Since they are cultivators you brought, they can naturally stay on this planet. However, this old servant must warn you: this planet is extremely dangerous. If you wander recklessly, you may lose your lives," Que Gonggong said in a sinister tone.
The Fourteenth Prince smiled faintly and said, "Why do I only see Que Gonggong, but not my elder brother? It's been many days, and the Fourteenth misses him dearly."
"The Crown Prince is not on this planet, Fourteenth Young Master. You will have to wait a while longer to see him," Que Gonggong said.
The Fourteenth Prince said, "It seems my elder brother has gone to pursue that Heavenly Maiden again. The Fourteenth wishes him success. Let's go."
The Fourteenth Prince put away the White Jade Sacred Ship and, leading the Spirit Child, Bai Shang, Nie Qingli, and others, walked out of the encirclement formed by the Golden Armor Imperial Guards.
Those cultivators who had hitched a ride on the White Jade Sacred Ship were not foolish. They did not continue to follow the Fourteenth Prince but instead used their movement techniques to disappear among the black mountain ranges.
The Spirit Child said, "These people are truly ungrateful. After ascending the planet, they didn't even say goodbye, and more than half of them have already left."
The Fourteenth Prince showed a nonchalant smile and said, "It's just mutual exploitation. Did you think they would be stupid enough to follow me to fight against the Crown Prince of the Imperial Ancestor Divine Dynasty?"
Nie Qingli smiled and said, "These fellows probably thought that the Crown Prince's experts really wouldn't dare to kill them. If it weren't for their fear of the Fourteenth Prince, the Golden Armor Imperial Guards would have already slaughtered them all."
The Fourteenth Prince showed a thoughtful expression and said, "My elder brother has probably gone to visit the Heavenly Beginning Heavenly Maiden. It is said that the Heavenly Maiden is near Luo Water and has likely occupied a planet as well."
The Spirit Child said seriously, "I received news that not long ago, the old Heavenly Lord of the Heavenly Beginning Civilization recovered from his injuries, survived the Eon Calamity, and his cultivation increased by a large margin. With the old Heavenly Lord protecting them, the Heavenly Beginning Civilization will surely become even more glorious and prosperous in the coming eon."
"If the Crown Prince gains the favor of the Heavenly Beginning Heavenly Maiden, it would be equivalent to gaining the support of the entire Heavenly Beginning Civilization, adding wings to a tiger."
The Fourteenth Prince's expression did not change as he said, "The Heavenly Beginning Heavenly Maiden is one of the fairies on the 'Nine Immortal Beauties Painting.' Even without her status as a Heavenly Maiden, she is worth visiting."
Nie Qingli said somewhat disdainfully, "That so-called 'Nine Immortal Beauties Painting' is just a painting by that libertine Hua Chunqiu. It doesn't mean those nine are the most beautiful in the Heavenly Court."
The Fourteenth Prince, the Spirit Child, and Bai Shang all knew what Nie Qingli was thinking and laughed.
Zhang Ruochen and Ji Fanxin did not travel with the Fourteenth Prince and his group. Instead, they headed towards the planet's polar region. The stone pillar, millions of meters long, was planted at the center of the pole.
"Someone is following us," Ji Fanxin said.
Zhang Ruochen smiled and said, "It should be the Golden Armor Sacred Guards under the Imperial Ancestor Crown Prince. It seems they still want to expel us."
Zhang Ruochen and Ji Fanxin stopped. After a moment, they indeed saw streaks of golden light flying from the horizon, accompanied by earth-shaking sonic booms.
There were twenty-seven Golden Armor Imperial Guards in total, along with one golden-armored giant.
Clearly, they had recognized that Zhang Ruochen and Ji Fanxin were powerful and had dispatched a quarter of their forces.