Chapter 482: Chapter 465: The New Generation Star Lord
The four great powers, riding on the coattails of the Star Alliance, were frantically expanding their influence among the younger generation.
The names Lin Jinghao, Jii Wanli, Ling Fei, and Wu Wang were constantly growing in prominence.
The Star Alliance seemed to be encouraging this, while in contrast, the older generation was rarely mentioned.
Meanwhile, the Holy Hall, which had been the main focus of promotion for a time, seemed to have fallen quiet. Wang Meng’s greatest weakness was his lack of powerful backing, so he had much to face.
Lin Jinghao and the others had not neglected their cultivation. On the contrary, their training arrangements were even better, and they had the assistance of top-tier experts. As for their various alliances and associations, the Elders of Affairs from their sects were responsible for running them.
The amount of resources these sects possessed was unimaginable for smaller sects. With the support of such vast resources, they could easily maintain their operations and continuously expand their influence and control.
After all, one’s hand is shortened when taking from others, and one’s mouth is shortened when eating from others. During this process, the formidable power of these sects would gradually seep in. This move was undoubtedly like boiling a frog in warm water—the effects were slow to appear but would be profound.
In this great struggle, the Taiyin Sect appeared relatively low-key. Zou Chuang’s personality was simply not suited for such things; he couldn’t even be bothered to put on a show. Although Xie Tianhua was skilled at it, he lacked sufficient influence. Moreover, the Taiyin Sect didn’t seem very interested, as if they too had begun to bide their time and hide their strength, actively preparing for the Battle of the Other Shore.
Yue Shan, on the other hand, had her fame skyrocket after establishing the Saint Dao with Ling Fei. Cultivators gradually began to pay attention to this once low-key successor of the Treasure Artifact Sect.
The Treasure Artifact Sect wasn’t famous for its Magic, but their Treasure Artifacts were unparalleled. Their cultivation of Life Artifacts was in a class of its own.
The Saint Dao aimed to strengthen the power of Saint Cultivators, and the Treasure Artifact Sect was willing to custom-craft Magical Artifacts for outstanding Saint Cultivators!
The great name of the Treasure Artifact Sect was, of course, beyond doubt. With Yue Shan personally taking action, it would have been difficult for the Saint Dao *not* to become famous.
And so, just as the original top figures of the younger generation began their thunderous journey to dominate the world...
Even more sensational figures made their grand entrances, one after another. These people were completely unheard of before, but their very first appearances shocked all the Small Thousand Realms.
The Dragon Princess entered the mortal world. For whatever reason, the Ghost Crown Prince, Wu Wang, must have had a screw loose, as he actually dared to be rude to Linglong. In the ensuing battle, the Dragon Princess directly inflicted heavy injuries on him.
For the Ghost Crown Prince to suddenly encounter something like this while he was in the spotlight was an absolute setback. It was said that if Linglong hadn’t shown mercy, the Ghost Crown Prince would have really gone to see the ghosts.
The full extent of the Dragon Princess’s power had always been an unknown, but her victory over a top-tier Human Cultivator in a single battle spoke volumes. Apparently, calling it a "fierce battle" was just to save face for Wu Wang. He had even used his Night Parade of Hundred Demons Holy Statue, but still couldn’t block three of Linglong’s moves.
The Dragon Maiden’s strength was just that evident.
But this was only the beginning. People from the Pure Land emerged. The Pure Land was going to participate in the Battle of the Other Shore. No one had paid it much mind, assuming they would just send Mingren to fight, but that was not the case.
Within three days, Zou Chuang, Longyue, and Jii Wanli were challenged by successors from the Pure Land. The details of the battles were unknown, but all three who were challenged went into seclusion afterward, while the Pure Land Disciples were completely unscathed.
The might of the Pure Land could truly intimidate the world with an air of casual indifference.
The only top-tier expert of the younger generation left standing was Lin Jinghao.
「No Illusion Demon Sect.」
Lin Jinghao was leisurely basking in the sun. Others would handle the various affairs of the Demon Dao Association; at most, he just needed to show his face, flash a smile, and reveal a bit of teeth.
’A little sun is good for the body and mind,’ he thought. ’And it increases positive energy.’
Lin Jinghao’s courtyard was very simple. There was an old tree with leaves half-green and half-yellow, and a single old servant slowly sweeping the fallen leaves, looking so serene it seemed he might fall asleep mid-sweep.
While dragons and tigers fought outside, this place seemed somewhat out of step with the world.
Suddenly, the sweeping old man looked up. At some point, another person had appeared at the entrance.
The old man glanced at Lin Jinghao, who stood up with a smile. "A friend has come from afar. Heh, it seems my reputation isn’t half bad."
The visitor was Mingren. The Mingren of this moment was truly different from before. His appearance hadn’t changed, but his attire and temperament were vastly different. Or perhaps, this was the style that truly suited Mingren.
Outside the gate, two Pure Land Knights waited respectfully. Two Qilin Beasts were prostrated obediently. It seemed the No Illusion Demon Sect was no obstacle for the Pure Land.
"Brother Lin, long time no see. You’re looking even more dashing than before. I still owe you a favor from the Dragon Tomb, and I’ve come today to repay it," Mingren said with a smile.
Lin Jinghao gave a wry smile. "Can I refuse?"
Mingren’s smile held no hostility, only anticipation. "Brother Lin, since you’re set on being a good person, you should know that being a good person is hard."
"The Dragon Maiden has entered the mortal world, and the Pure Land’s Snake Fairy Desire Spirit, Tiger King Lishan, and Leopard King Lightning have also come. What’s this? Has the Pure Land changed its strategy?" Lin Jinghao asked. The names of the Demon Race were not like those of humans; they chose their own. Snake Fairy Desire Spirit was a princess of the Snake Woman lineage. The first-ranked female Human Cultivator she sought out was, naturally, Longyue.
Lishan had sought out Zou Chuang. Because Mingren had his eyes on Lin Jinghao, Lishan had to defer.
As for Leopard King Lightning, he had long been looking forward to challenging Jii Wanli’s so-called number one divine speed. He really wanted to see what level humanity’s fastest was really at.
The Demon Race had been changing over the years, especially the younger generation. They were unwilling to remain in the lonely confines of the Pure Land until they grew old and died. Under such circumstances, forceful suppression would only lead to a more powerful eruption. That was why the Pure Land was allowing representatives of the younger Demon Race generation to enter the world.
If the Human Cultivators couldn’t keep them in check, the future would truly become a problem.
One had to remember that the Star Alliance was only established back then because of the Star Lord’s power and the Dragon Emperor’s approval. But among today’s younger generation, was there anyone who could keep them suppressed?
"The Demon Race has been silent for too long. Actually, isn’t this more exciting? Brother Lin should be delighted."
Lin Jinghao paused for a moment, then couldn’t help but laugh. "I’ve been wondering when the first person who truly understands me would appear. I never expected it to be Brother Mingren."
"Desire Spirit and the others are merely noteworthy. The Pure Land is truly full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers. There are still figures on the level of Linglong. We won’t be lonely."
"Heh heh, Brother Mingren, you didn’t come here just to see if I’m qualified to participate in the Battle of the Other Shore, did you?"
Mingren was noncommittal. "I just want to test the Nine Luminaries Cyan Dragon Body!"
SNAP!
Lin Jinghao’s folding fan opened. The "Good Person Fan" swayed gently a few times, but the atmosphere of the entire courtyard changed.
"Uncle Shi, I’m going to have some fun with Brother Mingren."
The old man glanced at Mingren, and with a flicker, his figure vanished. Immediately after, the two Pure Land Knights and the Qilin Beasts at the gate also disappeared without making a single sound.
However, neither Mingren nor Lin Jinghao seemed to pay it any mind.
The appearance of the Demon Race in the various Small Thousand Realms was definitely sensational news, but it did not cause the expected panic.
Human Cultivators were powerful enough, especially when united by the Star Alliance. The strength of the Human Cultivators held an absolute advantage. The Pure Land alone was stronger than any single sect, but it couldn’t compare to their collective whole.
Moreover, what satisfied the Human Cultivators the most was that the powerful Demon Race was actually showing weakness. After all, they were also subordinate to the Star Alliance and had always been well-behaved. As for the younger generation of the Demon Race entering the world to issue challenges, most Human Cultivators were filled with a desire to fight.
This was clearly also part of the Star Alliance’s arrangements, meant to let Human Cultivators gradually accept the Demon Race. After all, nearly a thousand years had passed, and more and more people knew about them, so there was no need to keep them hidden. To keep the Demon Race honest, however, still required overwhelming strength.
Mingren shouldered such a heavy responsibility. Otherwise, they would rather forcefully suppress the Demon Race, because with the Demon Race’s ostentatious nature, a major problem would inevitably arise once that suppression was gone.
The Dragon Emperor’s attitude was currently unclear, but the Dragon Maiden entering the world was a sign. The old rules were about to change to some extent, and now no one could grasp the Dragon Emperor’s thoughts.
Another variable was the Extreme Dao Immortal Venerable of the Extreme Dao Alliance. Ordinarily, the Star Alliance wasn’t afraid of him causing any major trouble, but things were different during this sensitive period.
In the Taiyin Sect, Zou Chuang wasn’t in some so-called seclusion. His battle with Tiger King Lishan had left him with considerable injuries, though his opponent didn’t get off easy either. The main issue was his unfamiliarity with the Demon Race’s attack style.
Humans accumulated Elemental Power by borrowing the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi, but the Demon Race cultivated Elemental Power from within themselves. In recent years, the Pure Land had also been studying human cultivation methods to improve the Demon Race, though the effects were not as significant as for humans. After all, the ability to learn in this way was innate to humanity. Although the Demon Race possessed considerable intelligence, their source of power was fixed. They weren’t suited to using that kind of Magic; their strength came from themselves, and their bloodline was what mattered most.
The son of a Demon King would still be a Demon King, and the child of a Little Demon would be a Little Demon. The inheritance of power could not be changed.
An old man sat before Yuu Kunlun, Mo Chen, Zhang Bai, and Zhu Zhun. All four of them stood respectfully.
The elder before them seemed to be on the verge of merging with heaven and earth. If Immortals existed, then this old man was one.
...It was a feeling somewhat similar to that given off by Dragon Emperor Tu Mu.
"Martial Uncle, what do you believe is the ultimate reason for the Star Alliance’s recent major moves?"
"Yes, the four of us discussed it for half a day but couldn’t find a single clue. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have disturbed your venerable peace," Mo Chen added.
The old man’s hair and beard were silver, but his face was as ruddy as a child’s. What was unavoidable, however, were his eyes, which seemed to see through the ways of the world.
The old man sighed softly. "I’ve gotten old. Old."
The four of them trembled. A single sentence had revealed a celestial secret.
Among the four great powers, the lifespans of the Dragon Emperor and the Lord of Pure Land could likely still be extended. But the Star Lord was human. He had been at his peak for over three hundred years, and without being able to ascend, his life was also reaching its end.
A new Star Lord was about to be born!
The Battle of the Other Shore was to determine the successor. This successor would require not only the Star Alliance’s approval but also that of the Demon Race and the Dragon Race.
But if no one of that caliber emerged, the Small Thousand World would fall into a situation that no one could predict—especially with a variable like the Extreme Dao Immortal Venerable, who wished for nothing more than chaos.
The Extreme Dao Alliance advocated for the extermination of the Demon Race, the Dragon Race, and all other non-human existences. Once the Star Alliance became internally unstable, there would be serious trouble.
"Martial Uncle, which side should we stand on?"
The old man glanced at Yuu Kunlun. "The times have changed. You must decide for yourselves which path to take."