Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension Chapter 1375: 740: Winning Is Winning (Part 2)

Although the Marquis of Wind and the Diwu Clan both shared the objective of suppressing the Zhao Family, the two lineages had spent centuries accumulating deep-seated grudges and countless conflicting interests.

Consequently, Marquis of Wind, Jiexing, felt a surge of delight upon witnessing the Diwu Family suffer such a humiliating setback.

“Hmph, the final result has yet to be determined!” Di Wuque declared, his voice turning raspy and strained.

His countenance had become savage. He occasionally flicked his tongue across his lips, radiating an unsettling aura that was a far cry from his previous calm and composed demeanor.

“Di Wuque, are your kin actually capable or not? If they suffer defeat at the hands of some nameless newcomer, it will be an absolute disgrace to the Diwu Clan.”

“Night Demon King? Haha, it seems that title is nothing more than a hollow boast!” a Returning to Void level expert remarked, his tone dripping with intentional mockery.

“Bah! He’s nothing but a useless fool. I truly regret wagering on his victory. Sixteen Principle Crystals! I have suffered a devastating loss this time!” Another expert at the Returning to Void level reached his breaking point, shouting curses in a fit of rage.

“Amitabha Buddha! Since the dawn of time, success and failure have been common occurrences in the theater of war. As the proverb goes, one cannot gamble without the risk of loss; you all should not be so consumed by this!” Master Jie Bude’s expression became increasingly grave and dignified.

“You hypocritical bald thief, cease your pretenses! You were the one who established the odds and reaped the greatest rewards. You had best watch your back, lest you are ambushed on your journey home.”

“Amitabha Buddha! Mr. Fang, guard your speech, or you may inadvertently sow the seeds of a future tribulation in your moment of fury!”

“Blasted bald head! You dare to threaten this old man…”

“…”

“Excellent, excellent. This monk shall await Mr. Fang’s visit at the Great Xumi Temple… Amitabha Buddha!”

The communications between these Returning to Void level figures were conducted primarily through Divine Thought, allowing for an incredibly rapid exchange of information!

By the time Master Jie Bude and the expert surnamed Fang had finalized their duel arrangements, not even a single breath of time had elapsed.

At that moment, Diwu Xuanye finally realized something was wrong as a wave of vertigo washed over him and his sight grew dim.

He could only perceive flickers of emerald light dancing before his eyes. His limbs suddenly felt drained of strength, and the Qi within his body became sluggish and difficult to manipulate.

Mist swirled around him, and the Divine Thought he attempted to project was instantly "swallowed" by the encroaching fog.

Diwu Xuanye shook his head violently in an attempt to reclaim his clarity. His eyes flashed with Divine Light as he rapidly activated the Heart Clearing Demon Extinguishing Divine Power.

Under the influence of that radiant Divine Light, his dizziness subsided and his vision returned to normal.

However, an instant later, Diwu Xuanye’s face froze. He looked down in sheer terror to find that, without him even noticing, thick green moss had sprouted across his hands and neck.

This moss did not stop at his extremities; it was spreading with alarming speed across his entire frame.

At a glance, Diwu Xuanye had been transformed into a being composed entirely of green moss!

“Bang, bang, bang!”

Following a sequence of dull thuds, emerald branches pierced through Diwu Xuanye’s skin one by one, stretching outward and swaying in the breeze.

Myriad green leaves unfurled rapidly, followed by buds that swelled and erupted into clusters of vibrant peach blossoms in the blink of an eye.

Though Diwu Xuanye’s mind was now clear and he felt no physical pain, it was this very "lack of sensation" that filled his heart with profound dread!

The dust had settled; the contest was over!

Zhao Sheng offered a faint smile and brushed his hand through the air, causing the water mist filling the hall to evaporate instantly.

It was only then that the gathered Divinity Transformation True Monarchs realized with a shock that the fight was finished. The victor was someone they had never expected.

Seeing Zhao San Yue standing there with poise while Diwu Xuanye remained frozen like a green tree, Zhao Qingfeng felt an immense sense of relief. He wiped his brow, only to realize he had broken out in a fine sweat during the short exchange.

Zhao San Yue gave a slight bow toward the Half-Immortals of the Void seated above. With a shimmer of green light, she vanished and reappeared in her seat, looking perfectly composed as if the battle were of no consequence.

Di Wuque’s expression was as dark as a soot-stained pot. With a freezing glare, he acted.

A sheath of pure white Fierce Flame suddenly engulfed Diwu Xuanye, instantly incinerating the green moss and branches into nothingness.

Having “recovered” his form, Diwu Xuanye was overcome by a crushing sense of ignominy. He flew back to his place with a shattered spirit, keeping his head bowed low, unable to face the gaze of his peers.

Pa! Pa! Pa!

Master Huang Shi suddenly struck the table and burst into laughter, shouting his praise. “The Zhao Family is truly a cradle of genius. Seeing this young lady makes me certain the Zhao Family has found worthy successors! Even I would have felt inadequate compared to her in my younger years!”

“Master Huang, your praise is too generous! San Yue’s triumph was merely a result of her opponent’s lack of familiarity with her techniques. It was nothing more than a stroke of luck this time; it is not worth such high regard!” Zhao Sheng explained to the assembly with a humble smile.

While the crowd didn't entirely buy his modest claims, the younger Divinity Transformation cultivators felt significantly less pressured after hearing his explanation.

Regardless of the reasoning, a victory remained a victory! The triumph of the winner was beyond dispute!

Following this engagement, Zhao San Yue had made a spectacular debut. Her renown now eclipsed that of Diwu Xuanye, and her name would undoubtedly spread across the entire Ten Thousand Peak Spirit Domain before long.

Zhao San Yue was no longer a non-entity; she had naturally become a figure that other major powers would have to reckon with.

Simultaneously, her position within the Divine Artisan Zhao Clan became unassailable. No one would dare question the special treatment afforded to her as a “Returning Void Immortal Seed.”

“Fifth Daoist, I thank you for the match!” Zhao Sheng looked toward Di Wuque with a beaming smile, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

“Hmph, the Immortal Fruit is right here. Take it!” Di Wuque grumbled, his face clouded as he swept his sleeve across the Jade Table.

The tray of Spirit Stones in the center of the table rose into the air, flying alongside the Kunyuan Immortal Fruit toward Zhao Sheng’s table.

Even in defeat, Di Wuque maintained his integrity.

Naturally, he couldn't go back on his word, especially not in the presence of so many Fellow Daoists of the Void.

To put it bluntly, he valued his reputation too much to cheat.

Zhao Sheng tucked the two Kunyuan Immortal Fruits into his sleeve with a wave of his arm, then directed a smile toward Master Jie Bude.

Seeing this, Master Jie Bude immediately pressed his palms together and began a low Buddhist chant.

Moments later, a Storage Bag was handed to Zhao Sheng, containing more than seven hundred Principle Crystals.

Furthermore, he was still owed over three hundred Principle Crystals, as some individuals—including Di Wuque—had placed such massive bets that they could not produce the full amount immediately.

Every time Di Wuque contemplated the magnitude of his loss, his heart felt as though it were bleeding. His resentment toward the “incompetent” Diwu Xuanye grew even deeper.

On the opposite side, Zhao Sheng, whose personal fortune had nearly doubled, struggled to contain his excitement.

These thousand-plus Principle Crystals were sufficient to fund his Cultivation for the next hundred years.

Having tasted the thrill of rapid advancement, he had no desire to return to the agonizingly slow pace of traditional Cultivation.

…

Half a day later, the Kunyuan Meeting reached its conclusion. Groups of Half-Immortals of the Void and their Divinity Transformation subordinates began to depart from the Five Elders Palace.

Zhao Sheng politely turned down several invitations from Master Huang Shi. He boarded the Golden Dragon Divine Palace and soared away from Five Emperor Mountain, heading toward the Wolong Mountain Range.

As the Golden Dragon Divine Palace faded into the horizon, a middle-aged Daoist clad in a five-colored Golden Robe appeared silently next to Master Huang Shi. He suddenly inquired, “Ancestor, the Zhao Family is clearly on the rise! Why did you not take steps to curb their growth? Why show such friendliness to that man instead?”

Master Huang Shi stared at the drifting clouds, his gaze deep and tranquil. He remained silent for a long time, appearing lost in thought.

The middle-aged Daoist remained patient, waiting quietly by his side.

After a long silence, Master Huang Shi gave a slight shudder as if returning from a trance, exhaling a heavy breath of turbid air.

“…He is beyond measure! That man is not one to be provoked. It is far better to treat him with distant respect than to make an enemy of him!”

Master Huang Shi’s voice was thick with emotion, sounding like a weary hero reaching the end of his journey.

The middle-aged Daoist felt the Ancestor might be overstating things. He had watched the entire proceedings from the shadows and hadn't seen anything in Zhao Sheng that justified such intense fear from his Ancestor.

However, he did not dare question the Ancestor’s intuition, for the Ancestor’s judgments had never once been mistaken!

The middle-aged Daoist was unaware of a certain "secret" known only to the family heads who presided over the Five Elders Palace.

The Huang Family didn't host the Kunyuan Meeting at the Five Elders Palace merely to flex their clan's strength; there was a much more significant reason…