Chapter 579 - 578: Exploiting a Loophole

Chapter 579: Chapter 578: Exploiting a Loophole

While the outside world was in a flurry of activity, Yi Tianyun strolled through the Celestial Cloud Imperial City. After a period of construction, much had changed, and it was now essentially complete.

With him presiding over it, no other faction dared to attack. His prestige had soared to its peak, especially after he had flattened the Four Great Empires.

However, the rumor spreading in the outside world was that the Celestial Dragon Empire had an incredibly powerful Prince. There was no mention of the Celestial Cloud Mansion’s Mansion Master being powerful. After all, he had carried out the rescue under his identity as a Prince, so the information naturally skewed toward the Celestial Dragon Empire.

Even so, those with deeper knowledge of the situation were aware of Yi Tianyun’s other identity: the Mansion Master of the Celestial Cloud Mansion! Still, his most famous title remained Prince of the Celestial Dragon Empire.

This led many to believe that the Celestial Dragon Empire was formidable, possessing a supreme expert, rather than the Celestial Cloud Mansion. Yi Tianyun didn’t bother to clarify this misunderstanding, nor did he see any need to.

In any case, as long as the outside world knew that the Celestial Dragon Empire and the Celestial Cloud Mansion were not to be trifled with, that was enough.

"Quest Completion Requirements: Void Spirit Stage experts 3/5, Core Transformation Stage experts 25/25, Spirit Pill Stage experts 250/250, and establish your own Imperial City! (Note: Cultivators who meet the cultivation requirements must have a Favorability of 200 or more. Pets are not included.)"

"Due to possessing one Spirit King Stage expert, all requirements are halved!"

These quest requirements had changed the moment he broke through to the Spirit King Stage. Previously, just the Core Transformation Stage expert requirement alone had been fifty, which showed how difficult it was.

Of course, as his reputation grew, more and more people joined the Celestial Cloud Mansion, including a fair number of Core Transformation Stage experts. As a result, the actual numbers were far greater than what was currently shown; the quest only displayed the required amount.

For example, there were more than thirty with a Loyalty of 200 or more, but the quest simply showed the requirement as met without listing the surplus.

Thanks to the halving effect, most of the requirements were met instantly. After so much time and with a massive amount of resources poured into their training, the cultivation bases of many Cultivators had surged forward.

Previously, many Cultivators had excellent talent but were held back by a lack of resources, making it difficult to advance. Now, with the situation vastly improved, many Cultivators had charged from the Core Formation Stage to the Spirit Pill Stage, and those at the Spirit Pill Stage were rushing toward the Core Transformation Stage.

This was especially true for the Spirit Gate and the Celestial Extreme Sect, which had the strongest foundations and the most Cultivators successfully breaking through. Only the Void Spirit Stage proved more difficult, requiring a much longer time to reach.

’I’m still short two people. How am I going to fill this gap...’

Yi Tianyun frowned. He was eager to complete this main quest so he could find out what the next one would be. ’Could it be to establish a Divine Kingdom directly?’

That possibility couldn’t be ruled out, but it was the reward for completing the quest that he truly coveted.

"Yi, we’ve come to see you." Ren Long approached with a smiling Ren Zhirou. Although the Celestial Dragon Empire was still very busy, they had taken the time to visit and see how things were progressing.

"You’re here." Yi Tianyun smiled. "Did you come because the Celestial Cloud Imperial City is finished?"

"That’s right. With the Celestial Cloud Imperial City complete, you can prepare to establish it as an Empire, and you will be crowned as a Great Emperor." Ren Long laughed. "When that time comes, it won’t just be our Celestial Dragon Empire paying a visit. I imagine the Great Emperors of the other Empires will all come personally to pay their respects!"

Yi Tianyun’s eyes narrowed. Although many people only knew him as a Prince, the Great Emperors of these Empires certainly knew his true identity.

"Is that so? It’s going to be quite lively here, then." Yi Tianyun smiled. A dozen or so Great Emperors coming to visit would be a truly spectacular scene, but they had no choice but to show him face.

Yi Tianyun’s status was at its zenith. If they didn’t come to pay their respects and he happened to take a disliking to one of their Empires, he might just go and flatten it, and then they would be out of luck.

"Of course it’ll be lively! This is an incredibly rare occasion. Of all the Great Emperors who have been enthroned, none have had a celebration as grand as yours. You single-handedly shook four Empires—they had no choice but to respond." Ren Long sighed with emotion. "How long has it been, and you’ve already broken through to such a powerful level? There’s just no way for us to catch up..."

"That’s right! Yi, how on earth do you cultivate? You’re so much stronger than before. You can even kill Spirit King Stage experts at will..." Ren Zhirou’s beautiful eyes sparkled, filled with endless, pleasant surprise.

Looking at them, an idea struck Yi Tianyun. "Why don’t you two join my Celestial Cloud Mansion and become my Honored Guest Elders?"

"Huh?" They were both stunned. They never expected Yi Tianyun to say such a thing.

"That’s not a problem... but what’s the difference between that and how things are now?" Ren Long was a bit puzzled. Their relationship was so good that if either side was in trouble, the other would immediately come to help. There was no need to become Honored Guest Elders.

An Honored Guest Elder’s commitment wasn’t even as firm as their current alliance. It seemed completely unnecessary.

"You don’t need to worry about that. So, are you willing to join and become Honored Guest Elders of my Celestial Cloud Mansion?" Yi Tianyun pressed on with his request, regardless of the circumstances.

"Well..."

They looked at each other, unsure of what Yi Tianyun was planning, but they both nodded. "Alright then, we’ll become your Honored Guest Elders. That settles it, right?"

"My thanks to you both!" Yi Tianyun laughed heartily. "From this day forward, you are the Honored Guest Elders of our Celestial Cloud Mansion. If the Mansion runs into any trouble, I’ll be counting on your help."

"This... Yi, what’s wrong with you? Did you suffer from cultivation deviation?" Ren Zhirou’s beautiful eyes were filled with worry. Why the sudden change? With his power alone, Yi Tianyun was strong enough to shake the Four Great Empires. Why would he need their help?

Unless Yi Tianyun wasn’t going to be here... But even if he wasn’t, there was still no need for them to become Honored Guest Elders. They would help regardless.

"Ahem, it’s nothing, it’s nothing." Yi Tianyun chuckled, and a pleasant sound immediately rang in his ear.

"Ding! Quest objective ’Possess the required number of experts’ complete. Reward: 100 million Experience, 500,000 Madness Value, 100,000 Sin Value!"

"Ding! Successfully accepted the quest ’Establish the Celestial Cloud Imperial City.’ Completion Reward: 100 million Experience, 500,000 Madness Value, 100,000 Sin Value!"

"Ding! Successfully completed the quest ’Establish the Celestial Cloud Imperial City.’ Reward: 100 million Experience, 500,000 Madness Value, 100,000 Sin Value!"

"Ding! Successfully accepted the quest ’Be Crowned as Great Emperor.’ Completion Reward: 100 million Experience, 500,000 Madness Value, 100,000 Sin Value!"

The flood of notifications left him stunned. He had thought he would complete the quest all at once, but who knew it was broken down into several steps? Since the Celestial Cloud Imperial City was already built, he received that reward immediately.

As for the first quest, however, he had exploited a loophole. As long as Ren Long and the others chose to become Honored Guest Elders, they had technically joined his Celestial Cloud Mansion, so the system judged the quest as successfully completed!