Chapter 528 - 319: Winning the Ship with Words, Mysterious Ancient Ship, People of the Old Era

"These Ancient Ships were not easy to come by. Rather than all of us fighting over them and letting the Demon Race seize the initiative, how about you just let me have one first?"

A clear laugh echoed from not far away, and the sharp gazes of the cultivators from every major Dynasty shot in its direction.

They were eager to see which faction this person belonged to, daring to be so arrogant and domineering!

However, when they saw who it was, they were all stunned.

Lu Mingyuan’s lips were curled into a wide smile as he looked at them.

Following behind him were three peerless beauties, an eye-catching and unignorable sight. Each one of them radiated a formidable aura.

Fairy Ci Hang, Sui Yuqing.

The descendant of a Sword Immortal, Yun Qinghe.

The Heir of Li Sheng, Qi Muxue.

Any one of them would have required immense resources to nurture. In the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands, or even within the Confucian Temple and Buddhist Sect, they would all be considered prodigies of the highest caliber.

Yet now, all of them were gathered around a single man.

This scene gave the top experts from the various factions pause, forcing them to think.

Among them, Princess Li Muwan of the Nanli Dynasty looked at the Nanli Sword Saint beside her, her eyes profound, and gave a slight nod.

Clearly, she had already made a decision.

Seeing the Great Yan Dynasty step forward to claim an Ancient Ship, many people felt an unconcealable discontent, though they dared not let it show on their faces.

Everyone had witnessed Lu Mingyuan’s power on the mountaintop altar, so virtually no one dared to stand up and protest.

And yet, there was an exception. Not every faction feared the Great Yan Dynasty.

"The Great Yan Dynasty may be the main force of these reinforcements, but isn’t this blatant appropriation a bit of an abuse of power? Everyone here discovered these Ancient Ships in the Royal City."

The Sword Dao influence, led by the Wanluo Sword Sect, was the first to raise an objection.

The meaning was perfectly clear: they had discovered these Ancient Ships, built of special materials, so what right did Great Yan have to simply seize one?

"Then may I ask what you propose, sir?"

Lu Mingyuan smiled faintly and looked at the middle-aged, long-sleeved Sword Cultivator leading the Wanluo Sword Sect, his tone surprisingly mild.

This middle-aged Sword Cultivator was a man of no small status.

The Golden Tiger Talisman from the Military Family hanging at his waist marked him as a guest of honor, perhaps even an Honored Guest Elder.

He was also an Elder of the Wanluo Sword Sect, a position of extraordinary authority.

The Dao of the Military Family was focused on warfare.

Thus, they maintained excellent relations with many Sword Dao influences. The two sides would often discuss the Dao, compare their insights, and hold Inquiry Sword tournaments. This close relationship was further demonstrated by their frequent exchange of Cultivation Techniques.

They could even use a Divine Technique, the "Soldier Resolution Talisman," to channel an Ancient Martial Saint.

The Tiger Talisman was the best proof of this connection.

"Allocating them by headcount is the best method."

The middle-aged Sword Cultivator snorted and stated his proposal.

Everyone knew of the irreconcilable conflict between the Wanluo Sword Sect and the Great Yan Dynasty, from the lowest disciple to the highest Elder and Protector.

The battle between Lu Mingyuan and the Wanluo Sword Immortal had shaken the world.

However, the middle-aged Sword Cultivator’s words stirred up a great deal of discussion.

If the ships were to be allocated based on the size of each faction...

...then the smaller factions would undoubtedly be at a disadvantage.

There were no cultivators from the Lower Seven Realms on this expedition into the Grotto Heaven.

Everyone present was an expert of the Middle Fifth Grade, which gave the major Sects and powers from the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands a huge advantage.

With their deep foundations, they had naturally brought the most experts.

If the allocation was based on numbers, the smaller groups could forget about getting even a single Ancient Ship.

The number and overall quality of the cultivators Lu Mingyuan had brought with him could hardly compare to those of the Wanluo Sword Sect.

The Wanluo Sword Sect had gone all out in their bid for the Ascension Platform, bringing eight Twelfth Realm Qi Cultivators alone.

Their group was led by an Elder at the Half-Step Human Immortal realm, known as the "Half-Step Patriarch" of the Wanluo Sword Sect, with a status second only to the Wanluo Sword Immortal himself.

"Well?"

The middle-aged Sword Cultivator looked at Lu Mingyuan impassively, his hand gripping the hilt of his sword, fully prepared for the emperor to turn hostile.

To his surprise, Lu Mingyuan simply asked, "And what is your reasoning for this allocation method, sir?"

The middle-aged Sword Cultivator explained, "More people means a greater need for the Ancient Ships. The more people who cross over, the more advantageous it is for securing the Ascension Platform."

Every word he spoke was a jab at the Great Yan Dynasty.

"Besides, confronting the Demon Race is a task for the capable. The weak should stay out of these dangerous waters."

In truth, he wasn’t wrong.

The journey on the Ancient Ships was bound to be perilous, so it made sense for the strong to have priority.

But why had most people come here in the first place?

For a great Opportunity.

How many treasures left over from the Middle Ages might be hidden where the Ascension Platform was concealed?

The number was impossible to estimate.

The Wanluo Sword Sect clearly wanted to monopolize most of the treasures.

’They might not even care about contending for the Ascension Platform,’ Lu Mingyuan suspected.

"You were right about one thing, sir: this is a task for the capable. So, how about each faction sends its strongest expert to the Returning Ruins Silent Sea first?"

The moment Lu Mingyuan made his proposal, many people secretly nodded in agreement.

The Emperor of Great Yan’s proposal was an excellent one.

It would prevent the major powers from monopolizing all the spots on the Ancient Ships.

Experts from several different factions could even share a single Ancient Ship, allowing them to face the Demon Race together.

Of course, Lu Mingyuan had his own selfish motives for making this proposal.

This way, he could bring all of his people with him.

And reap the greatest benefits.

Hearing his words, Qi Muxue blinked as understanding dawned in her heart.

’I thought my husband would use force to seize an Ancient Ship.’

’I never expected him to use a method like this.’

’This way, he not only sowed division and prevented the factions from uniting against Great Yan, but he also got many of them to stand on our side.’