Chapter 455 - 404: Banning Me?

In All Marvelous Heaven, the echoes of that resounding poetic moniker still lingered as the blood-colored figure returned to its Fruit Position, quietly suspended in the vast void.

The True Monarch of No Dao Extreme Law was the first to speak, his deep voice echoing endlessly:

"Blood Sea True Monarch, I shall remember this favor."

He paused for a moment, and a rare look of solemnity appeared on his cold, hard face:

"If you had not sacrificed your life to awaken us, Fellow Daoist, I fear the Profound Yellow Origin Realm would have already been destroyed."

Qingyuan Dao Seeking True Monarch nodded slightly, a measure of respect now showing in his eyes, which were as clear as a newborn’s.

His right hand still rested on the hilt of his sword, but he bowed slightly, performing the highest salute among Sword Cultivators:

"Sword Pavilion Qingyuan thanks you, Fellow Daoist."

His voice, as clear and sharp as the ring of a sword, echoed through All Marvelous Heaven.

Saint Wang’s aged face was filled with deep emotion.

He clasped his hands before him and gave a deep bow, the wide sleeves of his Confucian robe hanging down like two great clouds from the heavens:

"The Vast Sacred Land is indebted to you for saving us, Fellow Daoist."

Nine Revolutions Undying True Monarch grinned, his smile magnanimous and wild, yet carrying a sincere gratitude.

He raised his giant palm, which was powerful enough to tear the void, and gave a heavy clasp-fist salute in the direction of Nether Spring:

"Nine Revolutions of the Tyrant Sect thanks you, Fellow Daoist!"

Nine Nether Sun-devouring True Monarch said nothing, only staring deeply at Nether Spring with his ghostly green eyes.

The other True Monarchs also spoke, some offering solemn thanks, others giving a slight nod.

In All Marvelous Heaven, the Fruit Positions hanging high above all trembled slightly, as if paying their highest respects for the righteous deed of this newly ascended True Monarch.

Nether Spring stood upon the Blood Sea Fruit Position, Ah Bi in his left hand and Yuan Tu in his right, the phantom of a Blood Sea churning around him.

He watched the True Monarchs thanking him, and a savage grin slowly formed on his lips.

"There is no need for such ceremony, Fellow Daoists."

He began to speak slowly, his voice not loud but echoing clearly through All Marvelous Heaven:

"I saved not only you, Fellow Daoists, but also this Profound Yellow Origin Realm."

"And what’s more—"

He paused for a moment, a glint that only he could understand flashing deep within his blood-red eyes:

"My own Dao path."

...

The thanks had been given, and the expressions of the True Monarchs gradually turned grave.

For they knew the real challenge had only just begun.

"You have all seen the current situation, Fellow Daoists."

Qingyuan Dao Seeking True Monarch was the first to speak. His eyes, clear as a newborn’s, swept over every True Monarch present. His voice, crisp as a sword’s ring, now carried a heavy weight:

"Though that existence has retreated, the karma of this realm has been stirred.

The great war between the Righteous and Demon Daos has already begun. It cannot be stopped."

He paused, his gaze falling upon the True Monarch of No Dao Extreme Law.

"But we must have a plan for how to fight it."

The True Monarch of No Dao Extreme Law stood with his hands clasped behind his back and spoke coolly:

"A plan is a matter of course."

"True Monarchs will not personally enter the fray. This has been the rule since ancient times and needs no further discussion."

Saint Wang nodded slightly, a deep contemplation appearing on his aged face.

He stroked his beard and said:

"Indeed. When a True Monarch acts, mountains and rivers can be overturned at a whim.

For this great war, it would be best to limit the conflict to those at or below the Foundation Establishment Realm."

Nine Revolutions Undying True Monarch grinned, a flash of excitement in his golden eyes, but he only nodded slightly without speaking.

Nine Nether Sun-devouring True Monarch remained hidden in his black mist, his ghostly green eyes flickering, also remaining silent.

However, at this very moment—

Qingyuan Dao Seeking True Monarch spoke again. His voice was still clear and sharp, but it now held a note of deliberation:

"Not just True Monarchs."

He paused, his gaze seeming to pierce through All Marvelous Heaven and land on the deep blue figure standing below with his hands behind his back:

"Great Masters should not enter the fray, either."

As soon as these words were spoken, a hush fell over All Marvelous Heaven.

The aloof, cold eyes of the True Monarch of No Dao Extreme Law shifted almost imperceptibly.

He did not speak immediately, merely watching Qingyuan Dao Seeking True Monarch quietly, waiting for him to continue.

Qingyuan Dao Seeking True Monarch met his gaze, his expression unchanging as he spoke slowly:

"Fellow Daoists, you should all be aware of the combat strength of the Holy Sect’s Acting Sect Leader below."

"Guan Si Hai was turned to ash by his hand without even getting a single move in."

"With a single Decree, he captured over a hundred Sages and Forebears of the Confucian Dao."

"If this person joins the battle—"

He paused, his clear voice still holding little emotional fluctuation as he merely stated a fact:

"The Righteous Dao will surely be defeated."

Hearing this, Saint Wang’s hand, which was stroking his beard, paused. A complex light flashed in his murky old eyes, and he then nodded slightly:

"Fellow Daoist Qingyuan speaks with reason."

"This man... is indeed too powerful."

The golden eyes of Nine Revolutions Undying True Monarch narrowed slightly, but he did not speak.

He merely glanced at the True Monarch of No Dao Extreme Law before looking away.

Nine Nether Sun-devouring True Monarch, hidden in the black mist, remained silent.

After a moment of silence, the True Monarch of No Dao Extreme Law spoke slowly, his deep voice betraying no emotion:

"Is Fellow Daoist Qingyuan suggesting..."

"...you wish to ban my Holy Sect’s Great Master?"

Qingyuan Dao Seeking True Monarch met his gaze, his expression unchanging:

"It is not aimed at the Holy Sect, but rather..."

"All Great Masters."

"None shall be allowed to enter the fray."

Hearing this, something seemed to flash deep in the eyes of the True Monarch of No Dao Extreme Law.

But the flash was so fast it was almost imperceptible.

He said slowly:

"Unacceptable."

A single word, yet it carried an indisputable weight.

"You cannot single him out just because my Holy Sect’s Great Master is powerful.

If my Holy Sect’s Qi Refining Cultivators were also strong, would you ban them as well?"

Qingyuan Dao Seeking True Monarch knew his reasoning was weak on this point, but he did not back down:

"If Great Masters are not banned, my Righteous Dao will surely be defeated."

"This war would then lose all meaning."

The two stared at each other, and for a time, silence descended upon All Marvelous Heaven.

Saint Wang stroked his beard without a word, his murky old eyes darting between the two.

Nine Revolutions Undying True Monarch crossed his arms, his massive, demon-deity-like body standing silently in the void, his thoughts unreadable.

Nine Nether Sun-devouring True Monarch, hidden in the black mist, his ghostly green eyes flickering, was also silent.

Just as they reached a stalemate,

deep within All Marvelous Heaven, the void rippled slightly.

A figure slowly materialized.

The man wore a deep blue robe. His face was ancient and unadorned, with a high brow and narrow eyes. From the corners of his eyes, fine, natural lines like dragon scales extended to his temples. His aura was as vast as the sea, yet it showed no sharp edge. Simply by standing there in the void, he seemed to have merged as one with All Marvelous Heaven.

The East Sea Dragon Lord.

The gaze of the True Monarch of No Dao Extreme Law shifted as he looked at the figure who had suddenly appeared.

He remembered that this Dragon Monarch had not been in All Marvelous Heaven just a moment ago.

"Dragon Monarch, for what purpose have you come?"

The True Monarch of No Dao Extreme Law spoke slowly, his voice still deep and betraying no emotion.

The East Sea Dragon Lord raised his eyes slightly, a dark light swirling in their narrow, draconic depths.

He glanced at the True Monarch of No Dao Extreme Law, then at Qingyuan Dao Seeking True Monarch, and finally, his gaze came to rest on Saint Wang.

He spoke slowly, his voice like a deep-sea current, steady yet distant:

"I have come to state my position."

He paused.

"The Dragon Race supports Fellow Daoist Qingyuan’s proposal."

With these words, the atmosphere in All Marvelous Heaven changed in an instant.

The eyes of the True Monarch of No Dao Extreme Law narrowed slightly.

The narrowing was minuscule, so small it was almost imperceptible.

Yet this subtle change caused the surrounding void to sink slightly.

He did not speak, only watched the East Sea Dragon Lord quietly.

The East Sea Dragon Lord met his gaze, his expression unchanging.

His narrow, draconic eyes remained a deep, placid calm, without a single ripple.

After a moment, the True Monarch of No Dao Extreme Law spoke slowly, his voice still deep, but now with a hint of some inscrutable meaning:

"The Dragon Race has allied with the Northwest Demon Path this time."

"Yet the Dragon Monarch now supports the proposal of the Righteous Dao."

He paused.

"I do not quite understand."

Hearing this, the East Sea Dragon Lord’s ancient face remained expressionless.

He simply said coolly:

"The alliance is for benefit."

"Banning the Great Masters is also for benefit."

"Fellow Daoist Wu Dao, why must you think it so complicated?"

The True Monarch of No Dao Extreme Law chuckled upon hearing this.

He asked no more, for there was no need.

A tree that stands out from the forest will be destroyed by the wind.

Qi Yun’s performance this time had been too dominant.

He killed Guan Si Hai in one move and captured a hundred Sages and Forebears with a single Decree.

Such combat power, such methods... Forget the Righteous Dao; even the Dragon Race felt a sense of dread.

No one wanted to see a single faction become all-powerful.

Although the Dragon Race had allied with the Demon Dao, it was merely a union of interests.

If the Demon Dao were to completely crush the Righteous Dao in this war and become the masters of the Central Plains, the next ones to face them would be the Dragon Race itself.

Therefore, the Dragon Monarch chose to appear at this moment and support the Righteous Dao’s proposal.

Ally with the Righteous Dao to contain the Demon Dao.

To be precise... to contain Qi Yun.

As the True Monarch of No Dao Extreme Law thought this through, the last ripple of emotion in his eyes slowly faded.

He spoke slowly, his deep voice carrying the calm of a settled matter:

"Agreed."

As that single word fell, the formless tension in All Marvelous Heaven finally, slowly dissipated.

Qingyuan Dao Seeking True Monarch nodded slightly, his clear eyes still without any ripple:

"Good."

The decision was made.

The True Monarchs said no more, each transforming into a streak of light and disappearing from All Marvelous Heaven.

Only the Blood Sea Fruit Position remained, still suspended quietly in the void, emitting an ancient, undying bloody light.

...

「On the battlefield below.」

Above in the Celestial Vault, astral winds howled.

Qi Yun stood with his hands behind his back, his deep blue Daoist robe unmoving, a hint of helplessness flashing in his eyes.

He was already aware of all the details of the negotiations, which had been synchronized by Nether Spring.

True Monarchs and beings of the Grand Master Level were forbidden from personally entering the fray.

’Isn’t it a bit too obvious... who this is aimed at?’

Frankly, this result was somewhat beyond his expectations. After all, although he knew he stood at the pinnacle of the Great Master level...

...he had never imagined he would actually provoke the True Monarchs into suppressing him.

’This time... it seems I overdid it a little.’

...

「And now, on the battlefield below.」

The Great Masters, who were in the middle of a standoff, received the will transmitted from their respective Sects’ True Monarchs at almost the same time.

Then, almost subconsciously, all the Great Masters simultaneously turned their gazes in one direction.

Toward that deep blue figure standing with his hands behind his back.

Their gazes were filled with complexity, relief, apprehension, and even a hint of schadenfreude.

It couldn’t be helped.

True Monarchs not interfering in the struggles of Junior Cultivators was a custom from time immemorial.

But this time, the scope had been expanded to include Great Masters.

And who was the reason for this?

It couldn’t have been more obvious.

Qi Yun felt the dense web of gazes falling upon him, and the helplessness on his face deepened.

He turned his head slightly to look at the Great Masters, a somewhat innocent smile tugging at his lips:

"I am truly rather innocent in this."

As his voice fell, the entire field went dead silent.

San Si Master was silent.

Lady Jiu Li’s lips twitched slightly.

The gray mist around Master Revolving Wheel churned violently.

The three Crown Princes of the Dragon Palace looked at each other, at a loss for words.

All the Great Masters simultaneously rolled their eyes in their hearts.

’You’re innocent?’

’If you’re innocent, then who was it that just killed Guan Si Hai in a single move?’

’If you’re innocent, who was it that captured over a hundred Sages and Forebears?’

’If you’re innocent, then who was it that the True Monarchs specifically named and banned?’

’If you weren’t banned, what would be the point of fighting?’

’We might as well just announce the Demon Dao’s victory!’

Qi Yun watched the spectacular array of expressions on the faces of the Great Masters, and the helpless smile on his lips deepened.

He shook his head slightly and said no more.

But deep within his vast, cyan-gold eyes, a thoughtful light now flickered.

’True Monarchs and Great Masters won’t enter the fray...’

’So how is this war supposed to be fought?’

...