CHAPTER 226: CHAPTER 216: THE GREAT FAME OF XUAN GUANGQIAO

「Half a month later.」

In the austere and classical Monarch Hall of the Black Dragon Palace.

Hong Yuan looked at the letter on his desk, puzzled.

But since the Black Dragon Demon Saint didn’t say anything, he wouldn’t take the initiative to ask.

In the grand hall, sandalwood incense burned within an iron burner, tendrils of smoke spreading and calming the spirit.

After a moment of silence, the letter automatically moved in front of Hong Yuan.

"Take a look," the Black Dragon Demon Saint instructed softly.

He picked up a cyan and white teacup, gently blew on it, and started tasting the tea.

A challenge letter?

Looking at the purple-gold sealed letter in front of him, Hong Yuan felt hesitant.

Hong Yuan slowly picked up the letter and unsealed it.

[Heavenly Scenic List Challenge Letter... The loser shall serve as the victor’s deputy in the Ten Thousand Domains battle... Nine Poison Sea Area, Zhang Fan]

"Zhang Fan!?" Hong Yuan raised an eyebrow.

In his memory, Zhang Fan from the Heart-questioning Trial was nothing extraordinary, just a nobody. How did he muster the courage to challenge him? And what was this Ten Thousand Domains battle all about? So many questions swirled in his mind.

The Black Dragon Demon Saint seemed to perceive Hong Yuan’s confusion. He set down his teacup, his expression calm.

"It’s normal for a demon who has ascended to the Heavenly Scenic List to receive a share of the Demon Clan’s fortune. It’s quite usual that some might covet your ranking. In this battle, you are within the rules to either accept or decline."

"However, I hope you will accept, because the Nine Poison Sea Area has respectable strength. With their assistance, you can make a significant impact in the Ten Thousand Domains battle."

"I intend to enter you in the Ten Thousand Domains battle. Just go ahead and give it your all. Even if you lose, I can ensure your life is spared. Your strength is no less than those of the Upper Three Tao Seeds from the Dragon God Sacred Land, and I hope you become the ultimate victor!"

Ever since witnessing Hong Yuan’s strength a while ago, the Black Dragon Demon Saint had been particularly eager for him to participate.

Seeing that Hong Yuan still wore a look of confusion, he continued to explain to him what the Ten Thousand Domains battle was and why he wanted Hong Yuan to participate.

The Ten Thousand Domains battle sweeps across countless clans, and only those clans with a Demon Saint at their helm can extricate themselves from this grand melee.

Even those clans located in far corners are not guaranteed to avoid being pressured by converging armies.

The Ten Thousand Domains battle is a tradition set up by the half-human, half-demon Dragon Sun Demon Emperor. It’s a game for Demon Saints to partake in, occurring once every hundred years.

The detailed measures involved the Demon Saints supporting their own domain’s demons, enabling them to emerge victorious from the battle and then take up residence in one of the Heavenly Scenic Towers of the Green Dragon, Vermilion Bird, White Tiger, or Xuanwu.

With the mighty forces gathered by their demons, the Demon Saints themselves could reach one of the Four Images Heavenly Scenic Towers and have a chance to acquire an incredibly rare and immensely powerful Holy Artifact!

Holy Artifacts, each with unique characteristics, are tremendously valuable.

Every seventy years there’s a ground calamity, and every hundred years a heavenly calamity.

With one more Holy Artifact, the chance of a successful tribulation increases by at least ten percent!

...

How does this feel like a foreign realm’s version of the ’World Cup,’ only far more brutal? After taking over the Green Dragon Heavenly Scenic Tower Demon Realm, one could gain inheritance from a powerful ancient Demon Clan, mighty Tao Species, and even a Holy Artifact!?

Hong Yuan wasn’t particularly interested in the rewards of victory.

In fact, as soon as the Black Dragon Demon Saint mentioned he could save his life, Hong Yuan had the thought of participating.

Because, he could use the fierce battles of the Ten Thousand Domains battle as a legitimate means to devour various Demon Beasts, increasing his Life Span and talent.

Such a grand feast would be a pity to miss out on. Moreover, as the commander-in-chief, the fact that he could safeguard his life even if he failed was simply incredible!

"I’ve accepted the challenge letter, Godfather. Rest assured, I will do my utmost to become the victor of the Ten Thousand Domains battle in the east and take over the Green Dragon Heavenly Scenic Tower Demon Realm," Hong Yuan replied resoundingly.

The Black Dragon Demon Saint nodded in satisfaction. "I’ve always trusted you to handle affairs. Go forth with confidence!"

...

...

Once the news of Hong Yuan accepting Zhang Fan’s challenge spread, all powers reacted, especially those sea domain forces that had witnessed Hong Yuan’s mighty performance in the Heart-questioning Trial.

Beneath a gloomy expanse of ocean in the Chenye Sea Area, the large forces of the Grey Crab and the Black Shrimp Tribe gathered.

In an underwater palace, the leaders of both sides came together.

The Grey Crab Clan Leader proposed, "I think we don’t have to pledge allegiance to Li Jianqiu. This Sir Guangqiao seems to be a better option! I remember that Sir Guangqiao once gave Li Jianqiu a severe beating in the Heart-questioning Trial, emerging as the big winner."

The Black Shrimp Clan Leader hesitated. "Sir Guangqiao was indeed strong at the time, but I recall that his cultivation was only at the level of a third-order demon. If we pledge allegiance to him, I’m afraid we might have to wait for the next Ten Thousand Domains battle. By then, who knows if our two tribes can continue to survive."

Discussions within the underwater palace between the Grey Crab and the Black Shrimp tribes went on without end.

Eventually, they decided to observe the battle between Hong Yuan and Zhang Fan to decide which Demon Saint’s successor to pledge allegiance to.

Because of Hong Yuan, not only did the Grey Crab and the Black Shrimp tribes have differing opinions about pledging allegiance to Li Jianqiu, but many large forces also postponed their decision to follow Li Jianqiu, Zhang Daoliu, and other talented individuals from the Demon Clan.

Red Luck Sea Area.

Surrounded by celestial fog, with carps leaping about, the grand and ethereal Red Luck Palace stood majestically as if it were a fairyland.

The Red Luck Demon Saint, donned in a white robe and carrying a red abacus slung across his waist, furrowed his brows tightly. It shouldn’t be. The prestige formed by Xuan Guangqiao has grown so immense that it’s even hindered Jianqiu’s momentum.

The Red Luck Demon Saint gazed into the depths of the Red Luck Palace.

There, Li Jianqiu, transformed into her original body, a Red Dragon Carp, was in deep slumber, steadily absorbing Essence Qi, striving to advance her cultivation.

"Red Luck Eye, open!" The Red Luck Demon Saint activated his Divine Power, observing Li Jianqiu’s fortune.

Li Jianqiu’s fortune-protecting method automatically activated, morphing into a trail of black fog to block and obscure the view.

However, the crimson light in the Red Luck Demon Saint’s eyes pierced through the fog in an instant, clearly discerning Li Jianqiu’s fortune.

Red Cloud Fortune, endless and continuous, shaped like a vast red sea, with a faint purple light shimmering within.

The Luck Red Dragon Carp, on the verge of transforming into a Red Luck Dragon, was bitten on the tail by a White Luck Little Dragon, forced to slow down its metamorphosis.

"Hmm?!"

This aura is from Xuan Guangqiao... How come Xuan Guangqiao seems to have become Jianqiu’s nightmare, specifically her bane.

The Red Luck Demon Saint clicked his tongue in wonderment. It was the first time he had ever seen such a peculiar vision of Luck Tao.

He had made up his mind. He would go to the Zero Desolate Sea Area to watch the battle between the two youngsters, hoping he could find a way to help Jianqiu.

...

...

As time passed and the day of the battle approached, increasingly unfamiliar Demons arrived in the Zero Desolate Sea Area.

Even contestants from the earlier Heart-questioning Trial, such as the Snow Shadow Rabbit Ji Qingxue, also came.

Hong Yuan had listened several times to Turtle Prime Minister Gui Qu’s complaints about how difficult these unfamiliar Demons were to handle.

Hong Yuan understood that Gui Qu was trying to show that he had been working hard.

Finally, the day of the battle arrived.

Many Demons congregated at the Bright Moon Archipelago, looking towards Hong Yuan and Zhang Fan from afar.

On this day, the sky was gloomy, the clouds thick, and a light rain fell intermittently.

Hong Yuan and Zhang Fan each stood on one side, facing each other from a distance.

Zhang Fan wore a purple robe and held a long spear, his aura menacing and malevolent.

Whereas Hong Yuan, clad in Silver Armor Dragon Scale Armor with a Gallbladder Bright Silver Spear in hand and the Flood Gathering War Banner on his back, stood proudly at the center of the arena.

With his handsome face and a tall figure, the battle hadn’t even begun, yet he had already won a portion of the crowd’s favor!

"Sir Guangqiao is destined to win."

"Hehe, just another little Demon girl swayed by good looks."

"You’re the one swayed by looks! Don’t you know Sir Guangqiao once easily crushed Zhang Fan?"

"..."

An ugly hawk Demon male cultivator argued nonstop with a cute cat Demon female cultivator, discussing who they believed would be the victor.

Behind them, Ji Qingxue watched Hong Yuan from a distance, ripples flashing in her eyes.

It must be said, the dressed-up Hong Yuan was incredibly suave!

High above the clouds, four Demon Saints gathered here.

Thunder could not touch them, nor could the torrential rain stain them.

"Guangqiao is truly handsome!" Snow Moon Demon Saint could not help but praise.

"He does look good," affirmed the Red Luck Demon Saint.

Both Black Dragon Demon Saint and Poison Chapter Demon Saint did not respond to the topic, focusing instead on watching their successors.

The outcome of who won was important, but not critically so.

After all, the Ten Thousand Domains battle occurred once every hundred years. If not this time, then the next.

There are several gazes from above that give me chills. It seems it’s not just those two Demon Saints watching.

Hong Yuan narrowed his eyes, contemplating how much of his power he should reveal to best defeat Zhang Fan.

The raindrops fell, effortlessly repelled by his Demon Essence shield.

"Xuan Guangqiao," Zhang Fan called out, and Hong Yuan looked up.

Zhang Fan’s expression was indifferent, his long spear ready. "Everyone says you’re an exceptional Demon talent, but I just don’t believe you’ve grown that fast. I’ll keep your spot on the Heavenly Scenic List safe for you!"

"Interesting..." Hong Yuan’s lips curved slightly upwards.

BOOM!

An explosive sound broke the calm as Zhang Fan initiated the first move, unleashing layers of purple mist and causing turbulent waves to erupt.