Chapter 771: Second Commander of the Qiankun Guards
The Qiankun Sect's campaign to subjugate the Domain of Chaos finally drew to a close with a great victory for the Qiankun Sect.
The moment the war ended, all information regarding the situation on this battlefield was transmitted at an astonishing speed and swiftly returned to the ears and eyes of the many factions that had been paying close attention to this conflict.
For the major powers, this outcome was not particularly unexpected.
After all, everyone knew that the strength of the Qiankun Sect surpassed that of the Domain of Chaos.
If not for the Temple of Desolate Earth secretly backing the Domain of Chaos this time, they likely would never have had the courage to provoke the mighty Qiankun Sect.
However, while the result was unsurprising, many factions were quite astonished by the process.
In particular, that new commander of the Qiankun Sect, a half‑step Third‑Grade Sovereign, who in the decisive third bout of the key contest turned the tide, not only avoiding defeat, but even achieving a comeback victory by defeating Song Zang, a Fourth‑Grade Sovereign!
It was precisely this unexpected wagered duel that allowed the Qiankun Sect to reverse the situation and ultimately secure victory.
After this battle, the name of the Qiankun Sect's Lin Langtian spread far and wide, his fame erupting in full.
In addition, news about the intense clash between Qian Tian and Huang Kurong at the end of the war also began to circulate, undoubtedly stirring up yet another tempestuous uproar.
No one had expected that the master of the Qiankun Sect and the master of the Temple of Desolate Earth would actually cultivate the same sovereign body, and that it was none other than the renowned Great Sun Undying Body of the Great Thousand World!
A duel between two Great Sun Undying Bodies!
Although Qian Tian and Huang Kurong did not determine a victor in the end, their conversation and the fact that they cultivated the same sovereign body caused many experts to speculate endlessly and voice a multitude of opinions.
…
While the outside world seethed with noise and turmoil, Lin Langtian was instead enjoying the peace after the war within Silver Mist Palace.
Although Silver Mist Palace was presently very busy due to having to take over a large number of cities, with Mu Honglian acting as chief steward, none of these matters required Jiang Yinyan or Lin Langtian to trouble themselves.
Furthermore, after the war, everyone in Silver Mist Palace could feel that their status within the Qiankun Sect was constantly rising.
Those rumors and scornful attitudes from the past had completely vanished without a trace; even the other royal‑level forces now treated them with courtesy.
Even Calamity Palace, which had always looked down on Silver Mist Palace, had been going out of its way to avoid them recently and no longer dared to look at them with the same contempt as before.
The reason for this change was naturally the outstanding performance of Silver Mist Palace in this war.
Of course, more importantly, it was likely due to that shocking scene in the third bout of the contest, when Lin Langtian defeated Song Zang…
With Lin Langtian's current strength, he already possessed the power to defeat a Fourth‑Grade Sovereign. Given time, even a Fifth‑Grade Sovereign might not be his match. Anyone could see that the rise of Silver Mist Palace had become unstoppable.
The back mountain of Silver Mist Palace.
Lin Langtian was seated cross‑legged atop a peak, his head lowered as he gazed down at Silver Mist Palace below.
Even though it was already late at night, Silver Mist Palace still appeared exceptionally busy.
Thanks to the war, Silver Mist Palace had obtained a massive amount of resources. Under Jiang Yinyan's orders, they had even recruited a Silver Mist Guard Reserve Battalion, with a headcount as high as four thousand.
Of course, their combat strength was naturally far from comparable to that of the Silver Mist Guards, and they still needed proper training. Fortunately, Lin Langtian had left behind cultivation methods for the Ten Thousand Demon Body and the Demon Seed. As long as enough time was given, the Silver Mist Guards would definitely become one of the strongest armies within the Qiankun Sect.
Taken as a whole, Silver Mist Palace was now thriving and full of vitality, utterly unlike the lifeless place it had been a year ago.
All of these changes stemmed from Lin Langtian's appearance. Lin Langtian himself was extremely satisfied with the changes he had brought.
"Silver Mist Palace has gradually gotten on the right track. Next, I need to hurry and break through to Fourth‑Grade Sovereign as well," Lin Langtian murmured to himself.
Thinking back to the battle in Chaos City, even though several days had passed, Lin Langtian still felt that it had been extremely perilous.
He had never expected that Huang Kurong, the master of the Temple of Desolate Earth, would personally attack him. In the face of a Territorial Sovereign's pressure, even with his many trump cards, Lin Langtian had been utterly unable to resist.
Fortunately, given the deep enmity between the Qiankun Sect and the Temple of Desolate Earth, Qian Tian, the master of the Qiankun Sect, did not stand idly by. Only then was Lin Langtian able to escape with his life.
Otherwise, even Lin Langtian could not be sure whether Qian Tian would sacrifice him as a mere chess piece in exchange for the astronomical price that Huang Kurong had offered.
Moreover, personally witnessing the battle between the Great Sun Undying Bodies had stirred up many thoughts in Lin Langtian's heart.
The Great Sun Undying Body had always been one of the pillars of his plans, and encountering it in this way filled him with delight.
However, since the Great Sun Undying Body was in the hands of two Territorial Sovereigns—the masters of the Qiankun Sect and the Temple of Desolate Earth—if Lin Langtian wished to obtain it, he would clearly need to plan far ahead.
Before that, he would at least have to thoroughly break through to Third‑Grade Sovereign.
The Dragon‑Kun Realm was about to open, and with the military exploits and dazzling reputation Lin Langtian had earned in Chaos City, barring any accidents, that quota would undoubtedly belong to him.
This time, the Dragon‑Kun Realm would bring together many commander‑level powerhouses from across the Qiankun Continent. Even Song Zang, among the commander‑level experts, had been relatively obscure.
Thus, to ensure absolute safety, Lin Langtian needed to advance his strength one step further.
Having made up his mind, Lin Langtian slowly closed his eyes. Sinister demonic qi coiled around his body, while faint, wailing screams seemed to echo indistinctly.
At the same time, with a wave of his sleeve, a brilliant torrent shot out from within, transforming into a trickling stream that flowed straight into his mouth.
The vast demonic energy within the Golden Spirit Wheel Mirror, combined with the two hundred thousand drops of Sovereign Spirit Liquid he had been rewarded for his military merits in Chaos City, made Lin Langtian absolutely determined to break through to Third‑Grade Sovereign!
In the next instant, Lin Langtian's hands formed seals in rapid succession, and space rippled and twisted behind him.
A vast and mighty Sovereign Sea faintly emerged. He could feel an extremely immense and pure demonic spiritual power surging out from within his body.
Lin Langtian calmed his mind, his expression solemn as he fully closed his eyes and swiftly entered a cultivation state. This time, he intended to make a single, decisive push to break into the Third‑Grade realm!
A month passed in the blink of an eye.
Lin Langtian's cultivation continued without pause for the entire month.
Throughout this time, Lin Langtian's surroundings were tightly shrouded by demonic qi and spiritual mist so thick they had almost congealed, completely concealing his figure.
Yet within that impenetrable spiritual mist, one could sense that a fluctuation of demonic spiritual power was rapidly growing stronger.
The shroud of demonic qi and spiritual mist only began to slowly weaken on the final day of the month.
When the demonic qi and spiritual mist finally dispersed completely, one could see Lin Langtian opening his mouth, drawing the last wisp of demonic qi and final drop of Sovereign Spirit Liquid into his body.
The terrifying demonic spiritual power previously surging around him rapidly receded. Lin Langtian's tightly shut eyes then slowly opened.
Boom!
His black pupils snapped wide, as if lightning‑like radiance exploded forth.
On the peak of the back mountain, Lin Langtian's robe suddenly billowed and snapped in the wind as a terrifying ripple of spiritual power erupted from him.
Boom! Boom!
The air above the back mountain detonated at once. The shockwave violently swept toward the distant rock walls, leaving them cracked and shattered as stones rumbled down in torrents.
The sharp gleam in Lin Langtian's eyes persisted for several minutes before gradually dimming.
At the same time, the astonishing fluctuations of demonic spiritual power also once again withdrew into his body.
Only the faint, shimmering black light that continued to seep out from beneath his skin lingered, refusing to dissipate.
Lin Langtian understood that this was merely because the demonic spiritual power within his body was too vast for him to fully suppress for the time being.
He rose to his feet, feeling the increasingly immense and mighty demonic spiritual power within his Sovereign Sea, a hint of satisfaction curling at the corner of his lips.
This time, he had not only broken through to Third‑Grade Sovereign, but thanks to long‑accumulated foundations, he had advanced in one go to the peak of Third‑Grade Sovereign!
With his current self, if he were to face Song Zang again, he would be able to cut him down within ten exchanges, without needing to go through any elaborate efforts.
As a result, he now felt much more confident about the imminent journey to the Dragon‑Kun Realm.
"You broke through?"
At that moment, a pleasantly surprised voice suddenly rang out. Lin Langtian turned to see that Jiang Yinyan had arrived at some unknown point in time. Her beautiful eyes rested on him, sparkling with joy.
"Yes, merely a stroke of luck," Lin Langtian replied with a slight nod, his tone faint.
Seeing him take it so calmly, Jiang Yinyan subconsciously pressed her red lips together. For some reason, it seemed that no matter how momentous the event, it never stirred much of a ripple in his eyes.
"What a mysterious fellow…" Jiang Yinyan muttered under her breath, then said, "Right, the Sect Master wishes to see you."
"The Sect Master wants to see me? For what?" Lin Langtian was briefly taken aback before asking.
"It seems to be about the Dragon‑Kun Realm. Originally, with the great merits you earned in the Domain of Chaos, you were the most suitable representative for our Qiankun Sect. However, during your seclusion, some changes seem to have occurred," Jiang Yinyan said, looking at Lin Langtian.
"What kind of changes?" Lin Langtian's brows furrowed slightly.
The Dragon‑Kun Realm concerned not only himself but was also something Aunt Ling greatly needed. No matter what, Lin Langtian would not easily give up on it.
"The Second Commander of the Qiankun Guards, Yang Hao, has emerged from seclusion. He also has his eye on the Dragon‑Kun Realm. With his strength and seniority, if you did not exist, he would be the best candidate.
"Even though you rendered great and glorious service in the Domain of Chaos, your seniority is still your weak point. Many of the old members of the sect favor Yang Hao, and even the Sect Master finds it difficult to decide for the moment," Jiang Yinyan explained.
"The Second Commander of the Qiankun Guards, Yang Hao…" Lin Langtian's brows knitted tighter and an unsightly expression crossed his face.
He had not expected that the quota he had been certain of would be snatched away by someone else. With a cold snort, he said, "How strong is he?"
"Before he entered seclusion, he was already a Fourth‑Grade Sovereign. After a year in seclusion, he may not have broken through to Fifth‑Grade Sovereign, but he should at least have reached the peak of Fourth‑Grade Sovereign. Even Song Zang is far from his match," Jiang Yinyan said gravely.
Song Zang had only just advanced to Fourth‑Grade Sovereign, whereas Yang Hao had broken through to that realm many years ago. With the Qiankun Sect's meticulous nurturing, his strength far surpassed Song Zang's. Within the Qiankun Sect, Yang Hao's power ranked just below the many king‑level experts.
If the Qiankun Guards had not remained in seclusion, then in the three matches proposed by the master of the Fierce Fist Gate, the Domain of Chaos would have had absolutely no chance.
"Peak Fourth‑Grade Sovereign, is it…" Lin Langtian's eyes narrowed slightly as he muttered to himself.
If even the so‑called Second Commander wielded such strength, then the Grand Commander of the Qiankun Guards was likely already a Fifth‑Grade Sovereign, comparable to a king‑level expert.
The Qiankun Guards truly lived up to their reputation as the Qiankun Sect's number‑one army. No wonder Yang Hao dared to vie for his prize.
"Then let's go meet this Yang Hao. Since the Sect Master has yet to decide on the quota, it means that I still have a sliver of hope," Lin Langtian said calmly, waving his hand.
Although an unexpected complication had arisen, there was still a chance. Lin Langtian had never feared a challenge.
Seeing his unruffled demeanor, Jiang Yinyan pressed her red lips together and then said firmly, "Don't worry. You are the commander of my Silver Mist Palace. I will definitely support you for this quota."
With that, Jiang Yinyan shot toward the grand hall at the center of the Qiankun Sect.
Lin Langtian blinked, then smiled faintly and followed quickly behind her.
…
The great hall of the Qiankun Sect.
"Greetings, Sect Master!"
After Lin Langtian and Jiang Yinyan entered the resplendent great hall together, their expressions became far more solemn. They quickly advanced and cupped their fists respectfully toward the majestic golden‑robed figure seated atop the golden throne.
This person was naturally the master of the Qiankun Sect, Qian Tian.
"Mn."
Qian Tian gave a faint hum from atop the golden throne. His stern gaze swept over Lin Langtian and Jiang Yinyan before finally landing on Lin Langtian.
"Lin Langtian, although you joined my Qiankun Sect not long ago, your performance in this campaign against the Domain of Chaos was excellent and greatly boosted the morale of my Qiankun Sect. Your contributions can be said to be immense."
"Sect Master, this is merely what a subordinate should do. I dare not claim any credit. Instead, it was you, Sect Master, who, unafraid of the Temple of Desolate Earth's tyranny, insisted on protecting this subordinate. For that, Langtian is deeply grateful. A drop of kindness shall be repaid in torrents; this subordinate will certainly not disappoint your trust," Lin Langtian replied, cupping his fists.
Qian Tian gave a slight nod, a hint of appreciation flashing in his eyes as he looked at the handsome and composed Lin Langtian. However, he did not continue the topic. Instead, he turned his gaze toward the black‑armored figure standing behind the three elders and said after a brief pause, "Yang Hao, step forward."
"Yes, Sect Master!"
As soon as Qian Tian's words fell, a tall, armored figure exuding dense killing intent stepped out from behind the three elders.
The newcomer wore a suit of black battle armor. His aura was as ferocious as a tiger, his lean, chiseled face cold and sharp, giving off an impression that he was not someone to be trifled with.
Upon hearing this name, Lin Langtian's eyes narrowed slightly as he turned his gaze.
At the same time, the black‑armored man looked at Lin Langtian as well. As their eyes met, a faint trace of cold disdain flickered in the depths of the former's pupils…
(END CHAPTER)
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