The wind blew the grass without moving it, and the sound of residual rain remained on the eaves.
Tap tap.
The storyteller smiled as he folded up his fan, facing the cultivation monks surrounding him. He said with a smile, "Last time I talked about how the Heavenly Rain Realm was attacking the realm and got forcibly stopped by the Saint Hall. The two sides started an extremely long tug of war. Today I should talk about the guardian god of our lower realm. It is said that he is the legendary Chief of the Saint Hall, and the top existence in the entire realm."
"I know about this. My grandfather told me the legendary feats of the Chief of the Saint Hall 200 years ago. He said the Chief could withstand hundreds of thousands of soldiers by himself, standing taller than the Saints, sitting alone atop the mountain!"
One of the watching cultivators yelled excitedly.
The storyteller shook his folded fan and nodded with a smile. "What your grandfather said is quite accurate. There are records in the legends that the Chief has killed Saints. There were even sayings that the Chief was stronger than the Great Saints."
"The origin of those sayings was that a Great Saint from the Heavenly Rain Realm arrogantly came down to the realm. He broke through the entire firmament and wanted to ask the Chief..."
The words of the storyteller echoed far, blowing over the alley, circling the old tree, and reaching into the distance.
It was the four hundredth year of the new calendar of the realm.
Nowadays, there would still be some conflicts between the realm and the Heavenly Rain Realm, but it was gradually becoming more peaceful. Although it was still a situation where neither side yielded to the other, usually it was just some small fights. Rarely would great cultivators get involved.
The Saint Hall was now just an empty title. After hundreds of years of fighting, Great Saint Zhui Shui expended the most energy but got little in return. His strength even regressed severely. He accumulated quite some hidden injuries, and his current strength was less than half of his peak.
Zhui Shui Great Saint didn't say much either. He just declared to the outside that he wanted to retreat and no longer participate in the matters of the Saint Hall. He rarely even got involved with matters of the realm.
In his own words, he had done his utmost for the realm. In the future, he didn't want to interfere anymore.
The other Great Saint of the Saint Hall had long left without a trace or participated in matters of the realm.
Now the Saint Hall was like a dragon without a head. The so-called Chief had long become only a name. The Saints never placed any hopes on Chen Xia.
The only one who could still be considered a leader was the Second Dao Saint, Wang Yangzi, with his one Alchemy Dao and one Sword Dao. Adding to his prominent battle record, he had the qualifications for this position.
The other Saints of the Saint Hall also respected Wang Yangzi a lot, feeling that he should be the next candidate for a Saint Hall Great Saint.
Wang Yangzi also became busy, on one hand cultivating his own Daos, on the other hand taking care of matters on the borders for the upper echelon of the realm, consuming all his energy.
Although there were fewer clashes on the borders, Saints would still frequently descend, observing the current realm from afar.
At these times Wang Yangzi would have to face them. No conflicts would happen, but he also wouldn't back down. If it was a common Saint it would be fine. The two sides would just confront each other for a while before leaving.
But if a Great Saint descended, that would be hard to deal with, because Wang Yangzi still didn't have the qualifications to be on the same level as a Great Saint. So the other side's words would be completely unrestrained, even directly questioning:
"A tiny little Second Dao Sage dares to meet my eyes? Does your realm really not understand etiquette, or will you bring out a non-Saint?"
Wang Yangzi put his hands behind his back and stepped forward with a calm expression, standing on top of the city wall and replying:
"The Great Saint is busy, the master of the Restricted Zone is inconvenient, so I could only come. If the Great Saint is unsatisfied, you can ask the master of the Restricted Zone to talk to you personally afterward."
The Great Saint contemptuously raised his brows with disdain and laughed while asking:
"Don't think that I'll be afraid just because the master of the Restricted Zone comes. Your realm is far from having that ability. Daring to take the initiative to attack the Heavenly Rain Realm a thousand years ago was your own arrogance and ignorance. Death was deserved. If your realm wasn't so special, do you really think these twelve Restricted Zone masters could live?"
The Great Saint glanced around and shook his head while laughing: "In the end, just a group of second tier Great Saints. The top ones are only third tier. With the foundation of the Heavenly Rain Realm, it's not hard to invite Great Emperors."
"For tens of thousands of years, only your realm has been stagnating without creating any Daos or learning any arts. Shutting yourself in and making cars in a closed room, yet still being smugly complacent. It's truly laughable."
Wang Yangzi didn't speak. Regarding karma, the Great Saint was right that the realm was wrong back then to take the initiative to attack and could only blame themselves for the later invasion by the Heavenly Rain Realm. Wang Yangzi never complained.
"I heard your realm also has a so-called Chief or something with decent talent. Even when a Zhun Di invited him, he rejected it. Bring him out to stroll around."
Wang Yangzi shook his head. "He doesn't manage these things and never participates in the conflicts between the realm and the Heavenly Rain Realm. No need to mention him."
"Doesn't participate in the conflicts? But I remember that Great Saint Golden Lotus had half his lotuses cut off by him last time. He even occupied the lower realm. It was only because that Zhun Di gave him face. Otherwise, if several Great Saints from the Heavenly Rain Realm went together, I don't believe he could still live."
Wang Yangzi placed his hand on his sword and shook his head. "I advise you not to go. He also doesn't participate in these things. Chen Xia can trade lives with anyone."
"Even if several of us Great Saints go together he can still trade lives?!" The Great Saint questioned.
"Yes, and possibly more than one." Wang Yangzi softly replied.
"What if we invite another Zhun Di to lead?" The Great Saint asked again.
"Then that Zhun Di would die." Wang Yangzi flatly answered.
The Great Saint narrowed his eyes without speaking. After half a moment he asked again: "Do you know the implications of being prefixed by 'Great Emperor'? Although Great Saints can often stand up against Zhun Di, whether they can safely survive afterwards is another matter. Let alone ordinary first tier Zhun Di. Most that can reach Zhun Di are second tier."
Wang Yangzi didn't speak. From his understanding of Chen Xia, not to mention Zhun Di, even if Great Emperors came it would still end in traded lives. He had asked Chen Xia before. That technique that hard countered Dao Ancestors was his final move with immense cost. Now it could still be used two to three more times. A technique that could chase and beat Dao Ancestors, killing common Great Emperors would be easy.
The Great Saint shook his head, only feeling that Wang Yangzi lacked experience. But he couldn't blame him since the realm never had Zhun Di after all.
While the two were in confrontation, the Great Saint suddenly stretched out his forefinger, drawing a line forward and said:
"The Heavenly Rain Realm will still advance by 30%. This is the bottom line of the other great realms and also the reason your realm barely clings to life."
"You should be grateful for being able to suppress the heavenly tribulation slaying grand formation. Otherwise in this last thousand years your entire realm would have been exterminated and this realm would have changed owners."
"Promise it." Wang Yangzi didn't explain but only looked at the firmament, lightly flicking his hand on his sword. Tapping the scabbard.
"It's said you are the Saint Hall cultivator with the greatest chance to become a Great Saint?" The Great Saint suddenly asked again.
"Exaggerated." Wang Yangzi softly replied.
"It's best that way. Otherwise, the day you become a Great Saint will be the day you die."
A cold wind blew on top of the city wall, fluttering Wang Yangzi's clothes. His tall figure seemed as tiny as a grain of rice in the sky and earth, hard to notice.
The Great Saint didn't say anything more before leaving beyond the firmament.
Wang Yangzi lowered his brows, feeling that what this Great Saint said made sense. The Heavenly Rain Realm would not tolerate the realm giving birth to another Great Saint.
He would possibly be the last Great Saint of the realm. Also the Great Saint that existed for the shortest time.
But he hoped he could shine like a torch, and that the light from his insignificant self could still illuminate the realm's every minute detail.
He didn't think any further, turning around and leaving. His two Daos manifested. He had already made his decision.
Breakthrough in a hundred years. Become a Great Saint.