The journey from the Blue Sky Sword Sea to the Great Heaven was an exceedingly long one, spanning from the very bottom to the very top of the Great Heaven. Even the fastest top-tier ferry would take over a decade to complete the voyage.
Along the way, the cultivators of the Blue Sky Sword Sea were engrossed in discussions about the Heavenly Dao Frontline.
The Heaven Mending Realm cultivators were all potential future Emperors, representing the new generation of the Blue Sky Sword Sea. Among them, a few had even met the Chen Saint, the legendary founder of the Blue Sky Sword Sea in this era, and they held him in the highest regard.
The younger Heaven Mending Realm cultivators, though they had never met the Chen Saint, had grown up hearing tales of his exploits. Naturally, they were filled with even greater admiration for this mythical figure.
Emperor Capital and Li Yang, as the leading Great Saints, sat at the bow of the ferry, overseeing its journey and interacting with other passing ferries to avoid conflicts.
For instance, when another ferry approached them, Emperor Capital would step forward and, pointing at the opposing ferry, kindly say:
"F*** your mother, get lost..."
Of course, before he could finish his sentence, Li Yang would interrupt him and take over the negotiations.
With two Great Saints, who were on the verge of becoming Quasi-Emperors, leading the group, the Blue Sky Sword Sea's ferry was a formidable presence in the Great Heaven, especially since there were few true Emperors left in the current era.
Thus, the journey of the Blue Sky Sword Sea's ferry was relatively peaceful, with only minor conflicts that never escalated to the point of bloodshed.
Finally, the ferry arrived at the Heavenly Dao Frontline. Both Emperor Capital and Li Yang had been here before. Although the Heavenly Dao Frontline was now in ruins, they still vaguely remembered the route and headed straight for the left flank.
Emperor Capital stored the ferry in his small world, and the thirteen-member team disembarked, stepping into the left flank.
For Emperor Capital and Li Yang, this was a return to familiar ground. They gazed at the shattered walls in silence, filled with emotion.
The Heaven Mending Realm cultivators, on the other hand, were much more lively, curiously exploring the walls where the Chen Saint had once fought.
Other cultivators were also searching for opportunities nearby, with some even setting up stalls to trade or sell the treasures they had found, all eager to obtain the artifacts they needed.
Emperor Capital told them to roam freely and grab any treasures they saw. If things got tough, they could call for backup—this was the tradition of the Blue Sky Sword Sea, and the Chen Saint had been a master of this approach.
Li Yang, however, advised them to avoid trouble but not to back down if they encountered a treasure they desired. The motto was to neither provoke nor fear conflict.
Zhou Jia and Bai Lu, as Quasi-Saints, were the leaders under Emperor Capital and Li Yang, each in charge of a team of Heaven Mending Realm cultivators. With the permission of the two Great Saints, they began searching among the ruins of the walls.
Each of them had been given a protective talisman by Emperor Capital or Li Yang, which could provide thirty breaths of full protection from a Great Saint. This was enough time for Emperor Capital or Li Yang to arrive at full speed.
After giving their instructions and preparing for contingencies, the cultivators of the Blue Sky Sword Sea were free to search the ruins.
Meanwhile, Emperor Capital and Li Yang began investigating the whereabouts of Chen Xia, searching for any clues.
The left flank was now crowded with cultivators, leading to frequent conflicts and even deaths.
Zhou Jia led her team of Heaven Mending Realm cultivators straight through the most crowded areas, heading deeper into the ruins where the fragments of the walls were larger but also more dangerous. These fragments were tainted by residual darkness, and anyone contaminated by it would suffer the same fate as the remnants of darkness.
Moreover, Heaven Mending Realm cultivators were more vulnerable to the corruption of darkness, so they had to be extra cautious.
Zhou Jia walked at the front, deeply moved by the sight of the Heavenly Dao Frontline while keeping an eye out for opportunities. One of the Heaven Mending Realm cultivators behind her asked curiously:
"Senior Sister Zhou Jia, is this where the Chen Saint once fought?"
"Yes," Zhou Jia replied with a smile.
"Senior Sister Zhou Jia, what was the Chen Saint really like? I’ve only heard that he was the most unique prodigy in the myriad heavens and the most powerful Four Paths Great Saint in history. But people always focus on that and overlook other aspects, like his personality and his divine abilities."
The young prodigy who asked the question then lowered her head, somewhat embarrassed.
"We heard that you knew the Chen Saint, so we wanted to ask you about him."
Zhou Jia was momentarily taken aback, then smiled again and replied:
"The Chen Saint had a very calm demeanor. He seemed indifferent to many things, with a good temper, but he also had things he deeply cared about. He was quite kind-hearted."
As she spoke, Zhou Jia's smile grew wider, reminiscing about the time she had found a child named Chen Xia in her small world, never imagining that he would become such a legendary figure.
Now, looking back, it felt like time had flown by—over ten thousand years had passed.
She herself had become a Quasi-Saint, capable of standing on her own, and was on the verge of becoming a full-fledged Saint.
She couldn't help but sigh at the unpredictability of time and the swift passage of years.
Just as Zhou Jia was lost in her thoughts, the talisman on her chest suddenly glowed and emitted a soft sound—a signal to regroup. Li Yang's urgent voice came through:
"Bai Lu is being pursued by a Great Saint. All cultivators of the Blue Sky Sword Sea, assemble!"
Zhou Jia's expression changed, and she quickly led her team of Heaven Mending Realm prodigies back to join Bai Lu and the two Great Saints.
The talisman guided her to the location, which wasn't far. Zhou Jia arrived quickly to find a tense standoff.
Emperor Capital stood at the forefront, pointing at the Great Saint in front of him and cursing:
"F*** your mother, how dare you chase after a cultivator of the Blue Sky Sword Sea? Are you tired of living? I’ll f***ing kill you, you piece of sh**!"
The Great Saint who had been pursuing Bai Lu narrowed his eyes. He naturally knew of the legends surrounding the Chen Saint and had heard of the Blue Sky Sword Sea, but he replied calmly:
"Blue Sky Sword Sea? Hmph, just because you say you’re from the Blue Sky Sword Sea doesn’t make it true. I could just as easily claim to be from the Blue Sky Sword Sea."
"You’re a f***ing joke!" Emperor Capital roared, about to continue his tirade, but Li Yang stopped him and stepped forward, asking:
"Fellow Daoist, chasing after one of my disciples is unacceptable. If you don’t apologize and compensate, I’ll have no choice but to engage in a life-and-death battle with you. Are you prepared for that?"
The atmosphere shifted instantly. The opposing Great Saint's expression darkened, and after a moment, he replied:
"You’ve just arrived at the Heavenly Dao Frontline. It’s best to keep a low profile here. The forces here are complex, and you can’t act like you’re in some backwater. Expecting me to apologize and compensate? You’re dreaming!"
The tension was palpable.
Bai Lu, standing behind them, softly suggested: "Maybe we should just let it go. I’m not really hurt."
"How can you say that?" Li Yang turned to Bai Lu, his voice grave. "This isn’t just about you. It’s about the honor of the entire Blue Sky Sword Sea. You were wronged on this battlefield where Chen Xia once fought, and if we just let it slide, I wouldn’t be able to face Chen Xia in the future. I’d rather die here and show the world the might of the Blue Sky Sword Sea!"
Emperor Capital, at the front, didn’t say a word. He had already drawn his weapon, ready for battle.
"Why so much commotion?" a curious voice interjected. Another group of cultivators approached, led by a man who, upon seeing the Great Saint confronting Emperor Capital, smiled and said:
"Isn’t this the Wu Sheng Great Saint? Why are you picking fights with others?"
The Wu Sheng Great Saint smiled warmly and then pointed at Emperor Capital and the others, sneering: "Saint Huo Yu, you wouldn’t believe it. These newcomers dared to challenge me to a life-and-death battle and even claimed to be from the Blue Sky Sword Sea."
Saint Huo Yu was momentarily stunned, then narrowed his eyes and commented:
"How bold."
Boom!
A sudden explosion rang out as Emperor Capital, unable to hold back any longer, charged at the Wu Sheng Great Saint with full force. The two crashed through the walls, falling into the void as they clashed.
Emperor Capital’s body was wreathed in starlight, his mastery of the Star Dao reaching its peak. As someone on the verge of becoming a Quasi-Emperor, he was now overwhelming the Wu Sheng Great Saint.
Emperor Capital fought ferociously, trading injuries for fatal blows, leaving the Wu Sheng Great Saint unable to retaliate and soon bleeding profusely.
"Fellow Daoist Huo Yu!" the Wu Sheng Great Saint spat blood and called out.
"Understood," Saint Huo Yu nodded, then turned and respectfully called out:
"Uncle."
"Hmm," came the reply.
The emerald-green figure pierced through the heights, instantly slamming into the body of the Emperor Capital, sending it crashing down.
Li Yang's expression turned furious as he charged toward the emerald-green figure. After a fierce battle lasting about a hundred breaths, Li Yang collided violently with the emerald-green figure, causing the latter to retreat several thousand meters, while Li Yang plummeted onto the shattered city wall.
The emerald-green figure revealed itself—a quasi-emperor of the dragon species, adorned with long, jade-green dragon horns. With a wave of its sleeve, spiritual energy gathered within, and it sneered disdainfully.
"Two mere Great Saints dare to stir up trouble? How laughable."
With a single step, its figure descended rapidly, landing before the fallen Li Yang, and spoke again.
"Today, I shall slay you, setting an example for the frontlines of the Heavenly Dao."
Li Yang suddenly pounded the ground, his body surging upward as he charged at the quasi-emperor once more.
"Perish!" The quasi-emperor unleashed its divine power, striking out with a wave of its hand.
Li Yang was sent flying thousands of miles, crashing into the shattered city wall. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, and his consciousness grew hazy. As he glanced down, he noticed something peculiar—it seemed he had collided with... a set of chess pieces?
The emerald-green figure flickered, and the quasi-emperor appeared before Li Yang once more. However, it did not look at him but instead fixed its gaze on the figure sitting alone at the edge of the city wall.
Yan Zi glanced over briefly, disinterested. Such battles between cultivators were common, and he couldn't be bothered to intervene.
The quasi-emperor sneered, then turned back to Li Yang, shaking its head.
"Since you've just arrived at the frontlines of the Heavenly Dao, you should know your place. It doesn't matter where you come from—whether you're from the Blue Sky Sword Sea or even a quasi-emperor. In this territory, you must bow your head!"
Yan Zi, who had been calm and indifferent, suddenly furrowed his brow. In an instant, he turned his gaze toward the fallen Li Yang.
The quasi-emperor raised its hand, preparing to deliver the final blow.
But its expression froze as two fingers pressed against its brow, as though they could pierce through at any moment.
Yan Zi stood before it, his voice deep and commanding.
"Did you just mention the Blue Sky Sword Sea?"