Chapter 302: The Origin of the Hall of Martyrs

Snow Mountain Sect Sect Leader laughed, “A mere lass wants to kill me?”

Zhuo Qingyao drew her sword, flicked it around and a fierce gale and rumbling swept the place.

After two hours, a bloody rain fell on Zhuo Qingyao’s hair. As she sheathed her sword, Snow Mountain Sect Sect Leader fell powerless to the ground, glancing at the gasping Dragon Sovereign, “Send my order to break out of Snow Mountain Sect. Don’t lose the key, kill with extreme prejudice!”

Yan Mountain Head Sect Leader cut down Snow Mountain Sect Sect Leader, shuddering the masses.

Sword King Pavilion and Steel Ox Valley were frightened. But the shock only increased as Yan Mountain’s Second Sect Leader led a million troops to assault Steel Ox Valley.

Steel Ox Valley hoped Sword King Pavilion would come to assist, but Yan Mountain Third Sect Leader, Endless Night Demon Sovereign Li Suyi, took four million troops into sieging Sword King Pavilion’s city.

The three ancient immortal sects sent a desperate call for help toward the other four Autarchs, but they were hesitant in giving aid.

Not only that, the four even joined forces into attacking them.

In the war between the ancient immortal sects and Yan Mountain, be it win or lose, it wouldn’t hurt them one bit to fake participating.

The people understood an even more terrifying fact, even without Chen Ming, Yan Mountain was capable as ever to massacre the whole continent.

After another month, the war ended. The ancient immortal sects lost, their power diminished.

The four Autarchs were rushing in Zhuo Qingyao and the other sect leaders’ footsteps, wanting to see them opening the path to immortality.

Unlike the ancient immortal sects’ Autarchs, they leaned more on the chance of Chen Ming surviving this ordeal. And they also hoped for his return, since if they didn’t let Chen Ming out, the path to immortality would never open.

Following and immortal, albeit fake, their snail-paced cultivation would soon pick up speed.

Zhuo Qingyao inserted the four keys into the gargantuan gate. It creaked open at a slow pace, rousing Chen Ming from his sleep. He saw the travel-worn Zhuo Qingyao and how there were three fewer Autarchs. Understanding dawned on him.

Zhuo Qingyao approached, “Master, the three ancient immortal sects attempted to lock you on the path to immortality for all eternity. Disciple killed them to the last one!”

Chen Ming patted the dust away and threw a glance around. The four Autarchs hanged their heads, as Zhuo Qingyao began notifying him of the events prior to his return.

“Ding! You triggered the fame mission, Ruler of All. Only absolute control over the continent would allow you to rest easy and march into the Galaxy without a worry. Reward: a million fame, Control Aura lvl3.”

Chen Ming nodded, choosing his words as he spoke on a slow and heavy tone, “It seems I was too kind. In truth, I also do not understand why frail moths act like this. In such cases, they can’t blame my decisiveness. Spread my word to the entire continent. Those that kneel before this Immortal Master shall keep their lives. Henceforth, only one sect shall stand in the world, Yan Mountain.”

As Chen Ming went deeper into his speech, the imposing air around him turned heavy. Under the effect of the Ruler’s Presence Aura and World’s Crown Aura, it drove his demeanor to the heavens. Under the heavy pressure form Chen Ming bearing down again and again on them, the Autarchs understood his meaning. He was now on par with an immortal. Those that dared to act behind his back left Chen Ming in a sour mood. The Autarchs kneeled and crawled on the ground, “We are willing to surrender to Yan Mountain!”

Chen Ming turned to Fairy Zi Xia, “You are excused.”

Fairy Zi Xia cupped her hands, “Many thanks, Immortal Master!”

Chen Ming nodded, “Let’s go. It’s high time we tidy up this continent for a bit.”

Chen Ming stretched his hand and the keys fell in his palm. He gazed upon the still kneeling and immovable four, “Zhong Tongzi, I appoint you as the Head of Yan Mountain’s Afiliates. You have one year to have the entire continent filled with Yan Mountain’s fluttering banners. Astral Immortal Sect is exempt from this. If you find it impossible, I am more then certain Bai Wuxia will be more willing.”

Zhong Tongzi bowed, “Please rest easy, Mountain Lord, subordinate will fulfill this mission!”

Chen Ming waved and the five-colored cloud appeared under him. He reached for his four legacy disciples and brought them on his cloud, flashing in the distance.

Chen Ming returned to Yan Mountain and, after a short while of preparation, he showed his face to his disciples to resume teaching them. All Yan Mountain disciples were in the Dao Comprehending realm, and since he cultivated more than a thousand times to Dao Comprehending realm, he would have an easy time guiding their path.

With this preaching, a month passed by in a wink.

Chen Ming’s return had the whole continent in high spirits. After millennia, another immortal graced the Scarlet Tide Continent!

This meant the chance for the path to immortality being open was high, and that they had a way to communicate with other continents in the Galaxy. It allowed trading and obtaining cultivation materials.

Just that Chen Ming had no intention of opening it for now. The cultivators didn’t dare speak of it. Immortal Master had his own considerations. With the continent locked away for millennia, there was no telling what was out there. Maybe the first encounter would be with an enemy.

Cultivators began to be fervent in their discussion about the Galaxy, referring to this era as the Age of Stars.

After teaching his disciples, Chen Ming climbed Yan Mountain and stood underneath the bodhi tree. He wanted to know more about this Tree of Martyrs through the system lady. But the system lady turned her back on him.

It seems the system lady is no portable encyclopedia.

It could be said that he knew the way to make it grow, through the use of souls. With the recent wars, the number of souls in that river had to be substantial, and it might even hold his disciples and Zi Tianzang’s souls.

Based on Shi Jiuquan’s words, when the Tree of Martyrs matures, it had power over life and death. It could provide one with an endless lifespan.

Chen Ming didn’t feel any disgust in using mortal and cultivator souls to feed the Tree of Martyrs since he didn’t go to slaughter for the explicit purpose of gathering them. He would never meddle in the secular world’s affairs. Life, death, old age and sickness was in their nature, how could he rule these?

Just that such a secret could never be spread among them.

Let them make their own wild guesses about it.

As for how he should go about pulling souls out of that feeble water river, Chen Ming recalled the Book of Life and Death. He thus went in search of Chen Lingyu, who was caught refining pills, “In your understanding of the Book of Life and Death, do you think it can hold souls?”

“Of course it can.”

With a definitive answer, Chen Ming took her to survey the said river. Chen Ming found a substantial amount of souls drifting in its waters, but they all seemed to have lost their sense of self, only wandering aimlessly.