Chapter 920: Chapter 642: Oath of Brotherhood Over Wine
Time flashed by, and several months passed.
On this day.
Lu Chenzhou was in cultivation when a resounding voice echoed high above in the sky from outside.
"Heavenly Swordman comes for a visit." Atop the clouds stood a young Swordsman clad in blue robes.
"How delightful it is to have friends visit from afar."
Lu Chenzhou led his people out to greet him.
"Little brother, you’ve finally arrived! I heard you killed a Demon Saint all by yourself recently?" The old man of Fishing Mountain laughed; he and the Heavenly Swordman had known each other for a long time, and he was the one who introduced Tianxia to him.
The Heavenly Swordman waved his hand with a smile. "It’s nothing worth mentioning. I just happened to know of a place with an ancient array, so I lured the Demon Saint into it and ambushed him there." Then, he looked at Lu Chenzhou. "Land Army Master’s the real deal when it comes to Reversing Eight Realms. Truth be told, when I first heard Achilles was killed, my immediate reaction was that it must be fake—seemed like Achilles was killed by some other powerful enemy he’d offended, and Land Army Master was just taking undue credit. Not until I heard that the newly ascended World Venerable Fang Xingyu was also killed by Land Army Master did I finally believe it."
Lu Chenzhou gave a faint smile.
"How so?"
The Heavenly Swordman sighed. "That Fang Xingyu’s strength might have been nothing special among Eighth Realm, not as good as Achilles, but she’s of the Divine Race... Daring to kill a World Venerable of the Divine Race means thoroughly offending the Divine Alliance and Yan Ming Realm Venerable, who’s likely a Third Step powerhouse—there’s no going back, fighting to the death. Land Army Master, aside from you Tianxia Civilization’s bold new faces who aren’t afraid of anything, none of the old civilizations or powerhouses in the Three Thousand Worlds would dare do this. The Divine Race’s foundations aren’t something to trifle with."
"Haha! In this Great Destruction Era, what we need is exactly this fearless, unrestrained vigor—if you let all manner of rules and taboos grind down your edge, lacking forward momentum, at best you’ll gain a momentary, pitiful existence, but in the end, it’s just the frog in boiling water. When the Forbidden Zone revives, you still won’t escape death. Divine Race? Just the unworthy descendants of the Divine Court. And the Divine Court? Defeated by the Stars themselves."
Lu Chenzhou’s voice rolled like thunder.
The Heavenly Swordman clapped his hands. "Well said, Military Leader! To be honest, I was always something of a lone wanderer, unattached, never wanted to get involved in civilization’s disputes.
But when the Divine Alliance colonized one world, they killed the master who taught me in my mortal days. In my rage, I slew the Divine Race’s Great Commander of that world and came to join you, Land Army Master."
As he spoke, the Heavenly Swordman waved his hand, and a plump, glaring head thudded to the ground before them; the old man of Fishing Mountain’s face changed dramatically.
"That’s actually him—Sima Le, Great Commander of the Gale Divine Race! A fitting end! It was Sima Le’s Expedition Army that destroyed my hometown world. Well done, old brother Heavenwalker! You have my respect."
Lu Chenzhou conjured a giant hand, catching the "token of allegiance" offered by the Heavenly Swordman, and with a squeeze shattered it to blood mist drifting away. He clasped his fists and said:
"Welcome to our family."
Rumble!
The boundary barrier cracked open. From the Ruins Sea, a giant mountain the size of a star—ninety thousand miles in diameter—descended, enveloped in Five Elements Yin Yang Power, its arrival radiant and mighty. On the surface of the mountain were tens of thousands of Phoenix True Feathers, each equal to a Seventh Rank Spiritual Weapon. The Innate Dao Patterns on every feather formed a profound and complex natural array. Even with Lu Chenzhou’s mastery of the Dao, his head swam dizzily, forcing him to avert his gaze.
This was a true Supreme Treasure, completely undamaged—among dozens of Supreme Treasures in the Great Wilderness, it ranked within the top five, verging on a Divine Artifact.
Upon Myriad Feather Mountain, twenty-four powerful presences gazed over, all young men and women in gorgeous garment, dazzling in beauty and handsomeness to the extreme.
The Spirit Phoenix Dominator stood atop the mountain peak.
With a lovely smile, she said:
"What a lively gathering... Until now, we only met at the Mountain and Sea Tower. Today, I finally get to see all my friends of Tianxia. It’s a great excitement for me."
"Welcome, friends of the Phoenix Clan."
Lu Chenzhou’s heart stirred—Tianxia’s most important allies had arrived. To be honest, though he was strong now, when it came to opposing the Divine Race’s ancient foundations, he still fell short. Tianxia could only dare full-scale war with the support of the Dragon and Phoenix Clans. Although their background might not match the Divine Alliance’s, they were enough for strategic deterrence.
Otherwise, if the Divine Alliance used their Clan’s Sacred Artifact, they would lack an equivalent counterforce.
Moreover, as leaders of the True Spirit races, the Dragon and Phoenix themselves had produced Divine beings. The Dragon Ancestor, Chi Ji God, was one of the nine Great Gods.
The status of Dragon and Phoenix in the myths of Three Thousand Worlds’ civilizations was in no way inferior to the Divines.
By comparison, upstart Tianxia’s fame was far inferior. To raise their standard and call more allies, they needed to borrow the prestige of Dragon and Phoenix.
Old Fishing Mountain, Heavenly Swordman and other experts chose to side with Tianxia precisely because of the Dragon and Phoenix Clans’ stance—they felt secure. Without the Dragon and Phoenix, in their eyes, going against the Divine Alliance was a hopeless war, not worth joining.
To give hope to the Three Thousand Worlds.
This was the meaning of Dragon and Phoenix!
No new culture or thing could emerge in one stride—it needed the backing of the old era’s authorities.
The Yaochi Immortal was elated as well.
"Sister, at last you’re here."
"I’ve come for the promised gathering."
The Spirit Phoenix Dominator guided Myriad Feather Mountain’s descent, suspending it above the mines, with twenty-four Seventh Realm Phoenixes behind her, gazing curiously at their future allies.
"Xiaojiu, that’s the Land Army Master?"
"That’s right. He’s a good man. Back then, when I was selling blood, he even gave me an extra one to help me recover."
That day, Feng Jiuli still remembered vividly.
"His appearance is quite ordinary, but with humans you can’t judge by looks—you have to consider how strong they are inside."
A handsome man whispered his opinion—he was the Phoenix Clan’s Left Protector, Feng Gexing, an Eighth Realm himself.
"Who’s that middle-aged man? He has Eighth Realm strength too? Could he also be here to join the Land Army Master?" a tall, silver-haired woman whispered; she was Right Protector, Peak of Seventh Realm.
"Probably so. Seems the situation is even better than we expected. I spotted Old Fishing Mountain and Heavenly Swordman—both legendary names."
"You two, go and greet the Land Army Master. From today, you’ll follow him."
The Spirit Phoenix Dominator sent a mental message to her two Protectors.
As leader of the Phoenix Clan, she would not personally fight unless the four World Venerables moved. Yet for such an alliance, it was most dangerous to go it alone. Thus, when the Tianxia Alliance was founded, it was unanimously decided to have the Tianxia Military Leader as leader, commanding all factions’ armies. Of course, the leaders of every side would also form a joint decision-making body.
Large-scale military action would always be jointly discussed at the top, to avoid tyranny.
...
At the same time.
In a certain small world—
"That woman’s gone in?" A bald, brawny man with a giant axe sat atop the Dragons Palace.
"Yes."
A slender little dragon nodded.
The bald man stood. The entire Dragon Palace shook as a mountain-like aura surged to the sky.
"Dragon Clan, follow me to Mystic Sky!"
"Boss, why are we avoiding the Phoenix Clan?"
The little dragon was puzzled.
Beside him, a slightly fat little dragon replied,
"You just don’t get it, do you?"
"Then you tell me, what is it?"
"Boss likes that woman."
BAM! A giant palm sent the chubby little dragon flying eighty thousand miles away. The bald brute glared,
"Bullshit! As head of the True Spirits, the Dragon Clan naturally must make the grand finale entrance!"
The Dragons Palace tore through the void. Tens of thousands of dragon phantoms coiled around it as dragon roars echoed across Mystic Sky.
On the ground below,
Lu Chenzhou and the Spirit Phoenix Dominator looked up.
"Just in time—the Dragon Clan’s here."
"That old coot’s as vain as ever. Must’ve been here earlier, just wanted to be last."
The Spirit Phoenix Dominator muttered.
The bald giant radiated Second Step might—also at the Second Step, but much stronger than the Heavenly Gu Daoist.
There are differences even within the Second Step.
Some are Early Stage Seventh Rank Dao.
Others reach the Peak of Seventh Rank Dao.
With differences in combat technique, flesh, spiritual strength, and more, distinctions among Eighth Realm Experts grew sharper every step—a gulf between each phase.
"Old Lu, I’m late! Oh, Spirit Phoenix, you’re already here. Didn’t think you’d be so early."
The bald giant laughed heartily.
The Spirit Phoenix Dominator snorted softly, saying nothing.
Relations between Dragon and Phoenix were passable—not too good, not too bad, a few little frictions here and there.
Endless grievances and grudges—too many to tell.
"Welcome, Dragon Master."
"By the way, where’s Old Wan?" The bald giant looked around but didn’t see the Eternal Immortal.
He and the Eternal Immortal got along well.
"Long story—let’s all take our seats first. Now that nearly everyone’s here, let’s set Tianxia Civilization’s future framework, then discuss a few things," Lu Chenzhou said.
The Eternal Immortal was missing in the Divine Prison Realm. Lu Chenzhou had meant to go look for him, but Emperor Shitian persuaded him otherwise.
Given his current strength, if he entered the Divine Prison Realm, he’d likely never return. Better to wait for Breakthrough Eighth, at least with Third Step hard power, before going.
Moreover, fortune and misfortune are intertwined. With the Eternal Immortal’s immense talent and luck, he truly might find some opportunity within the Divine Prison Realm—a founding ancestor of Martial Arts’ Breakthrough Seven and Eight. Who knows?
The urgent matter is still to confront the Divine Race.
...
The Southern Heaven World was located in the Southern Boundary Domain; Beidou World was in the Beiluo Region. Because of the distance and the need to guard their civilization’s Fire Seeds, they only sent a few Seventh Realm representatives to Mystic Sky.
So far, every major power amicable with Tianxia Civilization had joined the all-out war effort.
As time passed, the forming of a new alliance proved arduous. Each side’s demands and appeals varied, but after a hundred days of negotiation, acting on mutual benefit and cooperation, all parties finally signed a foundational alliance framework agreement and the anti-Divine Race and anti-Forbidden Zone "Pan-World Civilization Alliance Treaty" and "Great Universe Convention." Thus, a super-alliance centered on Tianxia Human Civilization, the Dragon and Phoenix Clans, Hanhai Sect, and Three Thousand Realms’ lone powerhouses—spanning civilizations and crossing the Armor Domain—emerged quietly within Mystic Sky.
Its name: Mystic Sky Alliance.
On its founding day,
Lu Chenzhou held a grand feast within the Aurora Palace. Holding up his wine, he solemnly faced the Hanhai Sect Lord, Spirit Wind Dominator, Dragon Master, and the heroes of the Three Thousand Realms:
"I, Lu Chenzhou, have never been one to swear oaths, but now, in these pressing times, for the sake of being able to entrust our backs to our comrades, and for the grand cause and goals we strive for—I invite all of you to drain this cup, and based on the terms of our organization, let us together swear a great Dao oath!"