TL: Etude
Blackwind Mountain had Ten Kings, One Hundred Generals, and numerous Peak Lords, with only True Ancestors eligible to serve as Peak Lords.
The One Hundred Generals were all top-tier True Ancestors, capable of battling ordinary Dao Ancestors. Although the Peak Lords appeared to be ordinary True Ancestors on the surface, those who held the position were far from average. At minimum, their cultivation had reached the mid-stage Grand Dao Realm, and their combat prowess rivaled or even exceeded late-stage Grand Dao True Ancestors. Some of the more exceptional ones could even contend with top-tier True Ancestors.
Previously, Ye Tian had entered the Little Wind King Hall, but since it was not the actual residence of the Wind King—and the Wind King had not fallen there—there was no Wind King Token in the hall.
Thus, obtaining this Blackwind Mountain Peak Lord Mandate was a pleasant surprise for Ye Tian.
This token was intact, unlike the fragmentary tokens of lesser leaders he had acquired before.
Ye Tian spent some time refining the Blackwind Mountain Peak Lord Mandate.
Contained within the token was some information, revealing the identity of its previous owner.
“Blackwind Mountain, True Ancestor Bainan!”
This was the identity of the token’s former holder.The information indicated that True Ancestor Bainan was at the mid-stage of the Grand Dao Realm and one of many True Ancestors within Blackwind Mountain.
What delighted Ye Tian even more was that the Blackwind Mountain Peak Lord Mandate was not just a token of status; it also served as a key to an inheritance.
According to Blackwind Mountain’s rules, if a Peak Lord fell outside the mountain’s territory, and the token was found by someone other than the one responsible for the Peak Lord’s death, the finder could present it at Blackwind Mountain’s inheritance site.
If the inheritor passed the trials, they would officially become a Peak Lord and enjoy all the benefits and protection that came with the position.
“I wonder if there’s an inheritance ground for Blackwind Mountain in this battlefield ruin.” Ye Tian murmured to himself.
Blackwind Mountain had many inheritance sites scattered throughout the Domain Realm. Due to the vastness of the realm and Blackwind Mountain’s extensive influence, multiple inheritance site had been established to facilitate its development across the region.
However, this battlefield ruin was merely one of countless fragments of the Domain Realm, so there was no guarantee that an inheritance ground would exist here.
“Let’s give it a try.”
Ye Tian activated the Blackwind Mountain Peak Lord Mandate. More precisely, he triggered a formation within the token to establish a connection with the inheritance site.
If the connection succeeded, the token would point the way to the nearest inheritance site.
Time slowly passed—about a few minutes.
Finally, the token responded, establishing a link with a distant inheritance ground.
Seeing the token successfully connect, Ye Tian let out a breath of relief.
This place was not part of the proper Domain Realm but merely a fragment, so he had been worried that the token might not function. Now that it had worked, his concerns were eased.
Without a connection to the inheritance site, the token’s value would have been significantly diminished.
“I wonder if I’ll be able to inherit the token and become the genuine Peak Lord of Blackwind Mountain!” Ye Tian muttered softly.
According to Blackwind Mountain’s rules, becoming a Peak Lord required at least mid-stage Grand Dao Realm cultivation, while Ye Tian was only at the True Monarch level.
However, rules were not absolute.
The most crucial requirement for becoming a Peak Lord was passing the inheritance trial. As long as one succeeded in the trial, they could assume the position of Peak Lord, with cultivation level being a secondary concern.
That said, lacking mid-stage Grand Dao cultivation would certainly make passing the trial much more difficult.
“A mid-stage Grand Dao True Ancestor is no weakling.
The standards of the Domain Realm are even higher. A True Ancestor from the Domain Realm likely possesses greater combat strength than the True Ancestors here.
Furthermore, any True Ancestor qualified to become a Peak Lord of Blackwind Mountain is undoubtedly a genuine genius.
With my current strength, I probably wouldn’t even be able to defeat a Blackwind Mountain True Ancestor at the early Grand Dao stage, let alone compete with a Peak Lord!”
Ye Tian understood his limits well. He knew it was unrealistic to think he could challenge a Peak Lord from Blackwind Mountain—it would be nothing more than wishful thinking.
Becoming a Peak Lord seemed out of reach for Ye Tian.
However, there was another option: becoming a Provisional Peak Lord. This was a special status granted by Blackwind Mountain to true geniuses. Sometimes, exceptional individuals failed the Peak Lord trials due to insufficient cultivation, even though their combat prowess and potential far surpassed that of ordinary captains.
In such cases, the role of Provisional Peak Lord was an excellent alternative.
Apart from lacking a territory, an army, and the Peak Lord’s inheritance, a Provisional Peak Lord enjoyed all other benefits.
Territory didn’t appeal to Ye Tian—after all, the Domain Realm was now shattered, and lands meant little. As for commanding an army, that was equally meaningless. Blackwind Mountain had likely been destroyed, so even if he became a Peak Lord, he wouldn’t have an army unless he built one from scratch. In this regard, there was no practical difference between a Provisional Peak Lord and a full Peak Lord.
The real pity was missing out on the Peak Lord’s inheritance, which was undoubtedly extraordinary.
“I’ll aim to become a Provisional Peak Lord. With my strength and potential, it shouldn’t be too hard!” Ye Tian said to himself with determination.
With that thought in mind, Ye Tian adjusted his plans and set off for Blackwind Mountain’s inheritance site.
…
Outside the quasi-Dao Realm
Numerous Dao Ancestors had gathered outside the quasi-Dao Realm, their eyes fixed on the battlefield ruin within.
However, the battlefield ruin was suffused with the power of Dao Ancestors—and even traces of power beyond the Dao Ancestor level—preventing them from directly probing the situation inside.
Nevertheless, Dao Ancestors had their own channels of information. Every faction at the Dao Ancestor level employed True Monarchs as intelligence agents, regularly reporting updates on the battlefield ruin.
As a result, the Dao Ancestors had gained a partial understanding of the situation.
At that moment, the Dao Ancestors were engaged in discussions about the battlefield ruin.
“Many treasures and opportunities have been found in the battlefield ruin. Some people discovered the corpses of True Ancestors and their treasures, while others obtained inheritances from True Ancestors. There are even rumors of a Dao Ancestor’s Dao Field, though no one has been able to break its protective seals.”
“Indeed, this ruin holds tremendous value. There could be multiple Dao Ancestor inheritances within. Even if there aren’t any inheritances beyond the Dao Ancestor level, the inheritances from Domain Realm Dao Ancestors are extremely powerful and would benefit all of us greatly.”
“So, when do we make our move?”
“Let’s wait a little longer. We still don’t have a complete grasp of the situation inside. Besides, our time in the quasi-Dao Realm is limited. If we go in now, we might not find any opportunities before we’re forced to leave!”
“Exactly. It’s better to wait. Once we confirm the locations of the key opportunities, we can teleport directly there!”
“Let’s get one thing straight now—once we enter the quasi-Dao Realm, the agreement not to fight each other will no longer apply. If someone’s incarnation perishes, they can’t complain afterward!”
“Entering the quasi-Dao Realm carries risks, and creating incarnations to explore the realm comes at a cost. If an incarnation is destroyed, the loss will be significant. It’s best if we avoid unnecessary fights!”
The suggestion to avoid fighting made some Dao Ancestors chuckle. No one took it seriously.
If someone stumbled upon a remarkable opportunity, the Dao Ancestors wouldn’t hesitate to kill—even if they encountered the true form of a fellow Dao Ancestor, they would fight without hesitation.
As time passed, more and more True Monarchs obtained valuable opportunities from the battlefield ruin.
Every moment, some True Monarchs left the ruin with their rewards, while new ones arrived to search for fortune.
Even some Heavenly Monarchs risked entering the ruin, though their odds of survival were less than one percent.
Before long, Ye Tian finally reached the inheritance site of Blackwind Mountain!