Guo Xin and Li Bai, riding a giant beast, arrived near Nine Nether Mountain in just three days. This beast, having undergone rigorous selection and training by the Nine Nether Phecda tribe, lacked the ferocity for combat but was excellent for travel.
Upon reaching the vicinity of Nine Nether Mountain, they guided their mount to descend. A checkpoint established by the Nine Nether Phecda tribe was present here. The Nine Nether Barren Lord presided over Nine Nether Mountain, enforcing a ten-mile no-fly zone. Numerous giant beasts were steadily landing. Guo Xin and Li Bai then proceeded on foot towards the mountain.
Nine Nether Mountain was extraordinarily tall and majestic. Standing at its foot, they were met with a dense scent of blood.
Possessing an invitation to Nine Nether Mountain, they were not significantly obstructed and smoothly entered. They proceeded to roughly the halfway point of the mountain, where they found an inn to rest. With several days remaining until the congratulatory ceremony, they were not in a hurry.
As the congratulatory ceremony drew nearer, the halfway point of Nine Nether Mountain became exceptionally crowded with martial artists. The major top-tier tribes of the Blood Spring Arid Domain, namely the Blood Phoenix Lion, Blood Celestial Demon Spider, and the Blood Phoenix tribe, also arrived at Nine Nether Mountain sequentially.
With the sequential arrival of the major top-tier tribes of the Blood Spring Arid Domain at Nine Nether Mountain, the tens of thousands of tribal martial artists stationed there turned their gaze towards the Blood Devourer Barren Lord.
Would this second strongest individual, second only to the Nine Nether Barren Lord, attend the Nine Nether Barren Lord's congratulatory ceremony?
At noon two days later, the sky in the north of Nine Nether Mountain turned blood red, and a pair of giant red eyes scanned the entire Nine Nether Mountain.
"Roar!"
The void boomed. The Blood Devourer Barren Lord, manifested by the Imperial Corpse, sat with his eyes slightly closed on a war chariot pulled by a colossal beast. Guarding the chariot were two black-robed figures, emanating faint red light, positioned on all sides.
"Junior, Bei Li, respectfully welcomes the Blood Devourer Barren Lord!"
Above the void of Nine Nether Mountain, Bei Li, with a smile, bowed respectfully.
"The Nine Nether Barren Lord certainly puts on quite a show. Our Barren Lord has personally descended, yet you dispatch a scruffy kid to greet him. Do you truly believe yourself to be the foremost figure in the Barbarian Realm?"
The black-robed man to the left of the Blood Devourer Barren Lord roared, and an exceptionally potent surge of primal energy directly impacted Bei Li. The subsequent explosion caused the void to hum.
"Nirvana!"
Guo Xin, observing the sky, could not help but furrow his brow. "This primal energy carries a faint demonic aura, exactly the same as the aura within the skeleton teleportation array that Master Liang Shitai examined that day."
"It's likely that this Imperial Corpse has employed some methods. His fractured primordial spirit cannot fully wield the power of the Five Suns Venerable. He is also strengthening himself in order to contend with the Nine Nether Barren Lord."
Li Bai looked at the Blood Devourer Barren Lord, whose eyes were closed. "This ceremony might not proceed as smoothly as anticipated!"
"Sir, you jest. The ceremony is still some time away. This junior has proactively constructed a temporary palace for the Barren Lord, modeled entirely after the Blood Spring Valley, in hopes that the Barren Lord will find his stay at Nine Nether Mountain comfortable!"
Bei Li smiled slightly, showing no sign of anger, maintaining a humble posture as he welcomed the Blood Devourer Barren Lord and his entourage into Nine Nether Mountain.
This scene was fully witnessed by the tens of thousands of tribal martial artists resting at the halfway point of Nine Nether Mountain. Immediately, the events unfolded amidst fierce discussions among these countless martial artists, all revolving around the Nine Nether Barren Lord and the Blood Devourer Barren Lord.
Innumerable martial artists delved into the past records of the Nine Nether Barren Lord and the Blood Devourer Barren Lord. Although the Blood Devourer Barren Lord suffered a slight defeat at Nine Nether Mountain, the Nine Nether Barren Lord was also exhausted and could do nothing to harm the Blood Devourer Barren Lord. After months of arduous cultivation, it remained unknown who was stronger.
However, in the eyes of Guo Xin and Li Bai, the Nine Nether Barren Lord could not defeat the Blood Devourer Barren Lord. Firstly, the cultivation technique of the Nine Nether Barren Lord was incomplete; it was passed down by the Five Suns Venerable to find a suitable physical vessel, and the peak Nirvana realm was the absolute limit the Nine Nether Barren Lord could achieve, with no further room for breakthrough.
Secondly, when the Blood Devourer Barren Lord first appeared at Nine Nether Mountain, it was merely a fractured primordial spirit just beginning to control an Imperial Corpse, with imperfect integration. After months of cultivation, it was likely that this sliver of residual soul from the Five Suns Venerable had fully mastered the Imperial Corpse. How could the Nine Nether Barren Lord possibly win!
...
A few days later, the Nine Nether Barren Lord's congratulatory ceremony arrived as scheduled. Guo Xin, clad in crimson armor, with a fierce qilin emblazoned on his chest, a dao sword at his waist. Li Bai, in official Han attire, with a three-foot sword at his hip.
Beside them, a Jin Yi Wei officer in a flying fish robe, holding the flag of the Great Han Dynasty, ascended towards the summit of Nine Nether Mountain. This Jin Yi Wei was a spy who had been dispatched into the Nine Nether Arid Domain long ago.
The location for the Nine Nether Barren Lord's congratulatory ceremony was the Nine Nether Hall at the summit of Nine Nether Mountain. The mountain itself was relatively gentle, and the summit area was vast enough to accommodate a million people.
However, even so, not any tribal martial artist could enter. Those who could enter the Nine Nether Hall at the summit were either top-tier or first-class powers in the Barbarian Realm, or the rising stars of the new generation.
Guo Xin and his two companions were few in number, but as they walked through the streets, tens of thousands of tribal martial artists respectfully stepped aside, not daring to walk in front of them.
Although the Great Han Dynasty was not as formidable as the Nine Nether Arid Domain or the Blood Spring Arid Domain in the eyes of the myriad tribes, it was still one of the three top-tier powers in the Barbarian Realm, having swept through numerous top-tier tribes such as the Fire Crow, Fierce Yuan Bear, Red Demon Dog, and Titan Giant Snake...
It was a mighty dynasty that rose on the corpses of countless beings. How could they refuse!
As Guo Xin and his two companions entered the plaza of the Nine Nether Hall, a soldier smilingly welcomed them in.
The eastern, southern, and western parts of the plaza were densely packed with tables and chairs. Many martial artists were already seated, greeting each other with smiles. In the vast plaza, amidst hundreds of thousands of martial artists, Guo Xin and his two companions were the only humans.
At the northern direction of the plaza, a magnificent throne emitted a faint ethereal glow, entirely crafted from black feathers, with nine heads gazing in all directions.
Three feet below the throne, a seating area was placed on the left and right respectively. Four feet further down, two seating areas were placed on the left and right.
The arrangement of these seats indicated the current status of the top-tier tribal powers in the Barbarian Realm.
Under the guidance of the soldier, Guo Xin and Li Bai were led to a position on the right, a mere three feet from the throne!
"Boom!"
The Jin Yi Wei stood behind them, and the Great Han Dynasty flag was planted firmly in the ground, radiating a powerful draconic might.
Instantly, the martial artists from tens of thousands of tribes in the entire plaza fell silent, all staring with pale faces at the elevated platform to the north. One of the seven positions was now occupied, and the Great Han Dynasty flag fluttered majestically!