Chapter 409 – Fight for Great Mountain Lord, Name of Jiao Lord

Ancient Fiend Nine Realms, Great Thousand Realm.

Over the vast expanse of time, the Ancient Fiend Nine Realms had undergone countless great wars and consolidations.

Ultimately, a tripartite balance of power formed among the Black Lotus Sect, Great Thousand Mountains, and Corpse Fiend Cave.

These three sects each occupied one of the Three Realms.

Together, they constituted the current Nine Realms.

However, the Nine Realms weren’t exclusively dominated by these three sects.

There were still many minor sects existing within.

Though these minor sects appeared independent, they were actually under the jurisdiction of these three major sects.

If they failed to pay regular tributes,

the lighter consequence would be casualties among their members, while the severer outcome would be the complete annihilation of their sect.

The relationship among the Black Lotus Sect, Great Thousand Mountains, and Corpse Fiend Cave was also quite complex.

For a long period, these three sects had been mutually opposed.

Even if it couldn’t be described as a life-and-death struggle, it was absolutely filled with intrigue and scheming.

It was the kind of complex relationship where if one sect fell into trouble, the other two merely watching from the sidelines would be considered benevolent.

However, the current relationship among these three sects had reached its peak in nearly ten thousand years.

They had reached a certain tacit understanding of offensive and defensive alliance.

This was something unimaginable in the past.

Yet for most cultivators in the Ancient Fiend Nine Realms, these developments didn’t have much impact.

Because their cultivation levels and status were insufficient for them to know the details behind these matters.

Nevertheless, under the succession of major events, some cultivators began to discern clues from recent occurrences.

For example, the Great Mountain Lords of Great Thousand Mountains at the Deity Transformation Stage, who had rarely fallen for thousands of years,

had actually seen several perish within just this single year.

To others, this was simply impossible.

After all, the Deity Transformation Stage represented undisputed power in the Ancient Fiend Nine Realms.

Unless they directly offended those Fiend Buddhas in the Ancient Domain,

they could essentially come and go freely throughout the entire Nine Realms.

Yet even such powerful Deity Transformation Stage cultivators had fallen in such numbers.

This was clearly a very ominous sign.

It indicated that in some unknown place, a fierce battle was raging where even Revered Ones at the Deity Transformation Stage could hardly protect themselves.

If cultivators in the Immortal Cultivation World learned of this, they might immediately think about how to protect themselves.

But for the cultivators of the Ancient Fiend Nine Realms,

the more intense the battle, the better it was for them.

Because only when positions above became vacant would they have the opportunity to advance further.

Take for instance the multiple Great Mountain Lord positions that had become vacant this time.

This had attracted many Mountain Lords from within Great Thousand Mountains.

And because the position of Great Mountain Lord corresponded not just to an identity, but also to a special Legacy,

the selection of Great Mountain Lords wasn’t as simple as one might imagine.

First, one must possess at least Nascent Soul Stage Perfection cultivation.

Second, one must have a Dao lineage compatible with that of the Great Mountain Lord.

Finally, one must seize that unique opportunity from among other competitors.

Even with such stringent conditions,

Great Thousand Mountains, which controlled three realms, could still select quite a number of qualified candidates.

Since several Great Mountain Lord positions had already found compatible successors in advance,

the Main Sect of Great Thousand Mountains had only released two Great Mountain Lord positions this time for the Mountain Lords within the sect to compete for.

One was ‘Eagle,’ and the other was ‘Dragon.’The former allowed anyone with avian Dao lineage to compete.

Thus, as many as thirty Mountain Lords participated in the competition.

As for the latter, although fewer cultivators competed, those with ‘Jiao’ Dao lineage were exceptionally powerful one and all.

It was a lineage with an extremely high lower limit and an equally high upper limit.

Therefore, even though only a handful of Mountain Lords—a mere seven—competed for the title of ‘Jiao Lord’ this time,

it was the focus of everyone’s attention.

Great Thousand Mountains, Main Sect.

“Old Freak Li, you little snake actually have the guts to compete for the Name of the Dragon Lord? Why don’t you take a piss and look at your reflection—do you even have the qualification?”

In one of the Great Halls of the Main Sect, a Nascent Soul Stage cultivator sneered mockingly at the cultivator who had just entered.

“If an old reptile like you can come, why can’t I?”

“Or rather, if even an old reptile like you thinks you’re qualified to contend for the Name of the Dragon Lord, there’s no reason why I, an ancient serpent, shouldn’t be. After all, in terms of bloodline and Dao lineage, I’m far more suitable than you.”

Hearing this, Mountain Lord Red-Templed Lizard, who had arrived early at the Great Hall, immediately grew furious.

He stood up, releasing his signature flames around his body, while dark red scales emerged all over his face.

His features began to transform as well, turning into a ferocious lizard head.

The temperature in the Great Hall began to rise steadily due to the flames unintentionally radiating from Red-Templed Lizard.

In response, Mountain Lord Blackscale Serpent, Li Yuan, at the entrance, did not hold back either.

He quickly transformed into a monster with a human torso and a serpent’s tail.

A chilling aura immediately emanated from him, confronting Red-Templed Lizard’s flames head-on.

Faced with this tense standoff, the other five Mountain Lords present not only made no attempt to intervene but instead watched with evident relish, eager to see how the conflict would unfold.

After all, these individuals were now among the most powerful in the Great Thousand Mountains, second only to the few Great Mountain Lords.

Few could exert authority over them.

Moreover, since the selection had not yet begun, whatever they did could hardly be considered out of line.

It was worth noting that the originally suitable candidates were not limited to just these seven.

So why were only these seven present?

Naturally, it was because some of the eligible successors had been eliminated early on.

If not for the strict prohibitions against casual violence and killing fellow sect members within the Main Sect of the Great Thousand Mountains,

they might have already fought to the death.

After all, compared to competing for an uncertain inheritance qualification,

simply killing off all other suitable successors, leaving only oneself, was far more in line with the ways of Gu Xian cultivators.

Thus, as they watched the tense confrontation between Red-Templed Lizard and Blackscale Serpent, the other five Mountain Lords were even considering whether to secretly fan the flames.

Ideally, they could incite these two to start fighting outright.

That way, they might eliminate two competitors at once, killing two birds with one stone.

However, Red-Templed Lizard and Blackscale Serpent were no fools.

They too understood that acting now would bring them nothing but harm.

So, after a brief standoff, both prepared to retract their Divine Abilities and end this pointless internal conflict.

But just then, an icy voice came from behind Blackscale Serpent.

“Step aside.”

Blackscale Serpent turned his head and saw an unfamiliar male cultivator, accompanied by a white-haired girl with deer antlers, suddenly standing behind him.

Who is this guy? A newly emerged Mountain Lord?Watching this unfamiliar cultivator, the Black-Scaled Snake’s mind began racing furiously.

He tried to recall any information about this unknown Mountain Lord.

This caused him not to make way for the other party, but instead remain blocking the entrance.

Coupled with the fact he had currently manifested his demonic form, this could be considered a degree of active provocation.

Therefore, after seeing him remain motionless for so long, the unfamiliar cultivator made his move.

Clang!

A crisp sword cry suddenly echoed through the Great Hall.

None of those present even had time to clearly see the sword’s true form.

They only saw a cold gleam sweep across the Black-Scaled Snake’s neck.

Squelch!

The cold light effortlessly severed the Black-Scaled Snake’s throat, cleanly decapitating him on the spot.

However, cultivators at the Nascent Soul Stage generally achieve a state where their True Spirit doesn’t perish and their Physical Body doesn’t decay.

The Physical Body no longer has any absolute vital points.

Thus, even after being beheaded, the Black-Scaled Snake didn’t die.

His headless body instantly transformed into a poisonous mist, retreating to a relatively safe distance.

Then, the lone snake head on the ground turned into a pool of venom before everyone’s eyes.

A brand new head quickly regenerated on the Black-Scaled Snake’s body.

Perhaps because it was newly grown, this fresh head not only had pale skin, but the scales on it were visibly much softer.

Standing in a corner of the Great Hall, the Black-Scaled Snake stared at the unfamiliar Mountain Lord by the entrance with fearful eyes.

Recalling that earlier sword strike, even now the Black-Scaled Snake felt lingering fear.

Because he hadn’t even seen when the other party had drawn his sword.

He had just been effortlessly beheaded like that.

If that casual sword strike had contained Great Dao Sword Intent.

Even if he hadn’t died, he would have been severely wounded.

This guy… is definitely no ordinary person.

In an instant, at the cost of one head, the Black-Scaled Snake reached his judgment.

What made the other Mountain Lords find it anticlimactic was that…

The Black-Scaled Snake, who had earlier been ready to fight the Red-Templed Lizard over mere verbal sparring…

Now, after having a head chopped off by someone, silently found himself a seat without saying a word.

Completely different from his previous readiness to fight at the slightest provocation.

This left the other Mountain Lords present feeling quite disappointed.

After all, they had thought that facing such humiliation, the Black-Scaled Snake might directly erupt in rage and fight the unfamiliar cultivator to the death.

Who would have thought this guy only bullied the weak and feared the strong – seeing his opponent was not to be trifled with.

He’d rather lose some face than suffer any real losses.

One could only say, for this guy to have cultivated to his current Realm, he certainly has his methods.

After this reflection, the Mountain Lords in the hall secretly observed this last-arriving unfamiliar cultivator.

Was this some old monster who had been hidden away in seclusion?

Or some lucky individual who suddenly obtained a rare opportunity?

The Mountain Lords watched Lu Chen enter the Great Hall, beginning to ponder silently.

Due to Gu Xian’s unique cultivation methods…

It meant that whenever suitable conditions arose, leaping an entire major stage in a short time wasn’t particularly strange.

Therefore, they weren’t surprised by the appearance of a competitor they had never known before.

But unsurprised or not, now there was one more competitor, and clearly one who wasn’t to be provoked lightly.

This wasn’t good news for them.

Most crucially, apart from that single sword strike just now, they knew absolutely nothing about Lu Chen.Almost as if by tacit understanding, the Mountain Lords exchanged glances and subtly reached a certain consensus.

That was, once the formal selection began,

they would first join forces to eliminate Lu Chen, this unfamiliar cultivator.

After all, compared to the other familiar old rivals,

Lu Chen, an unknown new opponent, was undoubtedly more concerning.

As for the undisguised hostility from these Mountain Lords,

Lu Chen paid it no mind.

He led Little White Deer by his side directly to the center of the Great Hall and chose a seat for himself.

And because of Lu Chen’s arrival, the originally lively Great Hall suddenly fell silent.

Everyone was calculating their own plans,

pondering how to break through the fierce competition and become the Great Mountain Lord standing above tens of thousands.

Half a day later, as no one else arrived at the Great Hall,

the list of Mountain Lords participating in the competition for the Name of the Dragon Lord was finally complete.

As the great doors of the hall slowly closed,

a scantily clad woman appeared in a wisp of smoke on the foremost seat deep within the hall.

“Oh, I thought the competition for the Dragon Lord this time would be more intense. I never expected so few participants.”

“Not bad. It seems you all are quite clever, knowing to eliminate other competitors before the assessment even begins. However…”

As she spoke, the enchanting woman walked barefoot to the center of the hall, stopping before Red-Templed Lizard.

The woman suddenly struck, grabbing Red-Templed Lizard by the neck and lifting him up.

“…however, did you not carefully check whether among those you killed were any supported by me?”

“Speak. You killed the candidate I arranged. How do you plan to compensate?”

The previously hot-tempered Red-Templed Lizard now showed none of his earlier arrogance in the hands of this enchanting woman.

After all, the one before him was no mere Nascent Soul Stage Mountain Lord like Black-Scaled Snake,

but one of the few Great Mountain Lords of the Main Sect of the Great Thousand Mountains – Fox.

If she wanted to kill him, it would truly be as easy as crushing an ant.

In desperation, Red-Templed Lizard hurriedly said: “I-I am willing to follow Fox Venerable’s lead from now on, devoting myself body and soul.”

Hearing this, Fox Venerable, who had been full of killing intent and coldness moments before, now smiled enchantingly.

“Oh, is that so?”

“In that case, I might be able to forgive you.”

As she spoke, Fox Venerable set him down, then turned to look at Lu Chen sitting nearby.

Among the eight people present, only Red-Templed Lizard and Lu Chen lacked the protection of other Great Mountain Lords.

Although neither Lu Chen nor Red-Templed Lizard might necessarily break through the competition to become new Great Mountain Lords,

having an additional Peak Nascent Soul Stage subordinate wasn’t a bad choice.

Especially during this once-in-ten-thousand-years great opportunity.

Therefore, Fox Venerable saw no need for lengthy discussions. She directly approached Lu Chen and said with a smile: “What about you, little friend? Do you want to submit to me like him, or…”

Fox Venerable raised her hand, and several fox tails materialized out of thin air, forming a large net that enveloped Lu Chen’s surroundings.

“…do you plan to die right here?”

Instantly, the atmosphere in the entire hall became extremely oppressive.

Everyone watched Lu Chen, curious about his choice.Yet even when facing a Great Mountain Lord at the Transformation Soul Stage, Lu Chen showed not the slightest panic, remaining eerily calm.

This was undoubtedly abnormal.

Under the astonished gazes of everyone present, a black Sword-Intent True Dragon materialized behind Lu Chen, its eyes glaring fiercely at Fox Venerable.

“I choose the third option: kill you, and… everyone here.”

As he spoke, Lu Chen rose to his feet.

There were many ways to obtain a Legacy.

Lu Chen intended to choose the most reliable one.

If no one else remained… then he would be the only choice.

(End of Chapter)