Fighting: Practice makes it real, start with a poisonous body.

Chapter 216 The entrance to the ancient realm, all the saints have arrived. As long as he has come, that is enough!

At the summit of the Pill Tower, clouds and mist swirled, and the aura of the pill fire used for alchemy in the past was replaced by a more majestic holy might.

Ancestor Danta sat upright on the back of the green ox. Although his figure was like that of a child, his voice was clear and penetrating.

"Everyone, the risks involved in this conflict with the ancient imperial clan are self-evident. If anyone is unwilling to be involved in this conflict, they may withdraw on their own, and the Pill Tower will not hold them accountable."

As he finished speaking, his gaze swept over the nearly thirty figures in front of him. Each figure was surrounded by a majestic holy aura, and as their robes fluttered, even the surrounding space seemed to be compressed and frozen!

They are all the Saints that the Central Continent Alliance can currently mobilize. During this period, Danta traveled all over the continent to gather these nearly thirty Saints.

These people are already the top fighting force of the human race, apart from the imperial race!
"That's wrong!"

Fire Cloud Ancestor spoke first, his voice booming and filled with passion.

"If the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold; if the rabbit dies, the fox will grieve. How could we not understand this principle?"

Today, the Imperial Clan is able to inherit the Sword Emperor's legacy. They have taken Xiao Jibai's clan and threatened him. If they really want to wreak havoc on the continent in the future, what ruthless methods will they use to deal with us?

If we old folks don't stick together now, the days ahead will truly be miserable!

A sage from the East Sea, dressed in a blue robe, immediately smiled and said, "There is no need to worry. The fact that we are all gathered here today shows that we are of one mind with the Pill Tower."

"Senior Huoyun is absolutely right!"

The two immortals of the Flower Sect stepped forward side by side, their voices clear and crisp: "The imperial clan is cold and cruel, regarding mortals as ants."

The Beast Clan's Dragon-Phoenix Sons are also eyeing us covetously. If our human race does not unite, we will face annihilation sooner or later! On this journey, my Flower Sect is willing to stand with the Pill Tower through thick and thin!

The other saints echoed their sentiments, and not one of them suggested withdrawing. This united determination seemed to strengthen the saintly aura atop the Pill Tower.

"That way, I feel relieved."

Seeing this, the old patriarch of the Pill Tower showed a look of satisfaction. The blue ox beneath him let out a low groan, and the saints understood. They all stood up, their figures transforming into streams of light, and flew together to the sky above the Pill Tower.

The Pill Tower had been cleared out beforehand; the alchemists and disciples who used to frequent it were nowhere to be seen, leaving only an empty nine-story tower, gleaming with an ancient luster in the sunlight.

The old ancestor of the Pill Tower lightly stomped his little foot on the back of the green ox, and slowly raised his little hand, waving it towards the Pill Tower below.

In an instant, the world changed!

"Buzz, buzz, buzz—!"

The once clear sky suddenly darkened, the earth began to tremble slightly, and the Dan Tower was surrounded by dazzling Dan patterns, and the tower body slowly contracted upwards!

The nine-story tower shrank at a visible speed, gradually shrinking from a towering giant into the size of a palm, and finally transforming into a stream of light that landed steadily in the palm of the Pill Tower Ancestor.

The Old Ancestor of the Pill Tower held the Pill Tower in his hand, and the tower in his palm still emitted a faint halo, as if it contained infinite power.

He glanced down at the pill tower in his palm, then looked up with unwavering determination: "Everyone, come with me to the Ancient Realm!"

The group transformed into streaks of light and headed towards the ancient realm.

As soon as he finished speaking, he urged the Azure Ox forward, transforming it into a streak of azure light and flying towards the sky, followed closely by more than thirty Saints behind the Pill Tower Ancestor.

Streaks of light streaked across the sky, like dazzling ribbons of light, hurtling toward the ancient realm.

…………

In the eastern part of Zhongzhou, an ancient city, weathered by time, stands quietly.

This city is called the Ancient Holy City. Its walls are made of black, massive stones, and their surfaces are covered with traces of wind and rain erosion, yet they stand firm as if they have existed since time immemorial.

On the city streets, squads of guards clad in black armor patrolled back and forth, their armor clanging crisply. The fighting spirit emanating from them was at least at the Dou Wang level, completely surrounding the city.

In the center of the city, a vast lake rippled with azure waves, yet its surface held no semblance of tranquility. Above the water, spatial energy surged like ripples, and a silver spatial gate floated there, its doors shimmering with a faint halo, as if connecting to another dimension.

If a Dou Zun expert were to look up at the sky, he would be shocked to discover that, thousands of miles above the sky, there was also a spatial power that was indistinguishable to the naked eye, faintly connected to the spatial gate on the lake, forming an invisible spatial passage!

At the end of that spatial passage high in the sky lies the very foundation of the ancient race—the Ancient Realm!
The ancient realm floats nine heavens above the continent, like a high-hanging imperial star, surrounded by a thick spatial barrier, and is rarely open to the people of the continent.

Only during grand ceremonies like the coming-of-age ceremony of ancient clans, which are of great importance to the clan's reputation, will the passage be temporarily opened to allow powerful outsiders to enter and observe the ceremony.

Today, the ancient holy city is already packed with a dense crowd.

Powerful figures from all over the continent gathered here, some dressed in magnificent robes as Dou Zun experts, others with restrained auras as rogue cultivators, all gazing at the spatial gate on the lake with eyes full of anticipation and curiosity.

"How many years has it been... to witness the ancient tribe's coming-of-age ceremony again."

An aged voice rang out from the crowd. The speaker was an elderly Dou Zun carrying a broken sword. He looked at the spatial gate, his cloudy eyes filled with emotion.

"How many years? Isn't that obvious? The ancient clan's coming-of-age ceremony is held once every fifty years, how many more years could it be?"

Tang Ying asked curiously.

Upon hearing this, the Sword Venerable stiffened, his sentimental expression instantly replaced by bitterness, and he sighed, "Yes, fifty years."

Fifty years ago, I had just become a Dou Zun, and I was full of vigor and in my prime.

Years ago, I was fortunate enough to be invited to participate in the ancient clan's coming-of-age ceremony, hoping to witness the heroes of the world and the splendor of the imperial family. But who would have thought that this visit would completely extinguish my enthusiasm?

The oldest of the ancient clan members at the coming-of-age ceremony was more than ten years younger than me, yet their strength far surpassed mine!

It was at that moment that my resolve to fight wavered!

I began to admire the power of the imperial clan, yet I also feared that power! Gradually, I realized that no matter how hard I practiced swordsmanship, I could never catch up with the imperial clan, let alone reach the pinnacle of the continent!
So back then at the Wind and Thunder Pavilion conference, I was blinded by the words of Venerable Lei, and even had my sword heart completely shattered by Xiao Jibai, the successor of the Sword Emperor!

At this point, these hands... even lost the ability to wield a sword!

The Sword Master raised his hands, which were trembling uncontrollably, as if even the simplest action of clenching a fist had become an unattainable luxury.

Upon hearing this, the surrounding powerful figures all fell silent, their gazes towards the Sword Venerable filled with sympathy.

Who could have imagined that the Sword Venerable, the former master of the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion, one of the Four Great Pavilions that once roamed the continent, would end up in such a state?

Tang Ying supported Sword Venerable, his expression complex.

In a matter of reason and emotion, the teacher was blinded by greed, and no one else is to blame.

But in the end, Xiao Jibai did shatter his teacher's sword heart.

As a disciple, it would be a complete lie to say that Tang Ying harbored no resentment or hatred towards Xiao Jibai...

Tang Ying took a deep breath: "Teacher, why did you ask me to accompany you to this ancient holy city to participate in the ancient clan's coming-of-age ceremony?"

The Sword Master's eyes were glazed: "I just want to see if there truly is such a thing as an unwavering, consistent swordsmanship in this world..."

Tang Ying, you brought this upon yourself. I don't blame him, and you shouldn't blame him either.

But I really want to know if he himself is still sticking to this path!

"Teacher, do you want to see Xiao Jibai defeat the seven ancient clans?"

An unusual light flashed in the Sword Master's eyes.

"No! As long as he's here, that's enough!"

(End of this chapter)