Chapter 1749: Medicine God Temple (Part 1)

The reason was simple: jealousy!

This was because Taicang Great State had become the most respected among the other six states. However, it wasn't due to Taicang being the first state in the Central Plains to achieve a major victory. Every state had poured all its effort into the Great War of Ancient Giants, sacrificing countless brave individuals, and each was justifiably proud of their own state. In this regard, no one could be deemed superior or inferior.

Yet, the Soul Transformation Realm experts of Taicang Great State, following Jiang Fan as he crossed the Celestial Realm, descended like divine soldiers into the independent State of Gui Xu, slaughtering the Half-Giants and slaying Sage Cixin. This awe-inspiring feat truly earned the profound respect of experts from all states!

They had witnessed firsthand how the Half-Giants wreaked havoc, pushing the Central Plains to the brink of destruction, and how the old dog Cixin aided their tyranny.

After the great war, experts from various states had considered upholding justice and eradicating the Half-Giant menace. However, they were either deterred by Sage Cixin's formidable power or discovered that the State of Gui Xu had already become independent from the other Central Plains states, forcing them to abandon the idea. To their surprise, rumors soon spread that the Half-Giants had been utterly annihilated. Even more astonishing was the news that Sage Cixin had also been slain. This news caused a massive stir among the experts across all states.

During the brutal Great War of Ancient Giants, not a single sage had fallen; their immense power was beyond doubt. Yet, he was killed by his avenging Central Plains compatriots! And it was the experts from Taicang Great State who accomplished this nearly impossible feat.

How could the experts from the other six states not feel genuine admiration? Therefore, when the experts from the seven states gathered in Tianzhou, the respectful treatment Taicang Great State received was immense.

For several days, the Taicang Great State's temporary palace in Tianzhou was bustling with visitors. From the Revered Ones of various states to those in the Nascent Soul Realm, all came to pay their respects. Even some small and medium-sized factions in Tianzhou, upon hearing of these events, extended their goodwill and proactively sought an audience.

All sorts of rumors about Taicang Great State also spread wildly. For example, some claimed that Taicang Great State's major victory was the turning point of the Central Plains war. Without Taicang Great State, the Central Plains would surely have been defeated. Others even suggested that Taicang Great State was the true center of the Central Plains.

As these rumors circulated, the various factions in Tianzhou, who had also suffered heavy casualties, felt particularly aggrieved. The Dark Asura Clan had attacked fiercely, and Tianzhou had also resisted bravely. These rumors made it sound as if they had done nothing.

Thus, some impatient factions finally came to Taicang Great State's palace to 'seek guidance'.

Inside the palace, the Lord of Jiangshan Yipin Tower sat in the main seat and said calmly, "Friends from the Medicine God Hall, we, Taicang Great State, are here to make friends, not enemies."

To his sides stood Revered Lord Red Demon and Jiang Wuya, along with other Soul Transformation Realm experts from Taicang Great State. They showed signs of annoyance, subtly shielding Yue Mingzhu behind them.

In the hall, a young man and woman stood tall. They were both under thirty years old. Yet, each had five rings of flame radiating from the back of their heads! They were clearly two Revered Ones who had reached the Five Stages of Heavenly Decay!

The male Revered One wore a black alchemist's robe, presenting a dignified appearance with a hint of disdainful arrogance in his eyes. The woman also wore a black alchemist's robe, but a purple pill-shaped ornament was tied to her waist. Between the two, the woman was clearly in charge.

She had a melon-seed face and a ponytail, and her appearance was rather beautiful, though her eyes held a condescending gaze.

"Our Medicine God Hall of Tianzhou also does not wish to make enemies, on the condition that the woman returns what she stole from us."

The Lord of Jiangshan Yipin Tower's expression was calm. His politeness stemmed from the powerful background of the two individuals. The Medicine God Hall was an ancient sect, second only to Mount Young Emperor, the Lunar Palace, and the Buddhist Kingdom. Tracing its history back, it was at least ten thousand years old. The current Hall Master of the Medicine God Hall had even remained in the Central Plains to refine a Heavenly Great Pill. How could he casually make an enemy of such a transcendental force?

However, the other party was aggressive, demanding that Yue Mingzhu hand over the relics of the Oblivious Elder. This put him in a difficult position. If he were to fall out with them then and there, he wouldn't fear them taking reckless action, as the High Priest of Wine of Zhongzhou was protecting them. His real concern was them secretly causing trouble for Yue Mingzhu.

Yue Mingzhu's eyes blazed with fury. This woman actually claimed she had stolen them, when these were the relics of the Oblivious Elder. Wasn't that insulting the Oblivious Elder by suggesting he stole from them? She was not one to tolerate injustice, let alone an insult to the Oblivious Elder!

She immediately retorted, "When did my master's relics become something stolen from your Medicine God Hall? Why don't you just claim the entire Zhongzhou belongs to you!"

The female Revered One glanced disdainfully at Yue Mingzhu, a displeased expression on her face. "Are people from Taicang Great State all so ignorant of hierarchy?" she scoffed. "Shouting at a Revered One is utterly improper."

Her sharp gaze, imbued with the pressure of the Five Stages of Heavenly Decay, instantly made Yue Mingzhu stumble, her internal energy surging, and a trace of blood spilling from the corner of her mouth.

The Lord of Jiangshan Yipin Tower's eyes sharpened, and he slammed the table, declaring, "Presumptuous!"

A similarly powerful aura blocked the female Revered One's gaze. The normally gentle Lord finally became enraged. "You, a Revered One in the Five Stages of Heavenly Decay, are attacking someone in the Nascent Soul Realm?" he demanded. "Have you no shame?"

Seeing this, the female Revered One's face turned cold as she sneered, "What, you group of thieves are displeased?"

The male Revered One also released the pressure of the Five Stages of Heavenly Decay, his voice filled with oppression: "Want to fight? This is Tianzhou, not your Taicang Great State! Know your place!"

The two Revered Ones deliberately unleashed the pressure of the Five Stages of Heavenly Decay, causing the entire palace to rumble. The protective formations on its surface flickered erratically, appearing on the verge of collapse. Needless to say, those inside the palace felt it even more intensely. Even the Soul Transformation Realm experts found it extremely uncomfortable, let alone the Nascent Soul Realm cultivators from the Heavenly Secret Pavilion?

The Lord of Jiangshan Yipin Tower was burning with rage. Since things had come to this, he decided to completely break ties and provoke the High Priest of Wine to intervene!

Just then, suddenly, a giant mirror appeared above the male Revered One's head, and a palm extended from it without warning, striking towards his head. "Revered Lord Lianjing?" The male Revered One sensed it in time, raising his hand to block above his head.

The palm strike was delivered with full force. The male Revered One cried out in pain, his arms thudding as they were hit, and his entire body was slammed into the ground, with only his head remaining exposed.

Revered Lord Lianjing didn't stop there; he activated a mirror domain, which began to slice at the male Revered One's neck, intending to sever his head.

The female Revered One's expression changed instantly. She decisively activated her own domain, causing a spectral alchemical furnace to appear. It swallowed the mirror domain, intending to refine it.

The two domains clashed violently, then exploded one after another, their residual power spreading in all directions.

Revered Lord Lianjing activated his domain again, using a spatial mirror to gather the many experts of Taicang Great State within it, isolating them from the aftermath.

The female Revered One quickly pulled the male Revered One up, her face filled with anger. "Revered Lord Lianjing, are you insane?"

Revered Lord Lianjing had clearly intended to kill with those two strikes. If she hadn't intervened in time, her senior brother would have been in grave danger.

Revered Lord Lianjing's face was cold. "You dared to lay a hand on my son's people!" he snarled. "You are the insane ones!"