Ye Jiuzhou disagreed and gently shook his head: “City Lord, I still don't know my master's whereabouts. His venerable is leisurely traveling so I can't find him.”
“Then there's nothing to say.” Zi Cuining uttered coldly: “If Soaring Immortal wants to come, let them come. Pearl isn't so easily bullied.”
Jiuzhou replied with a calm tone: “City Lord, Soaring Immortal isn't messing around this time, they are going all out. It won't just be Ancestor Long alone, even more powerful people will show up. Once they use their full arsenal, even Pearl will turn to ashes.”
“If that is its fate. But regardless of the result, Pearl is ready to face it!” She said.
“Is it worth implicating Pearl just because of a few demons and sea monsters? People will lament because of this decision.” He asked.
“Ancestor Ye, you and I both know that this has nothing to do with them, it is only an excuse. If it wasn't about them, another excuse would come up. Soaring Immortal's goal is something different and I'm sure you are aware. Even without Soaring Immortal, you yourself want control over Pearl, same with your master.” She accused.
Jiuzhou eventually replied: “City Lord, it doesn't matter what you and I think about this power struggle, I personally want to minimize the casualty of our sect. My personal wish is for Heaven Suppression to remain strong. This has never changed.”
“Ancestor Ye, you have always been a contributor to the sect. Ancestor Lu had always brought this up.” She said solemnly: “But if you really want what's best for Heaven Suppression, then please, convince Gu Zun to give up. We both know that he has been controlling Suppression from the distant. So many high elders and ancestors are afraid of him while obeying all of his orders.”
Jiuzhou had no response. Even though he was in charge of Heaven Suppression, his master has been giving orders in the shadow. Even without him, his master could still control Heaven Suppression.
Too many high-ranking members in the sect feared and wanted to flatter his master. Because of this, the majority of ancestors and elders were influenced by Gu Zun outside of the few who opposed him.
In the end, Jiuzhou took a deep breath and made up his mind. He gritted his teeth and said formally: “City Lord, let me meet Young Noble Li? I wish to speak to him.”
Cuining shook her head: “Ancestor Ye, he isn't here right now. Come back another day if you want to see him.”
“City Lord, I'm taking a considerable risk to see Young Noble Li. Please, go send the words.” He hurriedly said.
She shook her head again: “I'm not stopping you from seeing him but he really isn't in the city right now. I don't know where he is.”
This made Ye Jiuzhou change his expression and blurted out: “If he isn't in the city, how can Pearl fight Soaring Immortal?!”
“Ancestor, if you are really worried about Pearl, get Soaring Immortal to withdraw their troops. I don't care who was in charge in the shadows but don't forget, you were the one to sign the alliance pact. You are the most suitable person to get them to leave.” She said.
He didn't have much to say for she was correct. Soaring Immortal wasn't here for the sea monsters and demons. Their main objective was Li Qiye.
They wanted to force out the dark hand behind the curtain and deal with this mythical existence.
“Ancestor Ye, please leave.” She eventually told him: “The disciples of Pearl will be busy dealing with intruders. We don't have time to entertain you.”
Jiuzhou couldn't change anything at this moment unless he were to go against his master's will. Of course, he would never betray his master.
“City Lord, Bright Monarch, take care. I hope you can protect Pearl.” He gently sighed and cupped his fist towards the two women before leaving quietly.
A while after his departure, a loud bang ensued. Soaring Immortal was waiting for the order. Their disciples were armed with armor and ready to invade Pearl.
At the same time, the disciples inside Pearl were ready to fight to the death in this battle as well.
“Rumble!” A supreme path came and situated in the sky. A youth in great spirit stood above it and looked down at everyone.
“Long Aotian, he's still alive.” The spectating experts found this surprising.
A few days ago, Aotian was pushed into a different spatial sphere after being struck flying by Fiercest's annihilations. Everyone thought that he was dead for sure. No one expected him to be alive and well.
“That's heaven-defying indeed.” People couldn't help but comment after seeing his lively state.
Everyone knew that after being struck by a Heavenly Annihilation, the lucky survivors would be crippled. Aotian was struck by so many; anyone else would be turned to ashes yet he was still perfectly fine. Even annihilations couldn't kill him.
“His dao heart is still as tough as before. Looks like there's no lingering effect from the previous battle.” The experienced big shots from the last generation could still see some clues since Aotian's vitality and aura were still the same as before.
“I guess there's a reason why he's the successor, no lasting demon in his dao heart.” People couldn't help but admire his tenacity.
Fiercest's barrage of annihilation was too much to take, even for someone with a grand completion Immortal Physique. Anyone else would be haunted after this defeat and might choose to never come out again.
Since the start of time, so many arrogant geniuses failed to raise their head again after the first defeat. They would live in seclusion right after, drowned by their own despair. There was no sign of this in Aotian.
“Those who can become emperor all have an indestructible dao heart.” An old God-Monarch said emotionally: “Only those who are not afraid of defeat will be the last one smiling. Though Aotian had lost once, he still has a chance.”
No one mocked him at this moment. They wouldn't do so either even if he wasn't from Soaring Immortal.
Though he suffered a complete defeat to Fiercest, everyone found that it was nothing to be ashamed about. That was how the fight should have unraveled.
So many emperors have lost in the last millions of years outside of Immortal Emperor Jiao Heng. Even the supreme Empress Hong Tian and the peerless Immortal Emperor Fei have lost before during their youth. Most recently, Immortal Emperor Ta Kong tasted defeat time after time before his ascension.
Aotian's defeat would only be a minor stain to his record. The Denary King still lost in the end, unable to maintain his unbeatable stance.
“Defense!” The monarch shouted an order to the disciples after seeing Aotian.
At the same time, the area on top of her chest lit up and resonated with the Pearl Tower inside the city. It exuded an endless light.
Waterfalls of light descended from the sky. Horizontal beams also emerge around the city and came together with the vertical pillars of light.
In a short time, the tower emitted an expanse of runes among these intertwining rays. It looked like a turtle shell that protected the entire city. Its disciples heaved a sigh of relief after seeing this. Many of them didn't know that the tower could do something like this.
All along, the disciples and citizens here thought that the tower was only a landmark for sightseeing. This was much more magical than expected.