Chapter 6681 Constant Oppression
Chapter 6681 Constant Oppression
This Sovereign might descended like a sword cleaving through the void. A supreme law power crashed down on Long Chen like a collapsing mountain.
If it struck him head-on, then even at his peak, without the Eight Star Battle Armor at full strength, he would inevitably be injured.
Rage flared in Long Chen’s heart. This was yet another acquired Divine Sovereign, someone who had undergone creation through destruction, yet she felt no shame in attacking him outright.
Qu Liushang immediately stepped in front of Long Chen. The crushing Sovereign pressure slammed into him and was forcibly halted.
Though shaken, Qu Liushang was even more angered by this woman’s sudden appearance.
With a cold tone, he asked, “Vice Palace Master Wanci, what are you doing?”
The woman before them had icy features, high cheekbones, and thin lips. She wore a golden imperial robe, carrying herself like an aloof empress gazing down on mortals.
Only then did Long Chen learn her identity. She was the other vice palace master—Li Wanci. But wasn’t her name Li Zimo?
The name Wanci was good, yet none of its graces could be found in her. There was neither grace nor kindness in her presence, only a brutal, cold-blooded air without the slightest elegance.[1]
The moment Long Chen saw her, a thought surfaced: the Starry River Palace’s current state was almost certainly her doing.
Pointing at Long Chen, Li Wanci said, “What am I doing? He humiliated the disciples of my Starry River Palace and trampled on their dignity. He even dares to covet the legacy of Heavenly Sovereign Yaochen! And you ask what I am doing?
“As a vice palace master, you side with an outsider? Do you truly think you can hand the Starry River Sovereign Palace to him? Do you want to turn everyone here into a laughingstock?!”
Qu Liushang suppressed his anger.
Keeping his tone calm, he said, “That is the rules of the martial stage and the will of Heavenly Sovereign Yaochen. No one can defy it.”
Li Wanci snorted.
“The rules of the martial stage? Rules were set by people and can be changed by people. Back in the day, Heavenly Sovereign Yaochen established them for the disciples of his era. Times have changed. The rules must change as well.”
“You...!”
Qu Liushang had never expected Li Wanci to be so brazen. The method to open the Starry River Sovereign Palace had been hidden for countless years. Only Qu Yingying’s inadvertent actions had exposed it.
While this seemed coincidental, the truth was that some kind of karma was involved. Heavenly Sovereign Yaochen had to have his reasons for doing this.
Yet, Li Wanci not only rejected Long Chen—she even denied Heavenly Sovereign Yaochen’s will. It was madness. Qu Liushang could not comprehend how she had changed so drastically since his last seclusion.
Li Wanci was extremely talented, even more so than Qu Liushang. She had completed her creation through destruction before him. Once she became an acquired Divine Sovereign, he could finally enter seclusion in peace.
However, when he came out, everything had changed. It was so different that he found it hard to believe.
“So,” Long Chen asked lightly, “the will of Heavenly Sovereign Yaochen carries no weight when it comes to the Starry River Sovereign Palace’s legacy? The successor must instead be personally approved by you—Heavenly Sovereign Wanci?”
Long Chen had never cared for the Starry River Sovereign Palace and had been prepared to refuse Qu Liushang’s suggestion outright. Yet, Li Wanci’s attitude grated on him, so he couldn’t help but mock her. He intentionally called her “Heavenly Sovereign Wanci”, causing her expression to darken.
She was no fool, and she naturally understood what Long Chen meant.
“Silence! Your wild ambition ends here! I don’t know what your motives are, but don’t leave any evidence where I can find it, or I will definitely kill you!” Li Wanci snapped.
Qu Liushang was shocked by her reaction.
“Vice Palace Master Wanci, what are you saying?!”
“First,” Li Wanci said coldly, “Long Chen’s origins are unclear. He has not been thoroughly investigated. He cannot be trusted. Only after passing the Starry River Heart Questioning Grand Formation can we speak of trust.”
When Qu Liushang heard this nonsense, his fury seethed.
The Starry River Heart Questioning Grand Formation pierced straight into the soul, exposing every secret. How was this any different from treating Long Chen as a criminal?
Li Wanci continued, “Second, the Heaven, Earth, and Mortal Rankings must be redone. The strongest disciples of this generation have been fighting alongside me for years. They were never included in the rankings, so Long Chen’s challenge is invalid. No one from the Li family would ever defy Sovereign Yaochen’s will. Unless Long Chen can beat this challenge again with the redone rankings, he will not have fulfilled Sovereign Yaochen’s requirements.”
Only then did Qu Liushang know that Li Wanci had been raising the true experts of the Starry River Palace in the outside world. These disciples were the true warriors of the Starry River Palace.
Long Chen laughed softly, his gaze filled with disdain.
“And after I win, you’ll say the matter is too big and requires a vote to proceed. And if the vote passes, you’ll claim it needs the palace master’s approval, which must wait until he emerges from seclusion. Hahaha, how childish! I stopped playing such games in my teenage years.”
Long Chen had encountered plenty of sore losers like Li Wanci in his life. Since he never had any interest in the Starry River Sovereign Palace’s inheritance, he frankly said, “Vice Palace Master Qu, since the Starry River Palace does not welcome outsiders like me, I won’t take any more of your time. But before leaving, can I discuss something with you?”
“What is it?” Qu Liushang asked reflexively.
Qu Liushang’s thoughts were a mess. Even he didn’t know what to do in this situation. It wasn’t as if the two vice palace masters could just start fighting, right?
The moment the words left his mouth, he regretted them. Didn’t such a response imply he was standing with Li Wanci?
Long Chen didn’t take offense though, as he always judged people accurately. He understood Qu Liushang’s character and his predicament.
Long Chen said, “Since the Starry River Palace does not welcome outsiders, and staying here only wastes your resources while subjecting us to abuse, I ask that the Starry River Palace return our freedom. If anyone wishes to leave with me, I ask that the Starry River Palace not interfere.”
Qu Liushang’s expression instantly sank. If Long Chen brought away all the disciples of the nine heavens, that would spell real trouble for the Starry River Palace.
Long Chen’s influence amongst the disciples from the nine heavens was probably even greater than the star disc. If word of this spread, none of the disciples from the nine heavens would remain in the Starry River Palace.
“Hmph. What a joke,” Li Wanci scoffed. “Is the Starry River Palace somewhere you can enter and leave at will?!”
She cut Long Chen off before Qu Liushang could speak.
“So I also can’t leave as I wish?” Long Chen asked, his gaze turning cold.
“That’s right. You will undergo the Starry River Heart Questioning Formation so we can verify your motives. If your suspicions are cleared, you may scram for all I care!”
Long Chen looked straight into her eyes. His gaze was sharp, penetrating, as if stripping away every hidden thought.
“That look of yours is very hateful. Do you believe me when I say I’ll pluck your eyes out?!” Li Wanci snapped.
She seemed to not like to look Long Chen in the eyes and turned around.
Qu Liushang was furious at Li Wanci’s constant verbal abuse toward Long Chen. Her conditions were deliberately cruel; she was clearly up to something. She would not let Long Chen obtain the Starry River Sovereign Palace’s legacy no matter what.
“In that case, I’ll have to ask Master to make a decision!” Qu Liushang exclaimed.
“You dare to disturb the patriarch’s seclusion for an outsider? You have guts. Qu Liushang, are you aware that your master’s surname is Li? As it happens, my surname is also Li, as is the surname of the one who founded the Starry River Palace.”
With a dark expression, Qu Liushang replied, “I believe in Master. He will definitely make a fair judgment.”
After saying that, Qu Liushang didn’t continue arguing with Li Wanci and directly brought Long Chen away.
Li Wanci watched them leave with a cold glint in her eyes. When she waved her hand, a shadowy figure appeared.
“Greetings, Palace Master!”
“This is a significant matter. Are you sure there is no mistake?” demanded Li Wanci.
“The Earth Palace Elder of our Li family personally obtained this information! It is trustworthy!” replied that shadowy figure.
“Good. Pass down my orders. All the disciples from the nine heavens are to be expelled to the desolate mountain! Do not allow them to take a single step beyond.”
“That... that doesn’t seem appropriate—”
“Shut up and do as I say!” ordered Li Wanci.
“Yes!”
The shadow vanished.
A ruthless chill settled over Li Wanci’s eyes.
1. Wan and Ci mean Graceful and Compassionate. Her other name Zi Mo is Violet and Ink (black). ☜