972 Scouting

The fats on the fat priest's face shook a little before he spoke in a soft voice, "Have you forgotten about that Zenith Sword from back then?"

At the mention of the Zenith Sword, the countenance of the man—who was referred to as Tuan Zi—changed, and his entire body started to swell up like a sphere. He seemed to have recalled the Divine Sword that defeated them and caused them to flee in a sorry state 1,000 years ago.

Tuan Zi exhaled and said, "Things are now different from back then. The White Emperor Zenith Sword has been split into three, and there are no longer amazing talents like Adam and the Formidable Divine King. It's the best time chance for us to make our move."

The fat priest shook his head and said calmly, "Things aren't that simple. The situation in this continent is far more complicated than what we thought previously. Adam and the Formidable Divine King are no longer around, but don't forget that 1,000 years ago, the Mage Association didn't actually make a move."

As the fat priest said this, he turned and said coldly, "Tuan Zi, don't be rash. Wait till we've saved Eldest Brother and gotten our hands on the Divine Sun Emperor's treasures.

"If I were to find out that you've complicated things prior to that and negatively affected our great plan...

"Don't blame me for not taking our brotherhood into consideration."

As the fat priest said this, a gust of eerie wind blew straight into Tuan Zi's mind, causing his body to tremble slightly. A hint of hesitation flickered in Tuan Zi's eyes.

"Your Heavenly Secrets Shifting Art has already recovered...?" Tuan Zi's gaze narrowed as he looked at the fat priest's departing figure. A line flashed through his mind.

'Killing intent burst forth from the heavens and the stars' positionings changes.'

'1,000 years have passed. How much of the Heavenly Secrets Shifting Art are you still able to activate?'

In the Empire's palace, Fang Xingjian quietly listened to the Fourth Prince's words before nodding and saying, "It has been tough on you."

The Fourth Prince shook his head and said, "I've only done some minor stuff. The most important thing is... What should we do about the upcoming Divine Treasures Meeting?"

"Just do what you think should be done. I'll head over there personally when the time comes."

The Fourth Prince heaved a sigh of relief after hearing Fang Xingjian say this. In his view, with Fang Xingjian having reached tier six of the Divine level, he would naturally be able to take charge of the situation.

Fang Xingjian continued, "I'll be staying in the palace during this period of time. I explain some martial arts every couple of days. Call everyone back."

Hearing Fang Xingjian's arrangements, the Fourth Prince's eyes gleamed. Fang Xingjian had reached tier six of the Divine level and could be said to be the world's dominator with an extraordinary level of cultivation. For an existence like him to willingly explain martial arts to them, it was naturally something that everyone would be itching to experience.

However, his brows soon knitted together again. "But Lilia and the others are still at the plains. Are we going to send people in to bring them back?"

Fang Xingjian shook his head and said, "I've already given them the ninth level of the mystical prints and endless resources. At this stage, their foundations have already surpassed other people in the world by a lot.

"If they are still trapped in the plains despite this, then it just means that they are useless trash."

As Fang Xingjian spoke, he disappeared from before the Fourth Prince with a flash.

Fang Xingjian returned to his training room. As his finger slid gently across the space before him, there seemed to be streams of black sword marks extending out, filling up the space like cracks.

"What should my Virtual Image be?"

Fang Xingjian thought about it in his mind, 'I wonder who is the person behind the Divine Treasures Meeting. I'll also need to check on the Plenary Foundation Septet's seals as well.' Thinking of this. his body shivered slightly and three black figures darted out from his body. They merged into void space and disappeared without a trace.

After sending out three clones to scout the situation, Fang Xingjian then turned his attention once again onto himself.

Many pitch-black sword marks extended out from his body and into the surrounding space. Each time these sword marks contracted, it would be as if the surrounding space was trembling and emitting an extremely dangerous aura.

'My Virtual Image...'

Many sword techniques and pieces of information about the microscopic world flashed past in Fang Xingjian's mind. The surrounding sword marks also changed together with Fang Xingjian's thoughts turning into many curvy lines.

It was as if each contraction of the space was the occurrence of a strange change.

'My Virtual Image shouldn't just be the powers of my Sword force. I should integrate my Heart Sword Path's various changes.

'Once the fighting starts, I won't be just attacking the enemies from the outside but also killing them from their mental and spiritual perspective.'

As Fang Xingjian pondered, a wave of darkness gradually covered up the entire room. Bit by bit, he sank into the plan for his Virtual Image.

Elsewhere, one of Fang Xingjian's clones crossed the sky. Then in the blink of an eye, the clone appeared above a stretch of desert in the Eastern Sand Region.

There were many Knights and Conferred Knights who had been stationed around the dessert. They guarded over this place, preventing anyone from entering the forbidden grounds.

This was one of the seven forbidden grounds where a member of the Plenary Foundation Septet had been sealed. Upon Fang Xingjian's orders, the place had been blocked off.

However, although many Conferred Knights had led teams there to block off the place, it still did not stop countless people from coming. These people hoped to try their luck and see if they could find the Divine Sun Emperor's treasures.

Over the past half a month, more than several thousand Knights and Conferred Knights had come rushing over. Although most of them had been stopped by the Empire's Knights, a small portion of them had managed to get in.

The reason Fang Xingjian came to this place was to investigate the situation of the Plenary Foundation Septet's seals.

Arriving in the sky above the forbidden ground, he briefly scanned the area with his martial will. He then landed toward a spot in the camp where the Empire's Knights had been stationed.

...

Wang Tiangang was sitting cross-legged inside the biggest tent in the campsite. Several tens of white Qis gushed out from his mouth repeatedly as he breathed, surging toward the longsword that was floating before him.

He was refining his Divine Weapon, using his cultivation to increase the longsword's quality. This was also a technique that had been passed down in the Wang Clan.

One year ago, Wang Tiangang had been a student in the Great Western Region Regional Academy and a level 26 Conferred Knight. However, with the world's metamorphosis, his strength soared up tremendously. He cleared several trials and had now reached the Demigod realm.

Compared to ordinary Knights, he was already considered to be a genius.

Just then, a shadow flashed before his eyes, and Fang Xingjian appeared before him.

Wang Tiangang opened his eyes abruptly and was about to activate the powers in his body when he recognized that the other party was Fang Xingjian.

"Imperial Preceptor," Wang Tiangang uttered, stunned for a moment. Then he rapidly stood up, cupped his hands, and said with a bow, "Does Lord have anything to instruct to be coming here today?"

His attitude was respectful and humble. However, as he looked at Fang Xingjian, he hid a hint of complication in the depths of his gaze which even he himself was unable to explain.

One and a half or close to two years ago, Wang Tiangang was ranked ninth amongst the students in the Great Western Region Regional Academy. Fang Xingjian had just become a Conferred Knight, and to Wang Tiangang, Fang Xingjian had been an insignificant character—just like an ant. He had even instructed Zhou Xingwen to negotiate with Fang Xingjian, wanting to purchase Fang Xingjian's rights to cultivate in the Sacred Land.

Now, Fang Xingjian had become an important character that Wang Tiangang could not even dream of reaching—a goal that he could never catch up to in his entire lifetime.