Nomination

　　“Huhe has always been very arrogant. Let’s see if you can still act arrogantly before the God of Heaven!” Recently, the Second Saintess, the Superintendent of the Red Fiery Division, and the others had been forced to obey due to the pressure exerted by Teng Qingshan. Because of Teng Qingshan, they had no audacity to harbor any ill intentions. Now, the God of Heaven had arrived. Naturally, they were excited.

　　This was the God of Heaven of their Heavenly God Palace, and even Huhe had no choice but to bow and salute respectfully.

　　“Oh, greetings to the God of Heaven.” Teng Qingshan smiled as he cupped his hands.

　　“Oh? He just cupped his hands?”

　　The Second Saintess, the three Elders, and the others were astounded by the scene. “Huhe is too ostentatious! Does he think that he himself is an Emptiness Realm Expert?” they thought to themselves.

　　“This God of Heaven is a cautious person,” Teng Qingshan commented as he noticed that the white-browed man sealed off several Zhang of the surrounding area upon his arrival. Sounds were transmitted through the vibrations. Once the area was secured, the people outside the area could see the happenings in the secured area, but no one could hear the conversation between the God of Heaven, Teng Qingshan, Li Jun, and the others.

　　“Foreign Dignitary Huhe?”

　　Dressed in black robes, the white-browed man raised his eyebrows. He observed Teng Qingshan for a while and a smile crept onto his face. He cupped his hands in the same manner and grinned as he praised, “As expected of the phenom who was highly praised by that old monk! The phenom that defeated Borileimu! It has only been three years and you have already attained Emptiness Realm. Congratulations, Foreign Dignitary Huhe!”

　　“I am still no match against you,” Teng Qingshan said with a smile.

　　“Foreign Dignitary, you are very humble.” The white-browed man grinned and spoke like an old friend, behaving in a very courteous manner.

　　The Second Saintess, the Superintendents of the Red Fiery Division, and the Azure Dragon Division froze. They were stunned as they watched Teng Qingshan and the God of Heaven converse. Even fools could tell that Teng Qingshan and the black-robed, white-browed God of Heaven were speaking on equal terms. Moreover, the God of Heaven even congratulated Teng Qingshan.

　　“Emptiness Realm?” The Second Saintess’s eyes widened.

　　“Congratulating him for reaching Emptiness Realm?” The three Elders were stupefied.

　　“Huhe is an Emptiness Realm Expert like the God of Heaven?”

　　Suddenly, the Second Saintess, the three Elders, and the Superintendent of the Red Fiery Division felt that they had been presumptuous and ignorant, jumping and skipping in front of Teng Qingshan like monkeys during the past month.

　　He is an Emptiness Realm Expert!

　　In the entire Land of the Nine Prefectures, Emptiness Realm Experts were preeminent existences! For example, only one Emptiness Realm Expert existed amongst Xiao Yao Palace and that was the Sovereign of Xiao Yao Palace.

　　“Lord Huhe.”

　　“Lord Huhe.”

　　The Second Saintess and the others hastily bowed. All of them appeared remorseful and regretful as they apologized, “Lord, please forgive our disrespect.” When the Second Saintess and the others recalled that they had wanted to plot against the wife of an Emptiness Realm Expert, their hearts shuddered.

　　TLN: HAHHAHAHHAHAHHAHAH I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR U ALL TO BOWW HAHAHHAH

　　“Brother Huhe.” The white-browed man in black robes scanned the others and observed with a smile, “It seems like you have been hiding your strength… Since you have attained Emptiness Realm, you should have given them a slight warning. That way, they wouldn’t have dared to harbor any insolent thoughts.” The white-browed man’s words showed that he looked down on innate experts.

　　The fact that he looked down on innate experts wasn’t at all strange. Although the Golden Dan of the Innate Realm was only one step away from the Emptiness Realm, this one step was equivalent to the distance between the heavens and earth!

　　When one attained Emptiness Realm, one could control the Power of the Heavens and Earth. One’s lifespan would also increase, reaching a maximum age of 500 years old!

　　Emptiness Realm Experts were the influential people who could change the future of the Land of the Nine Prefectures.

　　“When it’s time for them to know, they will naturally know,” Teng Qingshan said with a smile. “There’s no need to show my strength just for them.”

　　“True.” The white-browed man nodded as the corner of his mouth quirked up.

　　“Brother Huhe, what do you think about working together and seizing the Nine Ringed Mountain?” the white-browed man invited.

　　Teng Qingshan grinned and cupped his hands as he replied, “I shall accept your offer gladly!”

　　The two Emptiness Realm Experts stared at each other and grinned.

　　Whoosh! Whoosh!

　　A streak of swordlight and a streak of fiery-red light shone simultaneously. Teng Qingshan and the white-browed man disappeared from the front line of the army.

　　“So fast!”

　　The Second Saintess and the others were astonished as they stared into the distance. Just the speed of the Emptiness Realm Experts was enough to make them envious.

　　“As expected of the Emptiness Realm Experts,” the Second Saintess Murong Yan couldn’t help but praise. Simultaneously, she glanced at Li Jun, who appeared to be very proud, and thought to herself, “Junior Martial Sister is very fortunate. It’s no wonder she married Huhe. If an Emptiness Realm Expert was willing to marry me, I would accept the proposal without any hesitation. It’s an Emptiness Realm Expert….”

　　“Commander, congratulations.”

　　“We never expected that Lord Huhe was an Emptiness Realm Expert.”

　　At this moment, the Superintendents of the Red Fiery Division and the Azure Dragon Division, as well as the three Elders, treated Li Jun with a completely different attitude.

　　When Li Jun saw this change, her face naturally showed her elation. She thought to herself, “When the Second Senior Martial Sister and the others were not aware that Qingshan was an Emptiness Realm Expert, they still harbored ill intentions. However, it is… completely different now.” Only a fool would wish to offend an Emptiness Realm Expert.

　　After a while.

　　“Lord!”

　　“Kill!”

　　“Who, who!”

　　Furious roars resounded in the Nine Ringed Mountain.

　　“There are thirty thousand soldiers and the three Innate Experts in the Nine Ringed Mountain.” An indifferent voice rang out throughout the Nine Ringed Mountain. “Now, the three Innate Experts have been killed. Killing all of you is as easy as cutting grass. I will give you all ten seconds. If you all choose to fight back, then I will kill the leaders of the twelve battalions!”

　　“Xiao Yao Palace has already been destroyed. Why are you all still so stubborn? The ones who choose to surrender, put your weapons down! The ones who choose to resist, keep wielding your weapons!”

　　“Whether you live or die is up to you!”

　　The voice continued resounding in the Nine Ringed Mountain.

　　Teng Qingshan stood amongst the jumbled piles of rocks on the mountaintop. He stared at the white-browed man dressed in black robes who hovered in the sky ahead. The entire person of the black-robed man shone with an intense black swordlight. The intense black glow covering the sky enveloped the white-browed man like an enormous black storm cloud.

　　Teng Qingshan pricked his ears up and he immediately heard the conversation several Li away.

　　“Let us choose our fate? Hilarious.”

　　“All of us, over ten thousand men, are scattered all over the Nine Ringed Mountain. Kill us? Hmph… Even if we die… even if we lose our heads, it’s just a wound as big as a bowl. What’s there to be afraid of!”

　　Teng Qingshan smiled as he thought to himself, “Eh? There are actually troops who dare to resist?”

　　Suddenly—

　　“Boom!”

　　A terrifying black beam of light in the form of a keen sword shot into the distance from midair. The beam of swordlight instantly flew a distance of several Li and pierced a huge hole in the body of a battalion’s leader, the one who was crowing earlier. The beam of swordlight even pierced through the bodies of the soldiers who stood behind the leader, instantly killing nine people before dissipating.

　　The big group of soldiers froze. Stupefied, all of them stared at their dead leader and the others.

　　“One of the twelve leaders of the twelve battalions has died! Those who have no fear of death may continue…” The cold voice resonated through the atmosphere again. “You all still have three seconds!”

　　The soldiers of the twelve battalions were scared to death!

　　Even though the beam of swordlight was several Li away, even though it flew for such a long time, it was still able to kill the enemies!

　　The morale of the troops instantly broke.

　　“The difference in strength is too great.” Teng Qingshan shook his head and sighed. He could hear the discussions of the twelve battalions. In actuality, when the three Innate Experts were suddenly killed, the morale of those troops had already plummeted to the lowest point.

　　Even if the men of Xiao Yao Palace wanted to kill someone, they couldn’t kill anyone.

　　However, the other party could easily take their lives.

　　“Tink!” “Clang!”

　　Teng Qingshan heard the sounds of weapons dropping onto the ground.

　　“A battalion surrendered,” Teng Qingshan shook his head as he commented.

　　“One of the twelve battalions has surrendered. Now the leader of this battalion will be the Lord of a city,” the white-browed man announced in an indifferent tone.

　　When the first battalion surrendered and when the leader of that battalion was granted the title of City Lord, it immediately resulted in a few originally hesitant battalion leaders issuing the surrender order. As a result, the number of surrendered troops increased rapidly.

　　……

　　Before an Emptiness Realm Expert, even the most powerful army would have to yield. The only exception was if that army had an Emptiness Realm Expert amongst them as well! During a fierce battle, Emptiness Realm Experts could kill over a hundred generals, leading to the collapse of the entire army. The fact that the white-browed man had just threatened them was already considered a merciful act.

　　Under the command of the Emptiness Realm Experts, the army easily seized the precarious Nine Ringed Mountain.

　　The three areas that Xiao Yao Palace guarded forcefully were easily taken by the great army of the Heavenly God Palace. This was because two of the three different armies that attacked from different routes had Emptiness Realm Experts. The only army not aided by Emptiness Realm Experts had the most Golden Dan Innate Experts!

　　After breaking the defense of the three areas, the great army of the Heavenly God Palace marched with irresistible force!

　　Wherever they passed, cities opened their gates and surrendered!

　　The base of Xiao Yao Palace had been destroyed and the higher-ups of Xiao Yao Palace had fled. So how could Xiao Yao Palace force the soldiers of those county cities to throw their lives away? Actually, when the main gate of the palace was destroyed, those troops lost their belief in fighting for Xiao Yao Palace.

　　……

　　Within just two months, Qingzhou, the prefecture with the most population, had a new master.

　　3rd of December.

　　The Heavenly God Palace announced to the entire world that the eighteen counties of Qingzhou were now all governed by the Heavenly God Palace. On the 1st of December, Wan Xiang Sect issued a book recording the entire process of the Heavenly God Palace and Xiao Yao Palace’s battle for Qingzhou. Simultaneously, the book also recorded the new list of the eight Supreme Sects!

　　Mani Temple, Emperor Yu’s Hall, Ying Family, Hong Tian City, Snow Hawk Hall, Heavenly God Palace, Qing Hu Island, and Shooting Sun God Mountain!

　　TLN: The rank is according to the sequence~

　　From today onward, Xiao Yao Palace, the thousand-year-old sect, was no longer one of the eight Supreme Sects!

　　The Heavenly God Palace had become one of the eight Supreme Sects!

　　In a pavilion constructed near the North Sea in Qingzhou.

　　Relaxing, Pei San sat on a bamboo chair, enjoying the sea breeze as he read his book. By his side, Meng Dujuan was peeling an apple, while the guardian Tie Ta stood on the other side with ramrod straight posture.

　　“Teacher!”

　　“Teacher!”

　　“Father!”

　　The High Priestess of the Snowy Lotus Cult, the white-browed man in black robes, and the King of Beasts ‘Wu Hou,’ who appeared similar to a savage, walked over.

　　“You guys are here,” Pei San said as the corner of his mouth quirked up. He turned and glanced at the white-browed man in black robes and asked, “Where is Huhe?”

　　“I invited Huhe here as per your order…. However, Foreign Dignitary Huhe told me that he has an errand to run. He will definitely visit Teacher when he has time in the future,” the white-browed man cupped his hand and answered. “Also, Teacher, this disciple invited him to join the Heavenly God Palace and told him that he will be given the position of the God of Heaven. Still, he refused!”

　　The High Priestess of the Snowy Lotus Cult harrumphed and said, “Father, this Huhe is too arrogant. He even refused to be a God of Heaven. Perhaps he wishes for us to beg him to be one? Hmph!”

　　“Hehe.” Pei San smiled and said, “Little Lian, didn’t you say that your disciple ‘Li Jun’ is already an innate expert?”

　　“Innate expert?” Upon hearing these words, the King of Beasts Wu Hou was greatly astonished. “Little Jun has attained Innate Realm? Sh-she will turn eighteen next year, right?”

　　The High Priestess showed a pleased and proud expression.

　　“How’s this?” Pei San ordered, “From now on, the other two Saintesses of the Snowy Lotus Cult will be promoted to the rank of Elder. Li Jun will be the only Saintess of the Snowy Lotus Cult. Little Lian, you are too lazy to manage this Snowy Lotus Cult…. So let Li Jun be in charge of the Snowy Lotus Cult for the time being.”

　　The several people here were shocked.

　　Promoting the other two Saintesses to Elders? Although it’s said to be a ‘promotion,’ but this promotion actually stripped the other two Saintesses’ rights to become the High Priestess.

　　Which meant that Li Jun would definitely become the future High Priestess of the Snowy Lotus Cult.

　　“Yes, Father,” the High Priestess responded happily.

　　“Huhe…” Pei San muttered to himself. His lips curved into a smile.