Chapter 544 554: Reinforcements from Celestial Thunder Hall

Ling Wei slowly closed her eyes, basking in the warm, intoxicating light in a long moment of silence.

"You'll come back someday, won't you?" Ling Wei asked casually, her lips parting.

"I will."

Wen Qingye replied with a nod.

Hearing Wen Qingye's reply, Ling Wei's eyelashes fluttered. She then opened her eyes, a captivating smile on her lips, as if she had been waiting all this time just for those two words.

The sunlight only warmed her body, but his words warmed her heart.

"I'll wait for you and Xiaoyun to return. I have to go handle some state affairs now, so you should go talk with your mother."

With that, Ling Wei walked off into the distance, a cheerful spring in her step.

In truth, what she wanted wasn't much at all. It was quite simple.

.....

That evening, Liu Clan kept Wen Qingye up late chatting. During their conversation, Zhang Hua, Gao Ming, Wang Tianming, Nie Qinglan, and the others stopped by. After exchanging a few brief words with Wen Qingye, they all departed.

Even though the members of the Heaven-Burying Sect had all departed, no one in the Imperial City of the Celestial Martial Country could relax. They knew the sect could attack again at any moment in the coming days. However, not everyone thought that way.

「Zhengxuan Hall, the Imperial City of the Celestial Martial Country.」

Wen Qingye and representatives from the Flowing Cloud Sect, the Three Realms Sect, and others were seated beside low tables.

Gao Changtian's gaze swept over the assembly. "Hahaha," he laughed. "I have a feeling the Heaven-Burying Sect has already retreated. We can all relax. There's no need to be so on edge."

Xia Qianhe shook his head. "Not necessarily, Elder Gao. You mustn't underestimate the cunning and cruelty of the Heaven-Burying Sect's Ouyang. Until the Upper Sect arrives, it's best that we don't let our guard down."

Bai Xu's brow furrowed as he nodded in agreement. "Master Xia is right. That Zhou Kongkong is a deep schemer and his methods are meticulous. He came here to put the Upper Sect in its place. Now that he's failed, he certainly won't leave so easily. I suspect he's waiting for reinforcements."

Wen Qingye, who had been silent all this time, spoke up slowly. "They are indeed waiting for help. They're waiting for Ouyang. And he's already here."

Zhang Zihou said in surprise, "Oh? Ouyang is here? Doesn't he always guard the Heaven-Burying Sect's main headquarters? I can't believe even he has been mobilized this time. How do you know this, Young Hero Wen? Is this information reliable?"

The others looked at Wen Qingye, puzzled. 'How did he obtain this information?'

"It's absolutely true. This time," Wen Qingye slowly rose to his feet, his gaze sweeping over everyone present as he spoke with a grave expression, "it's a meticulously orchestrated plot by the Heaven-Burying Sect. It concerns the division of power in the entire northwestern region of the Eastern Profound Domain. It seems we must be exceptionally careful."

Bai Xu looked at Wen Qingye, his own voice growing tense. "Young Hero Wen, is what you're saying true?"

After all, the northwestern part of the Eastern Profound Domain was home to dozens of sects, many of which were no weaker than the Flowing Cloud Sect or the Three Realms Sect.

This wasn't the first time the Heaven-Burying Sect had brought slaughter to a remote, small country; it was just that the scale of their operation was larger this time. 'But could the impact really be this great? A situation that could reshape the balance of power among dozens of sects in the entire northwestern Eastern Profound Domain?'

Xia Qianhe also looked at Wen Qingye with skepticism. "Indeed. The northwestern frontier also has Guanlan Manor, the Celestial Thunder Hall, the Mountain River Sect, the Inference Void Sect, Siyun Mansion... and several other sects. A few of them are nearly on par with my Three Realms Sect."

"In any case, this situation is far from simple," Wen Qingye said, taking a deep breath. "All of you, be prepared."

The group fell silent for a moment after hearing Wen Qingye's words. Chen Baili of the Three Realms Sect was just about to ask a question when a guard entered from outside.

"Reporting, my lords! A group of powerful experts has arrived outside the city. Their cultivation levels are unfathomably high, and they are all dressed in purple. They claim to be from the Celestial Thunder Hall. Her Majesty the Emperor sent me to ask for your instructions and to request that you go confirm their identities before deciding whether to grant them entry."

Hearing the guard's report, Bai Xu's face lit up. "Excellent! Elder Wuu is here! We should go out and greet him. If we're late, that old rascal will probably be cursing up a storm out there."

Xia Qianhe chuckled. "Brother Wuu has arrived. We'd better hurry. I know that temper of his all too well."

With that, the group headed out of the hall.

「Outside the Imperial City of the Celestial Martial Country.」

A group of people clad in purple floated in the air. At their head was an old man with a full mane of purple hair, a clear air of impatience about him.

The old man's eyes, sharp as swords, swept over Ling Wei as he bellowed, "Little Emperor, are you going to let me in or not?"

Ling Wei faced the old man and replied in a measured tone, "Your identity has yet to be confirmed. For now, I cannot let you in."

The purple-haired elder sneered. "Hah! Do you have any idea how easy it would be for me to destroy your little country? It would take but a wave of my hand. Why would I need to trick you?"

Hearing the purple-haired elder's words, Ling Wei's eyes narrowed. She took a deep breath and her fists clenched. Suddenly, a hand took hold of her Jade Pendant.

She turned to see Wen Qingye.

Bai Xu flew directly into the sky, laughing loudly. "Elder Wuu! I trust you've been well?"

This purple-haired elder was none other than the Hall Master of the Celestial Thunder Hall, Wuu Lie.

Wuu Lie snorted and said irritably, "I rushed all the way here because you said we were going to wipe out the Heaven-Burying Sect. Who would've thought I wouldn't even be allowed through the gates of this tiny country? I came all this way just to be treated like this!"

Xia Qianhe shook his head. "Brother Wuu, you are the leader of a great sect, a famous expert in the Eastern Profound Domain. This is a critical time. Why get hung up on such trivial matters and create friction between us all?"

Chen Baili chimed in from the side, "Exactly! Who in the Eastern Profound Domain hasn't heard of the great Master Wuu?"

"Alright, alright, stop buttering me up," Wuu Lie said, his mood clearly improving at Xia Qianhe's words. He couldn't help but smile and wave his hand dismissively before turning to Ling Wei. "So, Little Emperor, can I come in now?"

Ling Wei nodded and said simply, "You may enter, Elder."

Wuu Lie nodded, then his gaze fell on Wen Qingye beside Ling Wei. His expression grew serious. "You must be Wen Qingye of the Celestial Profound Sect?"

"That's right. I am Wen Qingye," he confirmed with a nod.

Wuu Lie's attitude toward Wen Qingye was clearly much better than it had been toward Ling Wei. Who was Wen Qingye, after all? His status as an Emperor-grade High-level Alchemist alone was enough to make him an equal to Wuu Lie.

Wen Qingye smiled. "Elder Wuu, you came here to deal with the Heaven-Burying Sect as well. Since that's the case, we're on the same side. As for the matter of the sect, why don't we go inside and discuss it in detail—"

Suddenly, Wen Qingye stopped mid-sentence, his smile vanishing. It wasn't just him; Xia Qianhe, Bai Xu, Wuu Lie, and the elders of the three sects all turned to look into the distance.