Chapter 613: Celestial Capital Prefecture

Only Elder Dong, who was also a Soul Refiner, noticed a few things. He explained, "A moment ago, Young Master Ye won the Soul Power duel against Liang Yu. Young Master Ye’s Soul Power injured Liang Yu’s Soul Sea. Although he doesn’t appear to have any external injuries, his damaged Soul Sea prevents him from activating his martial soul or using his Soul Power. He can barely even control his own Profound energy. That’s why he had to leave immediately to repair his Soul Sea. If he doesn’t, not only will it be impossible for his Soul Sea to recover and his cultivation realm will drop permanently, but he might even be in danger of dying."

Everyone finally understood. They all stared at Ye Xuan, dumbfounded.

They were all well aware of Liang Yu’s strength. For Ye Xuan to have actually defeated him in a Soul Power duel... that was just unbelievable.

Only Elder Dong wore a strange expression. He had clearly sensed that Liang Yu’s Soul Power had struck Ye Xuan first, yet Ye Xuan was completely unharmed. That was how Liang Yu ended up getting injured. No matter how he thought about it, Elder Dong couldn’t figure out why.

Upon hearing this, a fierce look crossed Su Xiuyi’s face. He said urgently, "Since Liang Yu is heavily injured, I’ll see if I can catch up to him and kill him. All of you wait here."

As soon as he finished speaking, Su Xiuyi’s figure flickered and vanished.

Ye Xuan didn’t stop him, merely shaking his head. "It’s probably no use. Although Liang Yu’s Soul Sea is damaged, his cultivation base is still intact. Evading our pursuit will be child’s play for him."

He put away the bronze mirror, then immediately sat down cross-legged and began to recuperate.

Just as expected, Su Xiuyi returned a moment later, a look of disappointment on his face.

The group didn’t dare linger in the valley. They set out at once, leaving the area.

「On the other side of the Silver Peak Mountain Range」

A blood-red figure suddenly materialized in the air, spitting blood as he landed in a hidden canyon. It was Liang Yu, who had used a blood escape technique.

"Damn that kid! He actually has a Soul Power-defending Profound Treasure, and it has to be at least Eighth Grade! Otherwise, there’s no way he could have withstood my Soul Power assault. Dammit, which faction is he a disciple of?"

Liang Yu spat out another mouthful of blood. He was a complete mess, his eyes filled with fury.

In this pursuit, of the two of them—he and Wen Yanhui—one was dead and the other heavily injured. It was a complete and utter disaster.

"I need to heal first. I have to tell Yao Jishuang at Gale Light Academy about this immediately. He can then relay the message back to Infinite Mountain and have the sect send even stronger experts."

Liang Yu didn’t dare to be careless. He quickly found a hidden cave and set up numerous countermeasures to prevent Ye Xuan’s group from finding him. Only then did he sit down cross-legged and begin to heal.

What he didn’t know was that he didn’t even need to send word. A Martial Emperor from Infinite Mountain had already descended upon the Dream Realm Plain.

While Liang Yu was terrified, Ye Xuan and his group also didn’t dare to linger in the Silver Peak Mountain Range. Half a day later, the contingent from Gale Light Academy had left the mountains and arrived in a barren forest.

The long flight and arduous journey had left every student utterly exhausted.

It was now the dead of night. Many students had fallen asleep, trying to recover their strength.

But Ge Puzi and the other academy leaders could not rest.

So much had changed in just a few short months. The entire Dream Realm Plain had fallen into crisis, and Gale Light Academy itself had been lost. The weight of it all was crushing.

"There’s no need to grieve," Vice Director Ge said, a look of relief on his face, though his voice was hoarse and weak. "Though the academy has fallen, we’ve preserved the majority of our people. Most importantly, we all survived this catastrophe."

The academy was lost, but as long as their people remained, they had a chance to take it back.

Without anyone needing to suggest it, Su Xiuyi and the others soon gathered to discuss the details.

They discussed how to contact the other six major factions, how to destroy the Profound Mystery Sect, and even how to contact the Profound Domain to stand against Infinite Mountain.

Even though their enemy was Infinite Mountain, faced with the destruction of their home, Ge Puzi and the others showed no fear.

Ye Xuan offered no opinion, merely listening from the side.

Suddenly, his body trembled, and a look of horror flashed in his eyes.

Just a moment ago, he had received a message from Jin Lin: a mysterious Martial Emperor had descended upon the Profound Mystery Sect and killed the Silver Wolf Emperor of Wolf Emperor Hall.

’The Dream Realm Plain is just a remote corner of the continent. Why would a Martial Emperor descend here at a time like this?’

Ye Xuan didn’t even have to think to know who it was. It had to be an expert from Infinite Mountain.

He gave a bitter laugh, interrupting their discussion.

"We can’t take back Gale Light Academy anymore. What we should be thinking about now is how to leave the Dream Realm Plain safely."

Ye Xuan’s words shocked many of them, and they looked displeased. If he hadn’t saved them time and time again, some of the instructors would have likely erupted in anger on the spot.

Only those who knew Ye Xuan well, like Ge Puzi, Jiuchen, and Elder Dong, asked for an explanation, their expressions grave.

The more they interacted with Ye Xuan, the more they realized how formidable he was. They also knew he was meticulous and would never speak without reason.

Ye Xuan naturally couldn’t reveal that a Martial Emperor from Infinite Mountain had already arrived. Instead, he presented it as a possibility. He briefly mentioned the True Dragon Seal and other matters to make them understand Infinite Mountain’s terrifying resolve.

Finally, he concluded, "Therefore, Infinite Mountain will absolutely not allow their plans to fail. If I’m not mistaken, it won’t be long before they dispatch a Martial Emperor to study the True Dragon Seal in our academy’s forbidden ground. If we still cling to the idea of retaking the academy, we’ll be walking right into a trap."

"Furthermore, you all saw Qi Cheng from Ancient Yang City. His status in Infinite Mountain was clearly very high. His death will certainly draw the attention of a Martial Emperor. Not to mention, the Qi Tuo who left a Divine Thought avatar between his brows might come personally to investigate the cause of death."

"I don’t believe this many of us could survive an encounter with a Martial Emperor."

Ye Xuan didn’t know it, but his guess was spot on. The Martial Emperor who had descended from Infinite Mountain was indeed Qi Tuo.

Everyone fell silent. The thought of a Nine Heavens Martial Emperor’s terrifying power made each of them tremble.

They had the courage to face a powerful Martial Sovereign like Liang Yu, but at the thought of a Martial Emperor’s arrival, the color drained from everyone’s faces.

A Nine Heavens Martial Emperor was a peak existence on the continent. Not one had ever appeared in the thousand-year history of the Dream Realm Plain.

Such a figure had only ever existed in legends. If one were to truly arrive, they would have no idea how to even react.

Although they were reluctant to accept it, Ye Xuan’s words were a harsh wake-up call, reminding them of the behemoth they were truly facing.

But if they couldn’t retake the academy, where were they to go?

A glint appeared in Su Xiuyi’s eyes. He said in a low voice, "If no one objects, you could all come to the place I’ve been staying."

All eyes turned to Su Xiuyi.

"I left the academy decades ago to travel the continent. I spent the first twenty years constantly on the move, but for the last twenty years, I’ve been settled. I run a medicine pavilion in the Celestial Capital Prefecture in the eastern part of the continent. If none of you mind, you could come to the Celestial Capital Prefecture. At least I’m familiar with that place."

Ye Xuan murmured, ’Celestial Capital Prefecture?’

"Young Master Ye, you’ve heard of the Celestial Capital Prefecture?" Ge Puzi and the others asked in surprise.

Ye Xuan nodded. "Celestial Capital Prefecture is a top-tier power in the continent’s Eastern Domain. It’s like a massive city-state. Its territory is vast, it’s filled with powerful experts, and it’s a hundred times more prosperous than the Dream Realm Plain. It’s considered a second-tier power on the continent."

The powers on the Celestial Profound Continent are numerous and clearly stratified.

The first-tier powers include factions like the Seven Great Sects, to which Infinite Mountain belongs; reclusive clans like the Xia family of the Eastern Tombs; the Black Dragon Palace of the Endless Sea; and the City of Artifacts in the Sea of Time Sand.

These first-tier powers all have numerous Nine Heavens Martial Emperors in their ranks. Their strength is immense, and their might shakes the continent.

Below them are the second-tier powers, such as Celestial Capital Prefecture. These so-called second-tier powers are still incredibly formidable, with experts as numerous as the clouds. They dominate their respective regions and can be considered the core of the continent’s various domains.

Below the second-tier are the third-tier powers. The entire Dream Realm Plain, if united, could barely be considered a third-tier power—at the very bottom. A single entity like Gale Light Academy or the Profound Mystery Sect would probably be ranked as fourth or even fifth-tier.

As for the Thirteen Nations Alliance, it wouldn’t even make the list.

Beyond that, above the first-tier powers, are the super-tier overlords, such as the Profound Domain Sacred City, the Soul Refiners’ holy land of Divine Capital, and the Alchemists’ holy land, the Pill Tower.

Among these, Divine Capital and the Pill Tower are detached and aloof; few outside the circles of Soul Refiners and Alchemists know of them. The Profound Domain, however, governs the continent and is known to all, thus its reputation is the greatest.

In addition to the powers of the Human Race, there are also factions like the Demon Race and the Sea Race, which are not under human jurisdiction. Their own structures are also incredibly complex.

As a second-tier power, Celestial Capital Prefecture is already considered an Overlord Level existence among the Human Race.

Ye Xuan briefly explained the relationships between the various major powers, then continued, "Celestial Capital Prefecture is located in the continent’s Eastern Domain, which is quite far from Infinite Mountain. If we go there, even with Infinite Mountain’s power and intelligence network, they won’t be able to track us down quickly."

"Furthermore, even if Infinite Mountain discovers we’ve gone to Celestial Capital Prefecture, they wouldn’t dare to interfere so brazenly there. Celestial Capital Prefecture is a second-tier power, not like the Dream Realm Plain."

"And most importantly..."

Ye Xuan said in a solemn tone, "The Eastern Domain, where Celestial Capital Prefecture is located, has a passage to the Profound Domain nearby. From there, we’ll have a much better chance of finding information about Director Huangfu Xiuming."

"Besides, second-tier powers are rich in resources. Your opportunities for breakthroughs will be far greater there than in the Dream Realm Plain."

When Ye Xuan finished his explanation, the entire group was holding their breath.

Even Su Xiuyi was utterly dumbfounded, left speechless.

He was stunned to realize that even though he had lived in Celestial Capital Prefecture for over twenty years, his understanding of the city and the continent’s political landscape couldn’t compare to that of Ye Xuan, a young man who wasn’t even twenty.

"In that case, we’ll go to Celestial Capital Prefecture. We can cultivate there while we search for news of Director Huangfu Xiuming."

Ge Puzi exchanged a look with the others, then announced their decision with firm resolve in his eyes.