Chapter 269: Decline

The Void World was the place where the spirits of the gods resided. Zhong Yue have seen it once during the Ancestral Dragon Ritual of the Eastern Sea dragon race. It was a boundless dimensional space filled with nothingness. It was devoid of suns, moons, and stars, the only thing there were divine spirits that floated aimlessly throughout the dreary space as if they the stars themselves.

The Ancestral Dragon's spirit was also there; Zhong Yue was fortunate enough to be able to catch a glimpse of the Void World right at that instant before the power of worship dispersed away — it was a desolate and dreary world, a sight he could never forget.

While in this Fiery Capital, there was also a place called the Lesser Void World, a place he couldn't help but be curious about.

"I wonder what kind of place this Lesser Void World is."

Qiu Jin'er didn't know much about it either; she had only heard from her fellow tribesmen that it was a dueling arena for the Zhong Li Celestial Race, but she knew nothing other than that.

The duo wandered by themselves around the Fiery Capital.Along the way, they took time to gain insights from the Kui Long's cowhide, study the totem patterns engraved on it and comprehend the abstrusities of the Immortal Body — they acquired many ideas and absorbed a substantial amount of life force and energy stored into their secret realms.

Also, Zhong Yue found out a little hobby of the young girl; Qiu Jin'er had carved a space in one of her secret realms and filled it with the local delicacies in the Fiery Capital - the whole Wan Xiang Secret Realm was an emporium of exquisite treats.

Not only did the Fiery Capital showcase the local delicacies of the South Barren, but there were also delicious foods from the West Barren, seafood from the dragon race. It had cold treats from the North Barren, and if one preferred a stronger taste, there was also spicy food from the demon race — all of these different cuisines from different cultures had made Qiu Jin'er's bubble up in delight.

The young girl bought countless amounts of food, yet she ensured to maintain her image of a proper lady as she only furtively ate her food bit by bit. Suddenly, she saw Zhong Yue glancing at her, and her face blushed red in shame. She made a gesture to indicate that she was already full to show that she was not a big eater and that her appetite was befitting of an elegant lady.

After a few moments, Zhong Yue saw her taking out more food to eat again.

"I don't usually eat so much...."

Zhong Yue was concerned as he saw her continue eating. He couldn't help but ask, and the young girl lowered her head as she answered while she fiddled with the cuffs of her sleeves. "This is because I've never left home before; I've never tried the cuisines of the other cultures, and I can't contain myself when I smelt the fragrance of the food ... Senior martial brother, you can try, it's really nice...."

Zhong Yue glanced around and paid attention to the local culture and customs of the South Barren, he sighed and lamented — the South Barren was more progressive than the West, East Barren, and the Eastern Sea; Qi Practitioners from different races gathered here and brought this land to life.

The humans are weak, which is why we can only stay in the Great Wilderness and we step out at all.

A thriving commercial industry had to lie atop a foundation of strength; without sufficient power, trading and commerce could never become a reality as the accumulated wealth would always be under the threat of theft and plunder from external belligerent forces! This was why the most prolific economies were concomitant with the most powerful military forces.

Without sufficient strength, the most blossoming city would only be like a fragile bubble of water, able to be burst into nothingness by even the gentlest touch.

The South Barren was only to thrive like not because of its strategically advantageous geography and position, but because of the strength of the Zhong Li Celestial Race. The Zhong Li Celestial Race of the South Barren was a behemoth that acted as the greatest deterrence to other forces that may want to invade its territory!

A strong power base and an open attitude, these were the reasons why the South Barren could prosper to this extent.

The power of humanity in the Great Wilderness was only sufficient to protect themselves, let alone establish a booming commercial center like the Fiery Capital. Even if they could build one, they didn't have the ability to protect it.

Moreover, for such congested commercial city with heavy traffic of merchants and Qi Practitioners from different races and forces, Zhong Yue and Qiu Jin'er were surprised to notice the lack of conflicts occurring in the Fiery Capital.

One had to know that in the East Barren, there would be countless duels staged in the cities; the monsters would fight with one another at any time for anything, battles were one of the most popular forms of entertainment in their otherwise mundane lives. The Fiery Capital, as the nexus point that saw a congregation of countless Qi Practitioners and a complex political landscape with myriad forces participating in it ... How could such a calm and peaceful atmosphere be maintained?

Could this also be related to the Lesser Void World?, Zhong Yue grew more interested in the Lesser Void World.

We are new here; it's quite difficult for us to gather some useful intelligence about the Lesser Void World.

Just as he was thinking about it, an old man walked out from a majestically built edifice at the side of the street. He smiled and asked, "My great master instructed the humble one to come out and ask the two masters a question, are you Master Zhong Yue?"

Zhong Yue replied in puzzlement, "I am, and your master is?"

"My great master, Master Ao Fenglou of the Eastern Sea."

The old man smiled from ear to ear, he raised his hand and said, "This way please, my master has requested Master Zhong to have tea together."

Zhong Yue was surprised. He lifted his head to cast his gaze over only to be met with a majestically built edifice; it was engraved with the dragon totem patterns that surrounded the whole building like a dragon. The dragon's front claws pressed on the top of the building and it looked like as if it was preparing to soar into the high heavens, it was utterly fantastical view; there was a plaque above the massive door with the words 'Dragon Palace Pavilion' written on it.

Ao Fenglou's property! What a wealthy clan this Ao Clan is!

Zhong Yue thought in his heart. He then walked into the Dragon Palace Pavilion along with Qiu Jin'er; Ao Fenglou and a few other Ao Clan's young talents stepped down from the stairs to greet and welcome their guests. They smiled and said, "A lone man with a lone sword that had fought his way out from the West Barren back to the Great Wilderness, an undefeatable legend in the Awakening realm — the one of the Zhong Shan Clan! Junior Martial Brother Zhong, you and I meet again!"

Zhong Yue and Qiu Jin'er returned the formality, Zhong Yue then smiled in reply, "Ao Fenglou of the Eastern Sea, seeing once is better than hearing a hundred times, what a marvelous man, indeed worthy as a provincial governor of the Eastern Sea."

The two of them exchanged looks and laughed out loud together.

The Ao Clan disciples greeted them, and among them, a dragon girl winked her pretty eyes as she stared at Zhong Yue. She then burst into laughter and said, "Isn't the famous Zhong Shan Clan member who had the title of "Sword To The West" an eighty feet tall, eighty feet wide giant with eight heads, eight legs, and eight hands? So the rumor is a fake, the real Zhong Shan Clan member is a handsome young man!"

Sword To The West?

Qiu Jin'er was shocked, she thought in her heart, Senior martial brother's name is so famous that even the dragons know about him?!

Zhong Yue blushed a little in shame; he didn't realize that the rumor was still making the rounds.

Ao Fenglou raised his hand and gestured to invite them to a private room upstairs, and they sat down accordingly. Musicians were playing ancient musical instruments to concoct beautiful melodies; some female dancers showcased their lithe bodies as they were dancing gracefully in the middle; a female vocalist sang with a sweet voice, and some maidservants served them from the side. They had never enjoyed such luxurious treatment before.

Ao Fenglou smiled and said, "I hear that Junior Martial Brother Zhong has just come out from closed-door training and has broken through to the Atman Body level? Congratulations on that. But your Swords Gate doesn't look peaceful as of late; One of the five innate spirit bodies, Lei Hong, has betrayed humanity and died a tragic death. After which, Swords Gate is now in another round of trials and tribulations, and the old Sword God is running out of time. Junior Martial Brother Zhong, do you need help? The dragon race is more than happy to be your ally and settle the pests in Swords Gate for you. We can even push you to be the new headmaster!"

Zhong Yue's heart stiffened up, but he maintained his placid expression and smiled in reply, "I thank Brother Fenglou for the offer, but the matters of Swords Gate will best be handled by the humans. After all, this is our affair; there is no need to trouble the dragon race."

Ao Fenglou laughed out loud, "The humans' Swords Gate, might not be able to make it over this calamity."

He clapped his hands, everyone else including the Ao Clan disciples all left; Zhong Yue turned his head and looked at Qiu Jin'er, she immediately understood his meaning and walked out of the private room along with the others, waiting patiently for him on the outside.

Ao Fenglou then said insouciantly, "Someone in your Swords Gate has invited the dragon race to launch an attack at Swords Gate once the old Sword God dies; they have invited us to join them in attacking the Seal Suppression Hall and release one of our senior dragon sealed in it. I have to say that this invitation had piqued the interest of quite a number of elders in the dragon race, they deemed it as a golden opportunity. But that said senior dragon was sealed away six thousand years ago. He would be dead a long time ago. So, it's apparent that saving the senior dragon was just an excuse, the true intentions of the elders in the dragon race. We know it very well ourselves, don't we?"

Zhong Yue nodded, "Eliminate Swords Gate, devour Great Wilderness."

Ao Fenglou smiled and said, "They can't be blamed for being tempted, this is indeed a golden opportunity. As far as I know, the Martial Heavenly Master of the Xia family from the South Barren has been persuaded. He will galvanize into action once the old Sword God dies. The demon race also has their eyes on Swords Gate, and along with the West Barren, your Swords Gate is now like a fish swimming in a cooking pot, an imminent peril is approaching."

Zhong Yue nodded again.

Ao Fenglou was still with his gentle smile as if he was the king that had everything under control, he said, "Then why do you decline my offer to help? With the dragon race's help, the Swords Gate will be saved, and you can be the next headmaster, sitting on the throne and hold an incredible power in your hands!"

Zhong Yue smiled and said, "Brother Fenglou, you and I know each other well enough, I'll skip the courtesies and be blunt. If I ever give the dragon race a chance to intervene in the internal affairs of the human race, you will never leave as easily as you come. Even if you've pushed me to be the next headmaster, the humans will not be convinced, and the fact that I'll never be able to control the power in my hands will be because it will be you, the dragon race, that will be making the decisions. I'm nothing but a puppet with the dragon race holding the strings."

Ao Fenglou's eyes flashed as he continued with his persuasion, "This is still better than the Swords Gate's destruction no? The dragon race has no ill intent toward the human race. You humans in the Great Wilderness will live as you do now, and I promise you, the dragon race will never treat you like the other races."

Zhong Yue drank a cup of wine, and he answered indifferently, "Brother Fenglou shouldn't overthink it. The Swords Gate will surely overcome this calamity. If the dragon race decides to stand on the opposite side, you will end up with nothing but losses. If you are willing to listen to my advice, then the dragon race should just stand aside and watch.To do so otherwise, you might get one of your hands cut off."

"Cut off?"

Ao Fenglou squinted his eyes, he gazed at Zhong Yue carefully and pondered for a few moments before saying, "I trust you, but the dragon elders wouldn't, they will not listen to you nor me, and the dragon race will surely intervene. This is not something I can decide on alone."

Zhong Yue sighed and said, "Then, they will have to lose some hands, my only wish is that they wouldn't have to pay too great a price. The wild ambitions in their hearts are too consuming. Not even the Swords Gate can fill their hunger for power. Actually, Brother Fenglou need not intervene too much. I'll still uphold my promise and give away forty-percent of my territory to you. It is sufficient for the dragon race to establish a base on the land if you've managed it properly."

Ao Fenglou was shocked at his words, and he felt a cold chill seeping traveling down his spine.

Zhong Yue laughed and said, "Brother Fenglou, what a rare occasion where we can meet by chance. We shouldn't talk about such disheartening matters. I've just arrived at the South Barren and know only a little about it. There are many things I'd like to ask Brother Fenglou. First of all, exactly what is this Lesser Void World?"

Ao Fenglou was still contemplating at the deeper meanings behind Zhong Yue's words when he heard the question. He promptly answered, "The Lesser Void World? It was created by Lord Xia of the Xia family. It is a counterfeit of the Void World. No matter what races you are from, you can enter it to train and to battle; as this isn't the real Void World, so it's called the Lesser Void World."

He then explained it in detail; the Void World belonged to the gods, it was the place where the spirits of the gods resided to enjoy the worshippings and remain undying. The Lesser Void World was a counterfeit of the Void World, and it had a similar function - to experience the worshippings and remain undying.

The Qi Practitioners can challenge the experts in the Lesser Void World, they wouldn't die even if they were slain dead, they wouldn't have to worry much, and it was incredibly marvelous.

"There is the Lang Ya Board in the Lesser Void World, write down your name with your soul energy on the Lang Ya Board and your life will be secured."

Ao Fenglou smiled and said, "That Lord Xia had forged the Lesser Void World, it was incredibly impressive, he is an existence at the same level as the dragon race's Ancestral Dragon! Junior Martial Brother Zhong, are you also planning to enter the Lesser Void World?"