The nine sacred lands, now nine divine sects, had always been second to only the six sacred palaces. They were lofty, untouchable, and reigned from up high over all others in the chaos. Even when their title had been stripped from them, they were still far more superior to any other faction.

And now, they were still divine sects!

But no one had fathomed that a prince from the sacred palaces would appear as soon as the nine divine sects reestablished themselves, and that the first item on the agenda would be to take the divine sect title away as well.

No one in the nine divine sects could take this lying down.

……

“If we triumph over you, you’ll return the ‘sacred land’ title to us?” Three disciples stood atop the Inception Spiritrial Arena, regarding Lu Yun with a distinctly hostile look.

The sacred lands had always chafed under sacred palace rule and indeed, the latter had continuously suppressed the sacred lands. Any sovereign that appeared in the sacred lands was summarily whisked away. In the eyes of the nine divine sects, this was the only reason why the sacred palaces were stronger than them.

If their stolen sovereigns were returned to them, then the nine divine sects might not be any weaker than the sacred palaces. Hence, though the divine sects had always bowed their heads to the sacred palaces, they’d never done so wholeheartedly.

“That’s right.” Lu Yun inclined his head. “If anyone from the nine sects, be they eternal overlord or first level mortal realm, can win against me in this arena, I will return your sacred land title to you.”

“And can you make this decision on behalf of the sacred palaces?” The leader of the water origin sect looked at Lu Yun with a frown.

“I am the sacred prince of Inception Palace, I can naturally make this call.”

The sect leaders didn’t respond, instead looking to the six indistinct figures behind Lu Yun. These were the experts of the six palaces, here to observe the proceedings.

The representatives of the Origin, Nirvana, Opposition, and Burgeon Palaces frowned slightly and looked at each other, plainly affronted by this declaration. It’d been Wen Jian of Inception Palace who’d stripped the title from the sacred lands, and now it was the new Inception prince who used the title as the forfeit of a bet.

However, both of them had done so on behalf of all six palaces!

The other five palaces hadn’t had a choice in the matter from beginning to end, an oversight that greatly irked them. Or to be more exact, the other four excluding Creation Palace. Now that they knew the nature of the relationship between their monarch and the Inception monarch, they’d only be courting death if they dared express any objection.

“The Inception prince’s wish is our wish,” a remote voice suddenly sounded from the direction of Nirvana Palace—the Nirvana monarch. “If any of you can triumph over the prince of Inception Palace, then not only will we return your sacred land title, but we will no longer induct your sovereigns into the sacred palaces.”

Sharp gasps abounded in the crowd when they heard the confirmation and the cultivators of the other four palaces quickly forgot their dissatisfaction, not saying another word. It was obvious that the six monarchs were behind this matter.

“Do you mean that?!” Delight bloomed over the faces of the nine divine sects.

“Hmph,” came a cold snort.

Color drained from the nine sect leader’s faces at the display of displeasure. Though they didn’t dare to venture another word, their hearts danced with glee. After countless chaos tribulations, there were endless numbers of half step sovereigns within their factions that had sealed themselves into seclusion upon pain of death. They suppressed their cultivation with every bit of strength so that they wouldn’t break through.

Those that the six sacred palaces had taken away were unable to keep themselves in check any longer. If someone defeated Lu Yun this time, then at least a hundred sovereigns would instantly appear within the nine divine sects!

……

“Please rest for now, junior brothers. Allow me to vie for supremacy with this prince of Inception Palace!” One of the men in the arena brandished a silver spear and called forth watery ripples around him. He was an expert of the water elemental sect.

Since the water elemental land had once been almost completely razed by Inception Palace, they were the first to jump out when Lu Yun came kicking in their doors.

The two looked at each other and departed together.

“Seniors of Inception Palace.” The water elemental sect disciple looked toward Inception Palace with a slight smile. “A first generation sovereign from my sacred land once killed a creator of Inception Palace. We were almost annihilated for it. What might happen today if this junior accidentally kills the sacred prince?

“Ah, I’d forgotten. Sacred palace disciples all have soul lamps, so it’s impossible for them to die.”

This disciple didn’t know about the marvelous uses of the Inception Spiritrial Arena.

“I’d actually forgotten before you brought it up,” Lu Yun sighed. “I haven’t lit a soul lamp and my nascent spirit is inside my body. If I die, I’m truly dead and won’t revive.”

Everyone around him frowned at the implications.

Lu Yun had withdrawn his nascent spirit into this body. Only in this way could he release the immortal dao without reservation into the chaos.

“But, dying in an Inception Spiritrial Arena will not result in true death. We will only undergo an experience of death,” he intoned.

Surreptitious sighs of relief at the further explanation sounded from the disciples of the water elemental sect. Everyone was afraid of dying, especially the longer they lived. Since they couldn’t die within the arena, then there wasn’t much to be concerned about.

That the Inception prince dared stand here and challenge all of the cultivators of the divine sects by himself was at least an indicator of him being an uncommon character, if nothing else.

“However—” Lu Yun looked up and stared at the water elemental disciple dead in the eye, baring his teeth in a mild leer. “Since this junior brother has spoken, then let us determine both superiority and life and death in this battle!

“Your Majesty, please dismiss the limitations of the arena and allow the two of us to fight here in our true selves. Let us fight to the death!”

“It shall be done as you wish.” Leize’s voice sounded while a dense turquoise light flashed through the arena. The water elemental disciple felt his body sink before he appeared, in the flesh, in the Inception Spiritrial Arena.

He’d been overwhelmed by rage earlier and hadn’t paid attention to the changes of his body when he first ran into the arena. The cold grip of fear wrapped around his heart when he registered the obvious change in circumstance.

He’d said all that to attack Lu Yun’s dao heart and find his weakness. To think he’d sent himself down the path of no return instead!

Beneath the arena, those of the nine divine sects also watched with clenched teeth.

“If the prince falls in this battle, that is a result of his own inadequacy. His death will be well deserved and I will not take revenge upon anyone,” came Leize’s voice again.

“DIE!!” Caught in a bind, the water elemental disciple didn’t even offer his name before charging Lu Yun. A hundred million water ripples swirled around him as he moved, growing and decaying like worlds unto their own.

He was fully manifesting the power of water.

Lu Yun gravely regarded his opponent. He’d sealed away every part of his past self and was battling with only the experience and combat arts of this life. If he wanted to fully release himself, then his past self was too strong for the task. Even an ultimate genius of Inception Palace could barely take one blow from his past self, much less someone of the nine divine sects.

Whoosh!

An ethereal sword shadow appeared in his hand and he struck out when his opponent was close at hand.

Dragonrise.