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The Spiritual Conference of Huanghai

The words of Prince Xian of the Left of the Northern Tribes cut deeply.

From Lin Feng's perspective, a gloom appeared to have enveloped Cao Wei. After hearing these words, he was 80% sure that Cao Wei was almost going to fight with Prince Xian.

The Vivant Joy Holy Man's face too was guarded. Regardless, a battle between two Immortal Soul stage cultivators would reduce Yuzhou City into rubbles.

Who knew that while Cao Wei's expression was dark, he did appear too angry. He only said, coldly, "For such a small matter with the Northern Tribes, there's no need to alert my seniors."

In that moment, a voice came from the void into everyone's ears, "Gambling? How could you not count me in?"

Upon hearing that voice, the Vivant Joy Holy Man smiled bitterly and said, "Don't add fuel to the fire."

The Blue Pavilion Holy Man smiled too and turned his head to Lin Feng, saying, "I bet that he hasn't changed."

Lin Feng smiled in spite of himself. He did not need the Blue Pavilion Holy Man's introduction as he could guess from the content of the speaker's speech who he was.

He was the Great Qin Empire's Special Imperial Envoy, the Nascent Soul stage cultivator Zhuge Guang. Normally, people referred to him as the Gambling Holy Man, whereas he referred to himself as the Two Heavens Holy Man.

He treated gambling as an integral part of his life. He could bet with anything and on anything. From gambling, he understood the Tao. He understood the desires of Man and he incorporated that into his spells.

This person could be counted as one of the oddities of the Great Celestial World whose name would enter the annals of history.

Ordinary people gambled using money and property. Some people gambled using their wives and children after losing everything else. Regardless of what they gambled with, no one could beat Mr Zhuge Guang.

Because once, this old man had lost an Immortal Soul stage magic treasure in one of his gambling escapades.

It was definitely unprecedented and with likely no subsequent emulators.

While his appearance may be slightly inopportune, it helped to resolve the previously tense atmosphere. The Vivant Joy Holy Man took this chance to mediate and calmed both Prince Xian of the Left and Cao Wei down.

"Everyone, the Huanghai Spiritual Conference is about to start. Please follow me to the Sea of the Northern Wind."

The Vivant Joy Holy Man laughed as he led the way. Everyone within Yuzhou City followed him.

Lin Feng brought the members of the Celestial Sect of Wonders, while Prince Xian of the Left and Cao Wei brought the Royal House of the Northern Tribes and the Heaven Lake Sect respectively.

Previously, in the catastrophic fight between Lin Feng and Cao Wei, the Asura Holy Man had remained out of the scene. Now, he appeared and he too was bringing cultivators of the Huo Family along as well.

Outside the city, the disciples of the Purple Clouds Sect, the Sword of Radiance Sect and the Sun Moon Sword Sect were split into three. They waited patiently for their respective leaders to appear. Once the Blue Pavilion Holy Man appeared, his disciples followed quietly behind.

While the distance between Yuzhou and the Sea of the Northern Winds was thousands of li, for people like Lin Feng, it was nothing. Every sect leader brought their entire sect to the location in an instant.

Even while viewing down from the clouds, the Sea of the Northern Winds appeared to be an endless lake, whose ends could not be seen. Everyone knew that it was a lake, but it certainly lived up to the word 'sea' in its name.

The entrance of the Ancient Huanghai World was apparently at the bottom of the lake.

By the side of the Sea of the Northern Winds, a group of people was waiting. The first two people from that group made everyone's hearts shudder.

One of them was a fat old man, whose black eyes were bright. He was like a kid, as he held a domino in his hand. He fidgeted with it ceaselessly.

"Is that the Gambling Holy Man, Zhuge Guang?" Lin Feng looked at the fat old man and then, his gaze shifted from Zhuge Guang to the man next to him, who was even more eye-catching.

The other man was dressed in a white robe with golden linings. His hair was white and his cheeks rosy. He gave off a regal appearance.

Lin Feng looked over and realized that he could not assess the old man's potential. However, he knew in his heart clearly that this old man was stronger than Zhuge Guang.

It was not only Zhuge Guang. Other than the two of them, Huo Xiu, the Vivant Joy Holy Man, Cao Wei, the Supreme Radiance Swordmaster, the Sun Radiance Swordmaster and the Blue Pavilion Holy Man were all unable to defeat him despite all six of them being in the Immortal Soul stage.

"This old man's mastery is one level above everyone else. He is much more powerful than just an ordinary Immortal Soul stage cultivator."

Lin Feng's heart understood but his expression did not change. Then, he realized that the old man swept the crowd with his gaze, which ultimately landed on him.

The two of them looked at each other for a while, before the old man nodded his head just so slightly and said loudly, "I thank everyone on behalf of the Great Qin Empire for coming to this Conference. It is indeed a great honour."

Everyone descended as the Sun Radiance Swordmaster said smiling, "You are too polite, Prince Anliang."

Lin Feng's heart jolted as he finally understood the old man's background. He was Prince Anliang Shi Zongyue, a prince of the Great Qin Empire. Furthermore, he was the uncle of the incumbent reigning emperor. His person in the Great Qin Empire was supremely high and well-respected. He was definitely one of the core members of the imperial household.

Shi Zongyue looked at Cao Wei, "Are Lin and Shang doing well?"

The Lin and Shang who he mentioned were no doubt the Two Elders of Ice and Fire. However, with the tone that Shi Zongyue used, it was evident that he viewed Cao Wei as a junior.

"Thank you for your concern, Prince Anliang. The two of them are fine and doing their closed-door cultivation," Cao Wei replied in a style befitting that of a sect master. Before Shi Zongyue, he did not humble himself but instead said lightly, "My Master Lin mentioned that he would gain much from his closed-door training."

"After the two of them ended their closed-door training, I'm sure they will find their old friends."

Hearing that, Shi Zongyue smiled as he looked at Cao Wei up and down with his eyes. Smiling, he said, "That's great, I can't wait for them."

The eyes of Prince Xian of the Left, who was next to them, grew dark. It was evidently not good news for him.

Everyone paid their respects to him. Finally, Shi Zongyue's gaze fell upon Lin Feng as he said, "You are truly frightening. You've really made quite a name for yourself."

Lin Feng's expression did not say as he said calmly, in a voice that was like the breeze, "Too bad many young ones today do not know how to respect their elders." As he said that, his gaze swept over Cao Wei unwittingly and deliberately.

While Lin Feng appeared to look like a teen, his background was too mysterious. Everyone was trying to guess who his master was and what was the true extent of his powers. They even tried to guess his real age.

By deliberately using his age against Lin Feng, Shi Zongyue was trying to test his reaction. However, Lin Feng managed to rebut his attempts with one sentence.

While Lin Feng's gaze appeared to have landed on Cao Wei, even Shi Zongyue was unsure about which 'young one' was he referring to exactly.

As one of the most senior members of the Great Qin Empire, if Shi Zongyue was considered old in Lin Feng's eyes, then it would be something truly remarkable.

From another perspective, Lin Feng's words could have alternative meanings.

Do not try to use your age before me, I don't buy it. If you dare to provoke me, then I shall retaliate in kind regardless of your age.

One sentence, which could be read both superficially and with deeper meanings.

"Interesting," responded Shi Zongyue without a tinge of anger. Instead, an unreadable smile appeared on his face.

The Vivant Joy Holy Man now stood next to Shi Zongyue. The Great Qin Empire now deployed all three of its Immortal Soul stage cultivators to display their hospitality as hosts. Undoubtedly, Shi Zongyue was the leader of the three.

After everyone had paid their respects, Shi Zongyue opened his mouth and said, "Shall it be similar to the previous Conferences, the stage where everyone will demonstrate their martial prowess shall be within the Hidden Dragon Gorge."

(Translator's Note: The Hidden Dragon Gorge is actually a pot-like item with a separate dimension within it. Hope this helps with visualization!)

Lin Feng and rest looked at each other and shook their head.

The Hidden Dragon Gorge was one of the magic treasure of the Great Qin Empire which concealed an entire world within it. It could create its own abode and was one of the mythical small worlds.

In the previous conferences, the Hidden Dragon Gorge served as the stage as the disciples of the various sects entered it to fight each other.

The Hidden Dragon Gorge had many unique uses. One of its greatest uses was that everyone's mana within it would be capped. If anyone battling within the pot were to receive a fatal blow, then the Pot would help the cultivator absorb the blow, sparing his life.

Normally, the Hidden Dragon Gorge was the place where the many scions of the Great Qin Empire trained. In there, they could use all their techniques without inhibition in a battle to the death.

Since Lin Feng and the rest had no objection, Shi Zongyue flipped his palms and said, "Rise!"

An exquisite pot emblazoned with intricate dragon carvings floated into the mid-air. While it appeared to only be as big the palm of a middle-aged man, the mana that it emitted made everyone shudder.

"It shall be the same as previous years. To encourage disciples to do their best, the champions of this conference shall be granted access to the Ancient Huanghai World," said Shi Zongyue. "The competition shall be split into two categories: the Aurous Core category and the Foundation Establishment category."

"Every sect or family can send four Aurous Core stage cultivators and four Foundation Establishment stage cultivators. After a random match-up and the contest, the top 16 Aurous Core stage cultivators and the top 8 Foundation Establishment stage cultivators shall be granted access to the Ancient Huanghai World."

The Ancient Huanghai World possessed dangerous, primal forces. It was not a holiday resort and if weaker people entered the world it could be dangerous. Hence, they capped the entry of Foundation Establishment stage cultivators at six.

In reality, even after they entered it the Foundation Establishment stage cultivators would require the protection of their Aurous Core stage counterparts for safety.

Lin Feng and the rest already understood it all, and hence they had no qualms.

Shi Zongyue turned to look at the Sun Radiance Swordmaster and asked, "For disciples of the Sun Moon Sword Sect, will you compete according to precedents?"

Everyone knew that the disciples of the Sun Moon Sword Sect battled in pairs. A pair of Sun Moon Sword Sect disciples would project much more power than just two of them.

Once they decided to fight in pairs, they would be in their strongest form. However, it was not fair to the other cultivators. Even if two of them ganged up to fight the Sun Moon Sword Sect pair in a two-on-two, they would still be at a disadvantage.

Hence, in previous iterations of the Spiritual Conference of Huanghai, they fought alone.

This rule was known by everyone, including Lin Feng. However, as he had his own plans, he decided to raise a differing opinion. "I feel that for this year, the rules pertaining to the Sun Moon Sword Sect can be changed."