Chapter 82: Opening Wide the Gates

It seems that person must be the bringer of fortune from the Southern Wilderness!

“I recall some prophecies saying that all that has happened so far is only the beginning—the truly terrifying events are yet to come,” Leng Qianxue spoke with a faintly grave expression.

The Lord of Ziyang nodded in agreement. “You’re right, Miss Qianxue. We’ve been discussing this all day. We believe there’s someone orchestrating things from the shadows, pushing events forward. The destruction of these Sacred Lands may well be a step toward fulfilling their requirements, implementing their schemes!”

“They hide in the dark while we stand in the light. For now, we still don’t know their true purpose. But if so many Sacred Lands have been destroyed and still their goal remains unfulfilled, the remaining Sacred Lands will likely follow the same fate. Even those powers just beneath the Sacred Lands are at risk of annihilation!”

“The Tianwu Realm seems to be facing a calamity!”

“Who would have thought our Tianwu Realm would suffer such a disaster? What are we to do?”

“Thank goodness we’re here in the Southern Wilderness, otherwise it might be us lying dead right now!”

The sovereigns all spoke one after another.

“If we wish to save the Tianwu Realm, we still need Senior Zhu!” someone declared.

“Only if Senior Zhu acts do we have any hope of survival,” the Lord of Lingji said, eyes shining with excitement. “We invited you here today to ask if Senior Zhu has given any instructions regarding these matters…”

“No, he hasn’t,” An Yue’er and the others immediately understood Lingji’s meaning.

They all shook their heads.

“Senior Zhu left no instructions,” Leng Qianxue answered with a deep breath. “The Southern Wilderness is now the safest place in the Tianwu Realm. I think…”

“I think we ought to invite other cultivators here. Otherwise, with turmoil everywhere, I doubt anyone will escape unscathed,” she said, blinking her beautiful, clear eyes, full of compassion.

So many lives lost—how cruel it all was!

The Lord of Lingji and the Lord of Ziyang both frowned deeply at this suggestion. Invite all cultivators to the Southern Wilderness?

It wasn’t that they were cold-hearted—they’d thought of this before, but had dismissed it. Now, with destruction rampant throughout the Tianwu Realm, the true mastermind behind it all still shrouded in mystery!

If they opened the Southern Wilderness now and invited all cultivators in, wouldn’t that just place the Southern Wilderness in the eye of the storm?

They could not take such a risk.

But now, Leng Qianxue had spoken up directly!

Leng Qianxue was no ordinary person—everyone knew she was the first to meet Senior Zhu and receive his favor. In this case, her suggestion might well represent Senior Zhu’s own will!

“I agree!” An Yue’er stepped out from the crowd. “If we open the gates of the Southern Wilderness, we will indeed face many dangers. But right now, we’re talking about the lives of so many cultivators. If they all die and only the Southern Wilderness remains, what meaning would there be in that?”

An Yue’er chose to support Leng Qianxue’s proposal. This world needed people of kindness!

Back when she herself faced utter despair, it was Qianxue’s compassion that saved her. Even when it meant risking Senior Zhu’s displeasure, Qianxue had spoken up for her, winning her a chance…

Though she never spoke of it, An Yue’er firmly believed it was Leng Qianxue’s kindness that moved Senior Zhu and earned his favor.

Now, faced with the lives of countless people throughout the Tianwu Realm, they simply could not shut themselves away and ignore the world!

Leng Qianxue clasped An Yue’er’s hand in hers, meeting her gaze with gratitude—now she was no longer standing alone.

Lingji and Ziyang exchanged glances.

“The two ladies are absolutely right! We have failed to grasp the true meaning of life!” Lingji declared.

“I too support Miss Qianxue’s idea. With Senior Zhu among us in the Southern Wilderness, we are safe. He always instructed us to report to Miss Qianxue should anything arise; perhaps he wants her compassion to lead us forward!” Ziyang added.

At this point, it seemed there was no other path left.

“Very well! Then let us immediately proclaim to the entire Tianwu Realm that the Southern Wilderness is now the safest place of all!”

“We welcome all who seek refuge in the Southern Wilderness!”

The two spoke in unison.

Hearing this, An Yue’er and Leng Qianxue both finally allowed smiles to blossom across their faces.

…

The message from the Southern Wilderness rapidly spread from its heart to all corners of the Tianwu Realm.

“The Tianwu Realm stands at the brink! The Southern Wilderness welcomes all who seek refuge—for now, it is the only untouched land!”

“We of the Southern Wilderness will offer all our strength, holding nothing back!”

“We are willing to help all fellow cultivators of the Tianwu Realm!”

The missive concisely conveyed the Southern Wilderness’s sincerity. To prove it truly was the last untouched sanctuary, they also briefly described the events atop the Ascension Platform of the Southern Ridge Mountains.

At that moment, the teleportation arrays connecting the Southern Wilderness to all regions flared to life one after another.

Countless messengers, carrying the letters, set out from the Southern Wilderness to every part of the realm!

Soon, news that the Southern Wilderness was a sanctuary swept across the entire Tianwu Realm…

And the Southern Wilderness, in turn, drew the attention of all under heaven!

Elsewhere in the Tianwu Realm, people had already been fretting for their futures. With this news from the Southern Wilderness, their hopes immediately turned there.

“Reporting to the sect master: If the message from the Southern Wilderness is true, it may really be the last untouched land in all the Tianwu Realm! Why don’t we just move our entire sect there?” In the Northern Wastes, an elder read the letter and spoke somberly to those around him.

“We cannot. We are not one of the great powers. When the sky falls, the tallest must hold it up! Even if disaster strikes, we will not be the first to feel it!”

“Besides, has anyone considered why the Southern Wilderness has yet to suffer disaster? The strength of the Polar Sacred Land and the Ziyan Sacred Land is no greater than that of the Northern Firmament Sacred Land!”

“I, for one, have no desire to live under another’s roof, subject to their whims! If we go, we’ll be bowing to the Southern Wilderness!”

Many voices rose in opposition, despite those in favor.

The old sect master sat at the head, listening to the heated debate without moving.

At last, he let out a long sigh and said, “Don’t you see? There’s no path left for us to choose!”

“Take a good look at the letter. Why can the Southern Wilderness remain untouched while chaos reigns elsewhere? Likely, it is because there is someone there powerful enough to fear nothing!”