Rebels

"A Dao Sovereign!?" Yaoguang looked at the Void Shattering cultivator. Meanwhile, that cultivator seemed to have realized something as well, causing a slight fluctuation in his divine mind. "Fellow Daoist?" Yaoguang pressed. "Haha..." The Void Shattering cultivator hastily changed the subject. "I mistook you for someone else. Fellow Daoist, your aura is quite similar to a friend of mine, so for a moment I couldn't tell the difference." Yaoguang glanced at him, then shifted his gaze to the other twelve. All thirteen of these Void Shattering cultivators had disguised themselves to varying degrees. Their auras were concealed, and their apparent cultivation levels fluctuated across a spectrum from Void Piercing to Void Shattering. Earlier, Yaoguang simply hadn't paid any attention to these disguises, which he could see through at a single glance. Furthermore, wisps of divine mind passed between the thirteen from time to time, as though they were interconnected and knew one another. Though not well acquainted—judging by the frequency of their exchanges, they were nodding acquaintances at best. From Danqingzi's words, while Upper Realm True Immortals occasionally descended for leisure, their numbers were never large. Even for a grand event like a sect tournament, it was not unusual for none to show up at all. After all, the Xuanling Realm alone comprised thirty-six major continents, and events like sect tournaments took place frequently. The most prestigious gathering was actually the tournament to rank the world's foremost cultivators. Yet this Yun Prefecture tournament had drawn thirteen Upper Realm True Immortals. And every single one of them was at the Void Shattering realm... Clearly, these people were plotting something. What was more, another Void Shattering cultivator was still to arrive. Yaoguang had coincidentally stumbled into their scheme at this precise moment, and having happened to display a Void Shattering cultivation... had he been taken for the fourteenth member? Still, none of that mattered. What mattered was... "Strangers at first, friends thereafter. Having exchanged words several times, aren't we acquainted now?" Yaoguang transmitted through his divine mind. "I'm also quite interested in your plan to rescue Sun Xing." "Fellow Daoist, as I said, you have the wrong person," the Void Shattering cultivator replied hastily. "Is that so? Well, since none of you are willing, I'll go find this Sun Xing myself to see what's going on," Yaoguang said. He truly was immensely curious about Dao Sovereign-level entities. He wanted very much to know whether they were reincarnated Immortal Kings. Of course, a gentleman does not stand beneath a crumbling wall. Even if he were to make contact with a Dao Sovereign, he had to make thorough preparations. That was the very reason he was patiently interacting with these people. "Fellow Daoist, please hold on!" Seeing Yaoguang make as if to leave, terrified that he would ruin their plans, the Void Shattering cultivator hurriedly said, "I am Fuhai. How might I address you?" "Yaoguang." "Fellow Daoist Yaoguang's aura... is very similar to my friend's, but upon closer inspection, you are indeed distinct... Moreover, I haven't heard this title in the surrounding regions... May I take the liberty of asking who your master is?" True Monarch Fuhai asked, carefully measuring his words. Yaoguang knew that rescuing Sun Xing would easily provoke the Heavenly Palace—the administrators of Yunji Starport. Or rather, the hegemon of this star domain spanning billions of light-years: the Xingri Sect. Thus, their cautious behavior was only natural. He answered directly, "I am merely an interstellar traveler, exploring the cosmos while searching for an opportunity to become a Dao Lord. Having discovered an intriguing spatial node, I ended up in this starry expanse. Hearing of Yunji Starport's prosperity, I came over to join in the excitement and broaden my horizons." With that, he transmitted a portion of his travel star chart through his divine mind. Receiving Yaoguang's star chart, True Monarch Fuhai found that it spanned billions of light-years. Such a distance... even under completely smooth conditions, would take a Void Shattering cultivator several thousand years to traverse. Instantly, he largely believed Yaoguang's claim of being an "interstellar traveler." Because the chasm separating Void Shattering from Dao Lord was so dauntingly steep, many Void Shattering cultivators with no hope of advancement chose to delve deep into the cosmos to gamble on an ephemeral shred of fortune. Although nearly all of them ultimately ended up dying of old age somewhere in the starry sky, when it came to the path of a Dao Lord... no one could accept giving up without taking that gamble. Of course, they had little choice but to believe him. If Yaoguang were to act recklessly, ruining their plans and drawing the attention of the Heavenly Palace, they would regret it bitterly. "For Fellow Daoist to traverse such a distant cosmos is truly admirable," True Monarch Fuhai praised from the bottom of his heart. "I cultivate the Dao of the Void and specialize in long-distance cosmic travel, which is how I managed to wander a bit farther," Yaoguang explained simply. "A cultivator of the Dao of the Void..." True Monarch Fuhai pondered for a moment before saying, "Our operation was privately organized to begin with. Since Fellow Daoist is interested, you may join us. However, please cooperate with us. Everything must prioritize rescuing Sun Xing and breaking through the defenses of Yunji Starport." "Fair enough," Yaoguang agreed. Just then, another elder arrived, escorting yet another Upper Realm True Immortal. True Monarch Fuhai's expression instantly turned peculiar. Yaoguang discreetly intercepted their divine mind messages. The newcomer was indeed the final person they were meant to meet: True Monarch Huangfeng. He gave the man a brief glance... This True Monarch had likewise concealed his aura and applied a minor disguise. At first glance, his disguised aura truly bore some resemblance to Yaoguang's. To someone unfamiliar with them, a mix-up was indeed plausible. The dozen-plus True Monarchs conversed rapidly. Yaoguang swept his gaze over them. What they believed to be a secret communication held no secrets before him, an actual Dao Lord. It boiled down to planning to use him as a rearguard when the time came, leaving him to hold off the pursuers from the Heavenly Palace. However, some of the deeper contents of their discussion caught Yaoguang's interest. *Well now, a rebel faction against the Xingri Sect?* Yaoguang was somewhat surprised. Behind these Void Shattering cultivators stood quite a few Dao Lords offering quiet backing. Or rather, they were subordinates dispatched by those Dao Lords to rescue Sun Xing and establish contact with Dao Sovereign Po Suo. *Makes sense. While the Xingri Sect is undeniably the hegemon of this star domain, its might cannot compare to the Gate of Immortality, which boasts over a hundred Dao Lords. The exact number of Dao Lords within the Xingri Sect is kept secret, but only thirty-nine have ever appeared publicly. Even including hidden ones, there are probably only forty or fifty at most, and one must account for those who might have already ascended.* Yaoguang mused, *It's entirely possible that they currently have fewer than thirty-nine Dao Lords available to deploy. For such a lineup to monopolize an astral gate naturally stirs discontent among the surrounding Dao Lords.* Never mind the Xingri Sect; even the Gate of Immortality, garrisoned by over a hundred Dao Lords, faced insurgent factions. As the saying went, where there was oppression, there was resistance. *Still... this Dao Sovereign Po Suo calls himself Daoist Po Suo. He only gained the title of 'Dao Sovereign' because of his remarkable strength and distorted rumors. Whether he truly qualifies as a Dao Sovereign remains an open question.* Listening to the cultivators' discussion, Yaoguang frowned slightly. The Dao Lords backing these Void Shattering cultivators were merely testing the waters. If Dao Sovereign Po Suo truly possessed the overwhelming might of an era-dominating Dao Sovereign, they would request his aid to overthrow the Xingri Sect's rule. If not... they would try to draw him into their camp instead. The addition of a powerful Dao Lord would still significantly boost the chances of their rebellion succeeding. Considering that the Dao Lords of this rebel faction were bound to possess detailed, firsthand intelligence regarding the Xingri Sect's Dao Lords, Yaoguang intended to use these Void Shattering cultivators to make contact with them. The same applied to Daoist Po Suo. Whether the man was truly a Dao Sovereign would become clear enough once Yaoguang met him in person. Seeing that Fuhai, Huangfeng, and the others had almost concluded their discussion, Yaoguang reached out and summoned Danqingzi. "A fine performance." He glanced at the two Constant Light realm cultivators still locked in combat. The pair were evenly matched. Relying on fierce fighting spirit, neither would back down, fighting until their strength was practically spent—a sight that stirred admiration. Yaoguang handed a spirit-treasure-grade storage device to Danqingzi. "Those who possess such an unyielding spirit should not perish here in vain. I have some pills inside that can repair the damage to their foundations from this battle and even advance their cultivation. Have them focus on their training, and may they soon shatter the void, ascend to the Heavenly Realm, and behold a vaster world." Overjoyed, Danqingzi bowed deeply. "Thank you, True Immortal, for your generous gift! Might I beg the True Immortal to leave the location of your sacred ground? Once their cultivation bears fruit in the future, I will surely have them pay their respects to you in person." "No need. If fate permits, we shall meet again." Yaoguang added, "There is also a top-grade spirit treasure inside, something I forged to practice my craft in my younger days. Consider it payment for guiding and attending to me for half a day." "Thank you, True Immortal, for your bountiful reward!" Danqingzi bowed once more. Yaoguang nodded, then rose into the air and departed the Qingxiao Sect. Seeing him leave, the thirteen Void Shattering cultivators exchanged glances and departed one after another. They spaced out their exits to avoid drawing unnecessary suspicion. True Monarchs Fuhai and Huangfeng caught up with Yaoguang, smiles covering their faces. "Fellow Daoist, our group is complete, and we will take action shortly. To ensure nothing goes awry, we need to understand each other's divine abilities and methods. May I ask what your lifebound Dao technique is...?" Yaoguang looked at him with a faint smile. "As I said, I am a True Monarch of the Void. My lifebound Dao technique is Void Flicker, and my comprehension of it reached the perfection stage long ago. Not only Void Flicker—over the countless years, I have brought more than ten other Dao arts to perfection as well. In terms of combat strength... I am not lacking." "A lifebound Dao technique of Void Flicker!? Brought to perfection!?" True Monarchs Fuhai and Huangfeng exchanged a look, their scalps tingling with shock. A great perfection-stage Void Flicker!? Coupled with over a dozen other perfected Dao arts!? This... With that kind of combat prowess, against ordinary True Monarchs, couldn't he fight ten at once!? Could someone truly be that strong? Yet upon second thought, Fuhai felt it made total sense. If the man did not possess such strength—capable of evading virtually any danger so long as he avoided running into a Dao Lord—how could he have traveled across billions of light-years of cosmos all on his own to arrive here? "Very well, I will help you. We're rescuing Sun Xing, correct? I'll strike directly, retrieve Sun Xing, and bring him into the depths of the starry sky. You cover my retreat, and contact me then." As Yaoguang spoke, he handed over a jade talisman capable of long-distance transmissions. "Keep this safe." "Fellow Daoist, wait! We still need to plan this carefully..." "Haha, I know you don't trust me. Therefore, leave the most dangerous task of rescuing the person to me. Await my word." The moment the words left his mouth, Yaoguang vanished before the eyes of True Monarchs Fuhai and Huangfeng with a single Void Flicker. His Dao art mastery was so exquisite that neither True Monarch could detect the slightest trace of his departure, leaving them utterly unable to pursue.