The Ethereal Domains

Chapter 353: Curse

Curse . . .

The disturbance had reached the royal palace, rousing the ire of the slumbering king. He begrudgingly opened his eyes and was startled to discover the source of the cacophony – a group of Sky Origin Stage cultivators, their voices echoing loudly through the night. Some among them radiated a deep, oceanic blue light, marking them as grandmasters of the Sky Origin Stage. The king couldn't help but observe the striking resemblance in their martial arts, suggesting they hailed from the same sect.

"Their martial arts share such remarkable similarities; they must indeed belong to a powerful sect," the king mused in awe.

Although infuriated by the intrusion, the king recognized the immense power these cultivators wielded. In the Kingdom of Chen, he held absolute authority, yet when confronted by such formidable beings, even the mighty king felt vulnerable. These individuals had ascended to the ranks of superpowers, a force the king was wary of antagonizing.

It was clear that these cultivators had lost their composure, their actions defying reason as they shouted and loitered near the royal palace. The king couldn't help but wonder what had driven them to this madness. If he attempted to intervene, their anger might be redirected towards the royal palace. The consequences could be devastating, potentially laying waste to significant portions of the palace complex.

The destruction of the physical structures could be endured, but the loss of life was a prospect the king could not accept. He had invested heavily in recruiting these Sky Origin Stage cultivators and could ill afford their deaths.

It was a grave predicament, and the king's fury mounted as he silently cursed, "[Expletive], Boundless Saint! You have wrought chaos and led it to my very doorstep. You could have chosen any other place to unleash your havoc. Those men are not entirely unjust in their choice of names for you! I'm tempted to step outside and shout at you, to label you 'son of a [expletive]' in a thunderous voice. You contemptible miscreant…"

Around the city, many had gathered to witness the spectacle. Most were superior cultivators from the martial world who had been drawn by the clamor. They watched from a distance, hesitant to draw near. The noise reached their ears clearly, and while they couldn't discern the specifics of the curses, the spectacle seemed both curious and absurd, inciting bouts of laughter among the onlookers.

The Boundless Saint, renowned as the world's most fearsome demon lord, had a reputation that struck fear into the hearts of all who heard his name. His infamy was such that nobody dared to confront him openly, let alone engage in audacious public cursing. The language used by the cultivators from the Sunlight Sect was crude and brazen, creating quite a spectacle indeed.

Among the gathered onlookers were individuals of experience, well-versed in the ways of the martial world. Some among them recognized the agitators.

"Wait a minute! Aren't those individuals from the Sunlight Sect? I see Ji Chengfeng among them. What on earth is happening here?"

"Yes, they are indeed from the Sunlight Sect."

"But why the aggressive cursing? How did the Boundless Saint provoke them? Weren't they supposed to have a rather cordial relationship? How did it escalate to this point?"

"This situation is perplexing, yet not entirely unexpected. Consider this - no other sect in the world would dare to curse the Boundless Saint as openly as the Sunlight Sect."

"There must be more to this than meets the eye, something grave."

"Look at them; they behave as if their ancestors' graves were desecrated."

"Perhaps the Boundless Saint has involved himself in someone's domestic affairs."

"Indeed, that's quite plausible."

"Even so, amidst this conflict, we upstanding individuals should maintain our distance. Safety is of paramount importance."

"Absolutely, one cannot be too cautious."

...

As the crowd discussed and contemplated the curious situation, they edged away from the epicenter of the commotion, all the while reluctant to leave. After all, it was a rare opportunity to witness such an extraordinary spectacle firsthand.

But just as they settled into their newfound positions, a voice, sinister and filled with rage, boomed through the night.

"Silence, all of you!"

The commanding voice emanated from the House of Zuo, adjacent to the royal palace. A dark figure emerged from the shadows, garbed in black robes, with a veil concealing the face, save for a pair of chilling, ruthless eyes. He seemed like a phantom but was undeniably real, drawing nearer to the Sunlight Sect cultivators.

The real Boundless Saint, his fiery eyes ablaze with intensity, cast a cold, sardonic remark, "Ji Chengfeng, you Sunlight Sect truly have audacity! You're daring, I must say..."

But as the authentic Boundless Saint finally made his presence known, the imposter couldn't help but feel a profound sense of unease. His inner turmoil was not a result of remorse, though, but rather...

Cha Eun Xiao, concealed in a remote corner, kept his back pressed against the wall, painstakingly hidden in the shadowy recesses. His heart raced, threatening to escape his chest. His unease, however, didn't stem from guilt. It was sheer exhaustion that consumed him.

How could it be otherwise? Cha Eun Xiao was merely a junior-level cultivator in the Sky Origin Stage. Yet here he was, relentlessly pursued by over a dozen formidable Sky Origin Stage practitioners, some of them even masterfully skilled at the ninth level. The fac?ade of casual nonchalance he had to maintain was an energy-draining act of defiance.

It was undeniably taxing!

In truth, Cha Eun Xiao moved with remarkable agility, akin to a gust of wind and a flash of lightning, courtesy of his One Laughter in Skyline technique. His swiftness surpassed that of the Sunlight Sect members, and his graceful, fluid movements allowed him to maintain a veneer of calm.

Cha Eun Xiao had been confident that only he could successfully execute this mission. While Ning Biluo might surpass him in terms of cultivation, acting as the Boundless Saint was Cha Eun Xiao's specialty. Not everyone possessed the skill to manipulate needles with the same level of expertise.

However, the situation had veered from his original plan. Cha Eun Xiao had goaded his pursuers into a furious chase, as intended, but he had also incited them to a frenzied pursuit. Ji Chengfeng, in particular, had entered a heightened state of energy expenditure. He was moving at twice the speed he normally would.

Cha Eun Xiao made a split-second decision. Channeling every ounce of his cultivation power and harnessing the spiritual energy derived from the Boundless Space, he forcibly increased his speed to maintain a distance from Ji Chengfeng..