Guarding the River of Time-Chapter 369 - 359: Encountering the Divine Venerable Again—In This World, If You Don’t Rely on Connections, What Else Can You Count On?
It was night.
At the tavern of Farnwell Grove, in a latticed pavilion on the top floor.
Two people sat across from each other at a stone table, with a jar of Inference Fragrance Wine and a pot of hot tea, with steam rising, feeling quite comfortable.
The moonlight fell and shone on the pavilion, reflecting the silhouettes of two people drinking together.
Li Qiye took a sip of wine, half-leaned on the chair, his expression indifferent, completely at ease. Who would have thought these two were here for a confrontation?
Anyone might think they were two young nobles, coming to the tavern to enjoy tea and admire the moon.
Li Changyuan, on the other hand, kept drinking wine. After finishing, he poured himself another cup, showing that he was extremely unsettled and anxious.
He racked his brain but couldn’t figure out why Elder Li was still leisurely drinking here.
They had breached the place but then slowed down. Once the high-ranking officials of the Celestial Peace Divine Realm learned that the boundary was breached, wouldn’t Elder Li and he find themselves in an ambush?
He just couldn’t understand, couldn’t comprehend it at all.
.....
At that moment, above the void of the Divine Domain.
A silver floating ark slowly sailed in the high sky, advancing towards the boundary. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶
On the deck, two figures were sitting, enjoying tea.
One man, with white hair, had a handsome face, deep-set eyes, and an extraordinary aura. After sipping tea, he smiled and said to the middle-aged man in a python robe in front of him, "Brother Wang, now that you’re an esteemed Domain Master, even the tea you drink is of a kind I’ve never seen before."
"Brother Changshou, you flatter me; what Domain Master, just a Vice, a Vice."
The middle-aged man in a python robe waved his hand with a smile, "But you, Brother Changshou, I heard your position as Vice Domain Master is firmly secured. Once you become the Vice Domain Master of the Ancient Inference Divine Realm, do lend more support to our Celestial Peace."
"Vice Domain Master or not, I’m still far from it." The white-haired man waved his hand.
"Brother Changshou, you’re being too modest. Your position as Vice Domain Master is pretty much secured."
The middle-aged man in a python robe, named Wang Zhongku, was one of the five Vice Domain Masters of the Celestial Peace Divine Realm, one of the pinnacle figures in the power structure of the entire Celestial Peace Divine Realm.
Yet, his words and actions towards the white-haired man in front of him were filled with respect and awe.
Because this white-haired man before him was a significant figure in the Ancient Inference Divine Realm, the future Vice Domain Master, a top-level mighty being.
The Ancient Inference Divine Realm, a Middle Divine Domain in terms of world status, contrasted sharply with the Lower Divine Domain that was the Celestial Peace Divine Realm.
The disparity between a Middle Divine Domain and a Lower Divine Domain was beyond words; to be specific, even without a Vice Domain Master, a single Realm Master under the Vice Domain Master could overturn the Celestial Peace Divine Realm, and the Celestial Peace Divine Realm would be utterly helpless!
Moreover, the Ancient Inference Divine Realm was not just any Middle Divine Domain. Among many Middle Divine Domains, it was one of the stronger ones.
Therefore, for Wang Zhongku to advance and secure his position as Vice Domain Master, he needed to connect these relationships.
The greater the strength, the deeper the realm, the higher the status, the more reverence one feels for the powerful entities across All Heavens and Myriad Realms.
Relationships and background are extremely important.
For instance, Wang Zhongku, though as a Vice Domain Master of the Celestial Peace Divine Realm, he is the strongest backing in many people’s eyes, he also has to find someone stronger as his backing and support.
Background is too important because the All Heavens and Myriad Realms are just too vast.
And before him, Li Changshou, the Longevity Divine Venerable, was the biggest support for Wang Zhongku, without a doubt.
Because tens of thousands of years ago, Wang Zhongku went to the Ancient Inference Divine Realm for further studies, listening to teachings and learning alongside the Longevity Divine Venerable for a period, so their friendship was rather deep.
...
"Brother Changshou, ahead is the border of our Celestial Peace Divine Realm."
"Tonight, I’d like to trouble Brother Changshou to give some pointers on whether there are any weak spots in our Celestial Peace Divine Realm’s boundary defenses."
Wang Zhongku cupped his fists in salute.
"There shouldn’t be any significant weak points. Your Celestial Peace Divine Realm has quite good border defenses." The white-haired man replied with a smile.
"Brother Changshou is overly complimentary. No matter how impregnable, there should still be flaws." Wang Zhongku smiled and waved his hand.
Deep inside, he felt somewhat proud because the boundary defenses of the Celestial Peace Divine Realm were considered top-tier among many Lower Divine Domains, and it was what he could present most proudly in front of Brother Changshou.
...
Just like that, the ark was slowly advancing, only less than ten thousand meters away from the boundary.
Unexpectedly...there was no aura of the array?
The strangest thing was, why is there no one on duty??
"Brother Wang, don’t you have any soldiers stationed at this boundary?" The white-haired man also frowned and asked.
Upon hearing this, Wang Zhongku found it odd because the border defense was managed by another Vice Domain Master, Zhang. Could it be old Zhang changed tactics?
No, it can’t be, no matter how things change, there should be soldiers patrolling and guarding.
The strangest part was, he couldn’t sense any of the thirty-three grand arrays protecting the domain.
Personnel could have been rotated, that’s understandable, but why were the grand arrays deactivated??
If this were reported to the Domain Master, it would be a capital offense!
...
Soon, the ark had come within a thousand meters of the boundary.
Still no sign of any border soldiers, and the arrays were also undetectable.
In this situation, Li Changshou also stood up, came to the edge of the deck, and vigilantly scanned the surroundings.
"What is...going on?" Wang Zhongku was stunned.
The next second, he activated the ark’s power array.
When their ark burst across the boundary, Wang Zhongku’s mind nearly imploded.
The entire border defense of the Celestial Peace Divine Realm was empty!
There was nothing!
Just moments ago, they were praising the impregnable defense of the Celestial Peace Divine Realm, and now, at this moment, the border was empty, nothing was there. If enemies were to attack, they’d come right in!
Wang Zhongku was furious, ready to send a message to Vice Domain Master Zhang.
Good heavens!
Old Zhang, I guess you’ve gotten tired of living, probably drank too much, to have dared open up the arrays and withdraw all soldiers from the border!
He could only come up with one conclusion, that Vice Domain Master Zhang was up to something odd, never considering the possibility that enemies had already breached the border.
This thought process was also logical because the border defenses of the Celestial Peace Divine Realm were so firm; even if enemies were powerful, they wouldn’t have entered without causing a stir, right??
...
Just as Wang Zhongku was about to call Vice Domain Master Zhang in a fit of rage, Li Changshou stopped him with words: "Hold on!"
The sudden words startled Wang Zhongku.
"The border wasn’t withdrawn."
"It was...already breached and entirely broken."
Li Changshou’s words froze Wang Zhongku in place.
....
The next second.
Li Changshou expanded his Divine Sense, sensing a familiar aura from the air.....
