Enfeoffment as King.
In Longguo, this was a temptation no martial artist could refuse.
However, even reaching the Heavenly Realm did not guarantee enfeoffment as King.
One needed to contribute to the nation and gain recognition from the national destiny.
This was also why, despite countless sects and families existing in Longguo, they still lived obediently, not daring to harm civilians excessively.
In Longguo, being enfeoffed as King represented too many things.
And to be enfeoffed as King, the Martial Rankings was an indispensable journey.
The current five Kings of Longguo were all champions or outstanding individuals from past Martial Rankings.
For next year's Jiazi year national destiny battle, the red walls of Longjing offered five King positions. Which family or sect with outstanding disciples would miss this opportunity?
For the sake of the King positions, enemies could set aside grudges and join forces, and more people could empty their coffers to offer benefits.
Across the many provinces of Feng Province, the champion of each province's Martial Rankings was backed by a multitude of interest groups.
For instance, after Chen Jiuyang won the Feng Province Martial Rankings championship, the Shu Mountain Chen family immediately investigated Chen Jiuyang's ancestral records and then promptly welcomed Chen Jiuyang back to his ancestral clan. From that moment on, Chen Jiuyang was considered part of the Shu Mountain interest collective.
...
News of the battle near the Hulu River quickly reached Longjing.
The Chen family patriarch, along with fifteen families from Shu Mountain and the Han clan, sat in the main hall. Upon hearing the news, everyone rejoiced.
"Jiuyang has broken through his mortal peril, and his martial arts have further advanced. Within the Earth Realm, there are no more than three individuals who can become his opponent," said the sect leader of Mount Emei.
"Indeed," others also nodded in agreement. They had watched Chen Jiuyang's growth from the Profound Realm.
The Chen family patriarch wore a relaxed smile on his face. "Next, we will see how Jiuyang performs in the Martial Rankings."
"With Jiuyang's strength, achieving a brilliant result and securing one of the five King positions should be no problem."
"The only remaining trouble is when Jiuyang will arrive in Longjing."
Elder Han interjected with a splash of cold water, "Although Jiuyang has passed his mortal peril, the more powerful he appears, the less likely other forces will let Chen Jiuyang reach Longjing easily. Whether Jiuyang can arrive in Longjing before the twentieth day is a question."
"The representatives of nearly forty provincial Martial Rankings champions blocking us outside is enough to show the threat Jiuyang poses to them."
Upon hearing this, the Chen family patriarch's expression immediately darkened. How could he not know about this matter?
This was precisely why, after Chen Jiuyang won the Feng Province Martial Rankings championship, he had asked Chen Jiuyang to focus on cultivation.
Among the provincial Martial Rankings champions of Longguo, Chen Jiuyang had been the most prominent in recent months.
With his cultivation at the second layer of the Earth Realm, he had killed the Six Doors Chief Constable of Feng Province, Xi Butui, who was at the peak of the Divine Intent Realm, in a desperate situation. Every provincial Martial Rankings champion in Longguo had come to watch that battle, knowing that Chen Jiuyang's strength was enough to rank among the top.
This time, it was Zhou Fangzun who had acted as the intermediary, setting a deadly trap for Chen Jiuyang.
Now that Chen Jiuyang was injured and his combat power so formidable, how could the people from other provincial Martial Rankings champions' forces allow Chen Jiuyang to enter Longjing and increase their enemy?
Zhou Fangzun would take the blame.
But the benefits would be divided among them!
The battles before and after the Hulu River, Chen Jiuyang's further advancement in martial arts, and his killing of two peak Divine Intent Realm experts in the Military Dao with a counter-attack had shocked and made them even more vigilant. Those behind the scenes would definitely resort to a war of attrition, using lives to fill the gaps and delay Chen Jiuyang, even if it meant stopping him.
Originally, the sixteen families of Shu Mountain, along with the Han clan, should have safely escorted Chen Jiuyang to Longjing. However, the opponents had struck first, with over forty provinces uniting to block them, leaving them unable to move.
The energy exerted, the connections used, and the resources mobilized behind this were beyond their imagination.
"The Hulu River is two hundred kilometers from Longjing. It is now December 12th, with eight days remaining..." The Chen family patriarch could no longer suppress his impatience, his heart filled with anxiety and killing intent.
It had taken the Chen family a thousand years to produce a prodigy like Chen Jiuyang who could carry the banner. Securing one of the five King positions was a certainty. Shu Mountain producing a King, what glory was that?
The Chen family producing a King, bringing honor to their ancestors!
But if they were delayed like this, preventing Chen Jiuyang from entering the capital and even participating in the Martial Rankings competition, it would drive them mad and make the entire Shu Mountain a laughingstock in the martial arts world.
Whether Chen Jiuyang could reach Longjing before the Martial Rankings concerned countless people.
The Martial Rankings champions from other provinces had already arrived and entered the capital. Only the Martial Rankings champion of Feng Province had yet to arrive.
At this moment, the sect leader of Mount Qingcheng spoke, "I heard that the Martial Rankings champion of the capital is the son of the Prefect of the Capital. If Jiuyang arrives in Longjing within the time limit... would this Prefect of the Capital perhaps tamper with things and make it difficult..."
"That depends on whether these people have managed to connect with the Prefect of the Capital..."
Hearing this, everyone's hearts sank slightly. It seemed there were myriad difficulties to overcome.
...
On the other side.
In an ancient and elegant wooden restaurant in Longjing, at a wine table, several young men surrounded one young man: "Young Master Hong, you are the Martial Rankings champion of the capital, and you are destined to be one of the five Kings. However, rumors are circulating that your combat power is inferior to that of the Feng Province Martial Rankings champion, Chen Jiuyang..."
"Chen Jiuyang?" Hong Jiangjin looked towards the outside of Longjing, his gaze calm, then let out a cold laugh. "Whether he can even enter the gates of Longjing is a question."
"With Young Master Hong's words, we are reassured."
"Congratulations in advance to Young Master Hong for becoming one of our Longguo's new Kings!"
"Drink! Drink!"
...
"Kill!"
Although Chen Jiuyang had shaken off the hundreds of martial artists behind him at the Hulu River.
However, would those people not have any backup?
Once they confirmed Chen Jiuyang's direction towards Longjing, they immediately dispatched troops and generals, setting up numerous ambushes along Chen Jiuyang's path to intercept him.
Chen Jiuyang's blade flashed, and a vibrant life was extinguished by his hand.
These martial artists ranged from the Earth Realm, Profound Realm, and even the Yellow Realm...
How much effort did it take to cultivate a martial artist's life? Yet, at this moment, it was worthless, like blades of grass being reaped and slain by Chen Jiuyang.
Even if a Yellow Realm martial artist used their life to delay Chen Jiuyang for the time it took for one strike, they felt it was worthwhile!
Up to this point, those people had exhausted all their efforts to stop Chen Jiuyang from entering the capital, showing their desperation. It was clear they did not want Chen Jiuyang to enter the capital!
Unseen place, unknown weather.
Chen Jiuyang faced a dense mass of martial artists, as if they were endless. Apart from firearms, all other methods, whether overt or covert, whether reputable or not, were used against Chen Jiuyang.
Chen Jiuyang was almost tattered, his upper body exposed, his pants also torn. The leaves from the Peng Zu Divine Tree that he consumed were also depleting one by one; otherwise, how could he sustain his exertion?
"Hoo..."
Feeling the continuous influx of life essence into his body, Chen Jiuyang slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air. "Almost at the fourth layer of the Earth Realm..."
"One hundred and eighty kilometers to Longjing."
"Eight days remaining."