Chapter 189
"Whoever dares to fight us for it, I will teach them to spill blood for ten miles!"
"You bastard!"
The two glared with widened eyes, clashing point for point, looking as if they were about to start fighting right then and there.
Tobias hurriedly walked over from afar and advised. "Two Elders, do not squabble. Amicability brings wealth."
Byron abruptly turned around, looking at Tobias, he asked faintly. "Who are you?"
"Uh..." Tobias laughed awkwardly.
"Elder Byron, how could you have forgotten?"
"This poor Daoist is precisely the Hale family’s Third Elder, Tobias."
"Oh, so it is Elder Tobias." Byron nodded as if suddenly realizing. He then asked with a mocking smile.
"Third Elder, why didn’t your saint family’s head Alex lead the team this year?"
"...Our Saint Lord has matters to attend to and has no time." Tobias said, neither servile nor overbearing.
"Anyway, our Hale family participating in the Dao Vindication Assembly is merely to let the young disciples temper themselves."
"As long as we ensure their safety, it is enough."
Byron nodded and smiled faintly. "The Hale family has a vast estate and business, wealthy and imposing. We of course cannot compare."
"However, let me advise the Third Elder. Since your saint family has made up its mind to be a turtle shrinking its head into its shell this year, don’t run out to break up fights and play peacemaker."
"Breaking up a fight without strength... not only will no one listen to you, but you will also bring humiliation upon yourself."
"You... what did you say?!" Tobias’s face abruptly sank.
The Hale family crowd behind him also revealed expressions of indignation.
Tobias, as a cultivator who had attained the Dao, usually had excellent self-restraint. But at this moment, he was so angry he wanted to curse.
These people were truly too fucking two-faced and pragmatic!
When the Saint Lord was around, every single one of them was like a pug dog. Wagging their tails and running over to curry favor.
Today, the Saint Lord was merely busy, and they all put on this kind of face.
Was he, the dignified Third Elder of the Hale family, not even worthy of breaking up a fight anymore? Their Saint Lord was absent, not dead, okay?!
Seeing Tobias get deflated, Lazlo couldn’t help but clap his hands and laugh loudly. "Hahahaha, Elder Tobias, today this old man finally understands what it means to bring humiliation upon oneself."
"When you go back, you must report these things truthfully to Saint Lord Alex."
"If Alex doesn’t vent this anger for you, I’m afraid you won’t just suffer grievance. You’ll be so angry your lifespan shortens!"
Regardless, Tobias’s attempt to break up the fight was considered a success. He had directly made the Blackwood and Sol families point their spearheads at him. Stopping their own dispute.
Although Tobias was trembling with anger, he didn’t say much more.
After a full hour passed, Aurelia finally finished her lengthy official speech. She cleared her throat and said loudly. "Everyone, have you remembered what I just said?"
The crowd shouted in unison. "Understood!"
"Good!" Aurelia said resonantly.
"Since that is the case, let us delay no further."
"I will immediately open the seal, and you all may enter the Secret Realm."
"This year’s Heavenly Flame Secret Realm will last for three days and three nights."
"Before entering, everyone come and receive a spatial jade slip."
"If anyone wishes to forfeit, you can crush the jade slip at any time, and you will be directly teleported outside."
"Now then, this year’s Heavenly Flame Secret Realm is open!"
Aurelia teleported in front of the Heavenly Flame Rift and placed both palms on the rock wall. She used her bloodline spiritual energy to open the ancestral seal outside the Secret Realm.
However, as she poured her spiritual energy into it, a trace of suspicion revealed itself in her eyes. "...Hmm?"
"Why does this Secret Realm seal contain a faint aura of resentful spirits?"
But Aurelia was only surprised for a moment. She didn’t overthink it.
"Never mind. Perhaps during this past year, many wild spirit beasts approached the Secret Realm. Were crushed into powder by the seal. Their lingering resentment failed to dissipate, thus accumulating here."
Urged by Aurelia’s spiritual energy, the Heavenly Flame Rift slowly opened.
Unlike when Alex opened it, where he used the Seal-Breaking Hundred Ghosts Sword to merely open a rift wide enough for one person to pass through.
Right now, Aurelia used her clan bloodline to openly and properly open the Heavenly Flame Secret Realm.
She caused the rock wall to completely part to the left and right. From the Secret Realm before them, a majestic, powerful, and fierce sword intent burst forth!
"The Heavenly Flame Secret Realm!" The Saint Lords and Elders of the major Saint Lineages all revealed expressions of fanatic excitement. Scrambling to rush forward. Upon getting close, they were instantly sucked into the Secret Realm.
A moment later, the hundreds of people from the nine major families had all entered.
Aurelia clasped her palms together, circulated her spiritual energy. The rock wall slowly closed back up.
Fine beads of fragrant sweat appeared on her forehead. She exhaled a breath of turbid air.
Lily asked with concern. "Your Majesty, are you alright?"
"I am fine." Aurelia shook her head and smiled faintly.
"Just help me back to rest for a bit."
Looking at Aurelia’s pale face, Selene couldn’t help but look full of distress. "Your Majesty, you are clearly severely ill. The disease has reached your vitals, you must rest quietly in bed."
"Why must you drag your sick body, pretend nothing is wrong, and forcibly come to host the opening ceremony?"
Aurelia shook her head, smiling helplessly. "There’s no other way. I had to do this."
"The Dao Vindication Assembly is the most important ceremony of the Heavenly Flame Dynasty."
"These Saint Lineages are the greatest reliance our dynasty has right now."
"If I don’t even come to host the opening ceremony, it will inevitably cause all sorts of criticism."
"If the news of my severe illness gets out, externally, the Crimson Soaring Dynasty and other dynasties will inevitably rise up and attack us."
"Internally, the major Saint Lineages will also be in a state of panic, and might even abandon the Heavenly Flame Dynasty."