As Lin Feng reached the periphery of the Celestial Country, Lin Feng realized that the battle had already reached every corner of this realm. He still saw some people with imprints in their third eye, which meant they came from the Continent of the Nine Clouds.
In the distance, a new silhouette appeared. Lin Feng found that he had arrived at the very edge of the Celestial Country. The strong cultivators of Hell had gathered near the boundary. Random groups from the Continent of the Nine Clouds couldn't attack so many people gathered together.
"Lin Feng." At that moment, a strong cultivator from Jalacandra Fairyland flashed forwards and landed in front of Lin Feng. He said, "You came even later than us!"
"I was meditating in seclusion in our territory. Nobody disturbed me. How's the situation?" Lin Feng asked.
"Not sure. There are battles everywhere in the Celestial Country. It's been a tragedy for Hell. But soon one year will have passed, and we'll have the opportunity to get our revenge. The outsiders are about to gather together, I guess to fight against us."
"I see. The next year won't be calm, either. Another terrifying battle will happen!" agreed Lin Feng.
The other man laughed. "Not only next year, the years after it as well. Such terrifying wars can't be that short."
"You're right!" Lin Feng nodded. As he did, the atmosphere suddenly changed. Golden threads flowed into existence, dazzling to the eyes.
The golden lights started dispersing as everyone watched. A meteor fell from the sky. A year had passed. The passages of the Celestial Country were going to open once again!
"Everybody, let's go out at the same time, then let's tell our clans and so on, and come back with the most heroic and talented cultivators of Hell within three days. Then, we'll need to conquer the Celestial Country again!" cheered someone.
Everybody nodded, calling out in return. Some people flew forwards as quickly as they could.
—
In Hell at the entrance, dazzling golden lights had appeared as well. There was a big crowd there waiting, and finally, the passage was open again!
However, at the same time, people frowned. They were surprised. So many people, how come so many people were coming out at the same time?
"What's going on?" The people in the crowd didn't understand. So many people coming out together at the same time was very unusual…
As an incredible number of people came out, the crowd heard a voice calling out, "In the Celestial Country, there is a great war against the cultivators from the other side of the Milky Way battlefield. I hope that everybody can come to help conquer the country again!"
"A great war over the Milky Way battlefield?" The crowd was shocked. Many of them naturally didn't understand what it meant, and asked their teachers. Many people's expressions changed drastically and their conversations soon reached a healthy buzz.
Some of the strong cultivators who had just left the Celestial Country stayed, while some others immediately left to go and inform their clans.
"Everybody, I'm sure many ministers are among you in the crowd. Please go and inform the ten cities of Hell about that, tell them to make many strong cultivators come here to form an army. We don't have much time. We must act as soon as possible!" someone else declared extremely loudly.
The passage between Hell and the Celestial Country was only open for three days. They had to find extremely strong cultivators and get them to the Celestial Country's entrance within a very short length of time!
Lin Feng rose up into the air and gazed into the distance. He saw a silhouette come up to him and smiles. It was Vice Minister Shichuan!
Lin Feng floated over to him and smiled, "Minister Shichuan, have you been guarding the area the whole time?"
"I haven't been here for such a long time. Lin Feng, come, we're going back to the Great Imperial Song City," said Minister Shichuan, smiling at Lin Feng.
Lin Feng was startled. Had Vice Minister Shichuan been waiting for him in particular? Back then, many people had gone to the Celestial Country along with him. Why wasn't Vice Minister Shichuan waiting for them?
"Minister?" asked Lin Feng. He remained motionless.
Vice Vice Minister Shichuan turned around and asked, "What's wrong?"
"Minister Shichuan, I hope you can tell Minister Uptala that I want to stay here and continue practicing in the Celestial Country. I might never come back to the Great Imperial Song City," Lin Feng said to Minister Shichuan. He wanted to go back to the Continent of the Nine Clouds. Even if it didn't happen within a year, he would wait and become stronger in the Celestial Country. He would try his luck every year.
"You're not coming back?" asked Vice Minister Shichuan, surprised. But then he smiled, "Lin Feng, why would you stay there? You will have many opportunities to go back there."
Vice Vice Minister Shichuan put his hand on Lin Feng's shoulder, and Lin Feng's expression changed. He had told Vice Vice Minister Shichuan that he wasn't going back. He understood something wrong was going on.
"Minister, what's that supposed to mean?" Lin Feng asked. Vice Minister Shichuan released some strength which started flowing into Lin Feng's body. He was a great emperor, he could kill someone like Lin Feng in the blink of an eye with the power of his mind. However, Lin Feng had never thought Vice Minister Shichuan would ever mean him harm.
"Lin Feng, come back with me to the Great Imperial Song City. Minister Uptala wants to see you," Vice Vice Minister Shichuan gravely.
Lin Feng pulled a long face and said, "Minister, why can't you tell me the reason?"
"When we arrive in the Great Imperial Song City, you'll know. I didn't want things to happen this way either," said Vice Minister Shichuan. Without another word, he dragged Lin Feng with him and left the area.
Lin Feng's face turned deathly pale. What was going on? Would he be able to go back to the Celestial Country? Would he have to wait for a year? If he missed the next opening, he wouldn't be able to reach the continent for two years!
He'd miss the Moon Group with whom he had agreed to meet within three years!
Lin Feng saw Minister Shichuan's solemn and respectful expression. What had happened? Minister Uptala had asked Shichuan to come and pick him up personally, so he understood that it was about something serious.
Lin Feng thought of something… it probably had something to do with Wang Zhuo's death! The secret was out, maybe Minister Uptala was asking Lin Feng to explain his crime!
"Minister Shichuan, I respect Minister Uptala. I hope you can tell me what this is about. Otherwise, I won't go back to the Great Imperial Song City with you," Lin Feng said calmly. Vice Minister Shichuan's grave face looked both perturbed and pensive.
Vice Minister Shichuan didn't realize that Lin Feng had already thought of a plan. If Vice Minister Shichuan kept forcing him to go back, then Lin Feng would risk his life and imprison him in his small world.
"Lin Feng, do you remember Jian Mang?" asked Minister Shichuan.
Lin Feng frowned and nodded. Of course he remembered Jian Mang, the extremely strong blind swordsman.
"Initially, Jian Mang also wanted to go to the Celestial Country. However, he didn't leave the Great Imperial Song City before he was kidnapped by someone," explained Minister Shichuan. Lin Feng didn't look surprised, it matched what he thought was going on.
"Wang Xiao is as strong as Minister Uptala, and he's one of the descendants of Great Emperor Song. Of course, he has another position, he's Wang Zhuo's father." Lin Feng had already understood. Back then, he had noticed that some people were spying on him in the city. Vice Minister Shichuan had taken him to the Celestial Country, so it was Jian Mang that was kidnapped.
"Jian Mang and you aren't really close friends. He knew why Wang Xiao captured him. Besides, Wang Xiao also knows a technique to read people's memories. Therefore, Jian Mang didn't wait for that and told him how you had killed Wang Zhuo back then. Otherwise, Wang Xiao would have killed him. Now he says he will release him only if he gets you," said Minister Shichuan.
"Minister Uptala doesn't want to see me just because Jian Mang is in danger, right?" Lin Feng asked, feeling there was more to it.
"Of course not, Minister Uptala really likes you. Otherwise, he wouldn't have sent me to pick you up," said Vice Minister Shichuan, sighing. "The kings of the Ten Yama Courts have many Ministers, and there are tensions between some of them. The relationships between Great Emperor Song and his descendants are complex. You probably can imagine what I mean. You're a guest in the city, and there are tensions between Wang Xiao and Uptala. Therefore, Wang Xiao is using you to get Minister Uptala involved."
"Minister Uptala can leave the Great Imperial Song City," Lin Feng pointed out.
"Indeed, Minister Uptala can leave the city. Wang Xiao knows that perfectly well. Therefore, when Minister Uptala was away, he also captured Qing Qing! They knew that you had gone to the Celestial Country, but they didn't come to capture you themselves because they knew that if you saw them you might just go back to the Celestial Country and hide there. And if Minister Uptala and I attacked them, we'd certainly lose," explained Shichuan slowly.
Lin Feng remained silent for a few seconds. Minister Uptala could offend Wang Xiao and Wang Zhen because he was a Minister. However, Lin Feng had killed a descendant of Great Emperor Song, which was completely different!