The Boundary Wall

For a moment,

the two of them began to argue.

Their faces turned red with intensity.

Yet, both sides were the same—seeing the other party clearly holding the upper hand but still willing to concede, this act of winning hearts through virtue made them feel increasingly embarrassed.

This scene left the onlookers from other realms utterly stunned.

"Am I seeing this correctly?"

"Yes, what on earth is going on with them?"

"Since when did these two realms, once as incompatible as fire and water, become like this?"

They couldn’t help but rub their eyes, fearing they were mistaken.

Wide-eyed and incredulous, they stared at each other.

Yet, Chen Xianxuan and Huang Tianling completely ignored the bystanders, their gazes filled with admiration for one another.

How embarrassing!

But no matter how much they argued, neither was willing to back down, each insisting, "If you don’t accept the Tianlan Mountain Range, I’ll be furious!"

After a long and fruitless dispute, the two finally sat down, their faces still flushed.

At the suggestion of others, they eventually agreed to split the Tianlan Mountain Range equally.

This decision left both sides feeling somewhat awkward.

"Perhaps you should take a bit more?" Chen Xianxuan offered. "We’ll be fine with just thirty percent!"

"No, we in the Huang Realm will take thirty percent," Huang Tianling declared firmly.

Seeing that the two were about to start deferring again, others quickly stepped in to mediate.

Both men sighed deeply.

They never expected things to end like this.

"Old Chen," Huang Tianling said, placing his hand on his chest, "I, Huang Tianling, speak on behalf of the Huang Realm. I assure you, from now on, if your Zhen Realm ever faces any difficulties, our Huang Realm will not hesitate to help."

"Ah, goodness!"

Chen Xianxuan sprang up like a coiled spring, his face filled with flattered surprise. "To think that with your realm having a 20th-level True Immortal expert, you not only refrain from oppressing us but even offer such kindness!" He quickly grasped Huang Tianling’s hand, trembling as he spoke. "Old Huang, your words are too generous. I, on behalf of the Zhen Realm, pledge that if your Huang Realm ever faces any troubles, our Zhen Realm will offer unconditional assistance."

These words brought tears to Huang Tianling’s eyes.

Moved.

Deeply moved.

The two men embraced tightly, like long-lost brothers who had finally found each other.

Clearly,

at this point, both sides believed that the 20th-level True Immortal expert from the Tianlan Mountain Range belonged to the other party.

Despite having such a powerful expert, the other side not only refrained from exerting pressure but also expressed such sincerity—such magnanimity, such righteousness, such vision—filled their hearts with respect and admiration.

After the Eight Realms Summit concluded, Chen Xianxuan and Huang Tianling returned to their respective realms’ headquarters.

They reported everything that had happened that day.

Their people, without exception, were filled with admiration.

Especially for the 20th-level True Immortal expert from the opposing realm, their respect was boundless.

"This won’t do," declared a Zhen Realm elder, slapping his palm on the table. "With the other side showing such magnanimity, we cannot act so casually. We must not let the Huang Realm look down on us. I propose sending a delegation to the Huang Realm to propose a marriage alliance."

At the same time, a Huang Realm elder made a similar proposal.

Thus,

within a month of the Eight Realms Summit, the once-hostile Huang and Zhen Realms began frequent exchanges.

Not only did several high-ranking families arrange marriages for their children, but the two realms also sent large groups of talented individuals for mutual exchange and learning.

Meanwhile, Yi Feng, the one who had inadvertently caused all these changes, remained completely unaware, continuing to relieve himself in a pit somewhere.

He had recently eaten something that didn’t agree with him...

In a vast desolate land,

a black wall rose into the sky, seemingly endless.

From left to right, it stretched as far as the eye could see.

If one could view it from a divine perspective, they would see that this black boundary wall enveloped the entire Immortal Realm and the Eight Realms.

Beside this boundary wall in the desolate wasteland,

dozens of elderly figures sat cross-legged, channeling their power into the wall.

These men were all emaciated, their eyes sunken, their faces gaunt, appearing as though they were on the brink of death.

If not for the faint black aura surrounding them, one might have thought they were already dead.

In front of them, the boundary wall bore a massive crack.

The black aura surrounding them seeped out from this crack day after day.

It was this black aura that had turned the surrounding environment into a barren wasteland, devoid of life and filled with jagged rocks.

Anyone with slightly weaker cultivation would likely go mad from a single breath of this air.

At that moment,

dozens of powerful figures descended from the sky.

Among them were men and women, not all elderly.

But even the middle-aged ones had dark circles under their eyes and looked utterly exhausted, far from the demeanor one would expect from experts of their caliber.

"A year has passed. It’s time to switch shifts," said the leader, an elderly man in simple robes.

Hearing this, the seated elders stirred slightly. One of them opened his eyes and said, "I’m afraid the next year will be even harder for you all.

"The crack is widening. The situation is becoming increasingly dire."

Hearing this,

the expressions of everyone present darkened.

This endless, hopeless defense was truly soul-crushing.

Seeing this, the elderly man in robes quickly tried to bolster their spirits. "For now, we must buy as much time as we can!

"Do you want our descendants in the Immortal Realm and the Eight Realms to end up like the outsiders?"

Everyone nodded solemnly.

"Besides, it’s not entirely hopeless," the elderly man continued. "Recently, a new White Emperor ascended the throne in the White Realm. Her talent is extraordinary—she’s one of the reincarnated ones!"

"Elder Zhen," one person said with a bitter smile, "what use is a reincarnated one against this crack?"

"Ah, but she’s no ordinary reincarnated one. Her past life’s identity hasn’t even awakened yet," Elder Zhen explained. "And even in her current state, she’s already strong enough to come here. But with her talent, it’s best to let her grow first before bringing her here.

"In the future, with her, even if we can’t solve the problem entirely, at least there will be someone to take over for us."

Everyone nodded, a glimmer of hope appearing in their eyes.

"By the way," Elder Zhen added, "there’s also that mysterious expert with the surname ‘Crouching’ who destroyed the Heavenly Immortal Palace. If we can recruit him, he’d be a great asset."

"Xiong Tian," Elder Zhen turned to a middle-aged man beside him, "you mustn’t hold a grudge against him for destroying your Heavenly Immortal Palace, alright?"

"Elder Zhen, what are you saying?"

"In matters of great importance, such petty grievances are meaningless."

The man named Xiong Tian smiled bitterly. "Besides, the fact that there were infected individuals there was our oversight. If anything, we should thank him for eliminating a threat for us."

"That’s the spirit," Elder Zhen said with a smile. "We old folks from the Immortal Realm and the Eight Realms will hold the line. As long as we hold on, there’s hope. Talented individuals will continue to rise in the future."

"Speaking of which," one person interjected, "there’s something I must bring to your attention, Elder Zhen.

"Recently, there have been reports that the relationship between the Zhen Realm and the Huang Realm has deteriorated to the point where they might soon go to war. I think it’s time we step in and resolve this."

"Humph! These youngsters, what are they thinking, fighting among themselves at a time like this!"

Elder Zhen’s face immediately darkened.