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Although True Eye Emperor was at the second level of the Enlightenment Realm, he couldn't immediately discern Yi Shuihan's cultivation level. In fact, even within Yi Shuihan's senior brother's small circle, not everyone could see through Yi Shuihan's depth. The one who could see through him at the second level was probably no ordinary person either.
"We're already on the ninth floor."
Yi Shuihan honestly gave the answer, and then, as expected, saw the True Eye Emperor's dumbfounded face.
He didn't really want to do this, but lying to the True Eye Emperor wasn't a good idea.
"The...ninth floor?"
So shocked that he stammered, the True Eye Emperor asked again in disbelief.
"Ah."
What could we do? We could only nod.
"Don't speak yet, let me catch my breath."
The True Eye Emperor raised his hand, gesturing to pause.
Comprehension of the Dao and combat power are not the same. Combat power is influenced by many factors, such as combat awareness, secret techniques, and spiritual treasures; while comprehension of the Dao is completely different. It can only be comprehended step by step by oneself. At most, there are secret techniques that can temporarily enhance one's abilities, but Yi Shuihan has never seen such a technique on anyone so far.
Reaching the level of a Chaos Emperor and breaking through even one level of Dao comprehension is an incredibly difficult task. Even just moving from the 7th to the 8th level is extremely challenging. To be honest, the reason why True Eye Emperor asked Yi Shuihan if he had broken through to the 8th level was already a huge overestimation of Yi Shuihan's abilities. This was only considering that Yi Shuihan had a Great Dao Emperor as his master. Before Yi Shuihan answered, True Eye Emperor thought that the chances of Yi Shuihan breaking through to the 8th level were only about 30%, and that 30% was based on the assumption that Yi Shuihan had broken through to the 8th level in the past 800,000 years.
"Should I reveal that I actually broke through two levels in ten thousand years?"
Looking at the True Eye Emperor, who seemed almost obsessed, Yi Shuihan thought to himself, and finally decided that he would not say anything unless the True Eye Emperor asked. He believed that the True Eye Emperor did not want to know.
About a minute later, the True Eye Emperor finally emerged from his shock and continued chatting with Yi Shuihan. However, this time he stopped talking about cultivation and shifted the topic to the exchange conference.
"This exchange conference is extraordinary. It's rare to see so many Chaos Emperors gathered together. Even in Chaos City, such a grand occasion is not common."
"The True Eye Emperor said with emotion."
"Yes! This is the first time I've ever seen so many Chaos Emperors together!"
Yi Shuihan felt the same way.
"We have to thank Emperor Lieyang for creating this exchange conference! Anyway, my chances are slim. I hope that next time I can attend your promotion ceremony. Please don't be unwelcome to this old man then."
"If I achieve the Dao, I will definitely come to send you an invitation in person. You are not old at all, you are still young! I don't know how many beautiful women hope to become your Dao partner."
"You, you!"
“…”
After chatting for most of the day, finally a Chaos Emperor came to find the True Eye Emperor.
One of them was an acquaintance, Blade Fang Emperor, the one from the Demon Extermination Army, and there were three other Chaos Emperors, two men and one woman, whom Yi Shuihan did not recognize.
"Isn't this the kid from back then? True Eye, did he come with you?"
"They came on their own; we just happened to bump into each other here."
"A chance encounter? That's quite a coincidence. But since we've run into each other, shall we go together?"
Blade Fang Emperor extended an invitation to Yi Shuihan, while the other three Chaos Emperors did not express their opinions. However, they seemed to be open to it, though not particularly welcoming.
"If you don't mind."
"Then it's settled."
Thus, together with Yi Shuihan, a small circle of six Chaos Emperors was formed.
After that came a series of introductions, mainly between Yi Shuihan and the newcomer. The other Chaos Emperors in this small circle were all acquaintances, and Yi Shuihan seemed to be a very good friend of them.
In this small circle, apart from True Eye Emperor who is at the second realm, everyone else is at the first realm, but they are all top-level first realm cultivators who could break through at any time. With Yi Shuihan's level, this place is just right for him. In fact, he feels that this place is more suitable for him than the small circle his senior brother used to be in.
Why do I say that? Because here, they mostly talk about how to break through to the second realm and what preparations they have made. In the previous circle, those Chaos Emperors talked about things related to the second realm, which is not suitable for Yi Shuihan.
The exchange conference was in full swing, and the atmosphere was quite good. Yi Shuihan was completely immersed in it and was in a very good mood. In this atmosphere, time passed quickly, and half a month passed in the blink of an eye.
A month is a long time for an exchange conference, but that doesn't apply here. In fact, the exchange conference has only just begun and will last for a whole year.
An exchange conference isn't something a few familiar Chaos Emperors can just do by forming a small circle and exchanging ideas. If that were the case, there would be no need to come here; it would be better to just invite a few friends to discuss the Dao in other places.
Suddenly, a pleasant melody filled the hall, and everyone in the small circle stopped and looked towards the center of the hall.
"Is it time?"
"It's about to begin, the Emperors' Discussion!"
"Many of those who came this time are at the peak of their enlightenment, and they will surely gain a lot of insights."
Chapter 1372, The Ceremony Begins
The "Discussion of the Chaos Emperors" is exactly what it sounds like: it's a gathering of Chaos Emperors giving their sermons, but this time they're not confined to their own small circles; instead, they're speaking to all the Chaos Emperors in the hall.
Everyone has the right to preach, but of course not all Chaos Emperors will go on stage. Everyone knows their own limitations. If they don't have a deep understanding of the Dao and lack distinctive features, they will only embarrass themselves if they try to preach.
Once a Chaos Emperor has finished preaching, if other Chaos Emperors have different understandings of the preacher's Dao, they will also express them directly. This allows for mutual verification and achieves the effect of mutual progress.
"I am Songyang, and I will begin today by speaking about the perseverance in the way of life."
"Life is the source of all things; destiny is the energy of movement and stillness; life is the creation of heaven and earth; the resilience of life..."
The sound of the Dao resounded throughout the conference hall, conjuring up a series of images and giving rise to insights in people's hearts. All the Chaos Emperors were immersed in it.
Yi Shuihan had also been involved in the Way of Life. Hearing Songyang's sermon was like opening a door to a new world for him. He gained many insights, and inspiration kept flashing in his heart. His understanding of the Way of Life became deeper and deeper.
Songyang's sermon lasted for a day and a night. Afterwards, several Chaos Emperors shared their understanding of the resilience of the Way of Life, which greatly benefited the Chaos Emperors.
Following Song Yang, a Chaos Emperor who cultivated the Path of Destruction took the stage. He spoke about the annihilation of life within the Path of Destruction. Although this was completely unrelated to Yi Shuihan's main cultivation, it still resonated with Yi Shuihan.
One after another, the Chaos Emperors took to the stage, displaying their various Daos without restraint. It was truly a grand gathering of Daos, and Yi Shuihan listened with utter rapt attention.
Of the thousands of Chaos Emperors, over a hundred took to the stage, representing one-tenth of the total. Some Chaos Emperors spoke for a long time, while others spoke for a short time. In this way, the remaining eleven months of the exchange conference quietly passed.
When the exchange conference came to an end, Yi Shuihan felt that it was not enough. He wished that this kind of exchange could continue for hundreds or thousands of years.
"The harvest this year is comparable to what I have gained in a million years of secluded cultivation. I wish there were more times like this."
One of the Chaos Emperors remarked, a sentiment that resonated with many.
As the exchange conference came to an end, the Chaos Emperors departed one after another, but some of them stayed to continue the exchange.
After bidding farewell to Zhenyan and the others, Yi Shuihan returned to his lodgings at Xiandao Sect with his senior brother.
……
"The advancement ceremony is just a few days away, and this senior brother still hasn't emerged from seclusion. Could it be that he can directly achieve the Dao Creation Realm just like that?"
After returning from that exchange conference, Ye Dongsheng claimed to have gained some insights and immediately went into seclusion, entrusting everything to Yi Shuihan.
Yi Shuihan originally thought that this seclusion would only last a few months at most, but unexpectedly, it has been almost 9 years and there is still no movement.
Despite complaining, Yi Shuihan harbored no resentment towards his senior brother. He was only concerned. In his mind, the advancement ceremony was incomparable to his senior brother. If his senior brother hadn't appeared by the start of the advancement ceremony, he wouldn't bother him. Although this might offend the Xiandao Sect, so what?
Several more days passed, and Ye Dongsheng still hadn't made it out in time. So Yi Shuihan led a group of younger disciples to the venue of the promotion ceremony.
Led by the disciples of the Xiandao Sect, Yi Shuihan and his group arrived at the area arranged for them, which was very close to the center of the venue. This showed that the Xiandao Sect attached great importance to them, or rather, to the Creation Emperor behind Yi Shuihan.
"Hey Yi, where's that Dong Sheng guy?"
The one who asked the question was Sang Yuhuang, a Chaos Emperor in Ye Dongsheng's inner circle. He had a good personal relationship with Ye Dongsheng and was also a direct disciple of a Great Dao Emperor. His status was not much different from Ye Dongsheng's. He was assigned to a place next to Yi Shuihan and the others. When he saw that Ye Dongsheng was not there, he asked the question.
"Is Senior Brother in seclusion?"
Yi Shuihan answered honestly that there was no way to lie about this, and there would be no point in lying anyway.
"Seclusion? At this time!"
Sang Yuhuang said with great surprise.
"There's nothing we can do. He gained some insights from the last exchange conference, and he went into seclusion as soon as he got back. He hasn't come out yet."
"I see. Well then, congratulations to him. It seems he has indeed made a great harvest, otherwise he wouldn't still be here."
Sang Yuhuang's eyes showed envy as he spoke, but there was no jealousy. His tone was very sincere, and at least Yi Shuihan did not see through his facade.
"Keep a low profile later. Don't spread the word that Brother Ye isn't here. Although Brother Ye is not at fault and there are extenuating circumstances, he is here to attend the promotion ceremony. If he doesn't come at this time, the Xiandao Sect might think it's intentional and might target you."
Sang Yuhuang whispered a reminder to Yi Shuihan.
"Understood, I will definitely keep a low profile as much as possible."
Yi Shuihan knew that Sang Yuhuang was right. Besides, he was not a high-profile person and would never deliberately cause trouble. However, if trouble did provoke him, he would definitely not back down.
Although Xiandao Sect is strong, Yi Shuihan's master is the Creation Emperor, who is stronger than the Blazing Sun Emperor. If they really break off relations, it's hard to say who will suffer the most!
Without Ye Dongsheng present, Sang Yuhuang and Yi Shuihan chatted for a few words before returning to their respective teams. Yi Shuihan waited listlessly for the start of the promotion tournament.
Before Yi Shuihan were various spiritual fruits brimming with spiritual energy, as well as precious spiritual wine. Their aroma was enticing.
These spiritual fruits are true treasures of the myriad realms, capable of being used to entertain the Chaos Emperor. Even the worst ones are comparable to ginseng fruits from the primordial world, and the best ones even have some benefit to the Chaos Emperor.
"They're incredibly wealthy! Even if you emptied the entire prehistoric world, you still couldn't afford to hold such a grand promotion ceremony."
Sipping his wine, Yi Shuihan was also astonished by the wealth of the Xiandao Sect.
"Everyone, first of all, thank you for coming to my promotion ceremony."
"He's here, it's Emperor Lieyang!"
"As expected, he has broken through. He has become a Dao Creator, and the prospect of becoming an Emperor is within reach!"
Chapter 1373, Presenting Gifts
Emperor Lieyang, dressed in a crimson robe, stood in the center with a broad smile, attracting the attention of everyone present, most of whom were True Saints and Chaos Emperors.
"He looks very ordinary, doesn't he? And with his red eyebrows and hair, he looks like a red-haired demon."
Yi Shuihan thought to himself that he wasn't particularly fond of the Blazing Sun Emperor.
To be honest, this was the first time Yi Shuihan had ever met a Dao Creator. He wanted to see what the difference was between Dao Creation, Dao Enlightenment, and Dao Seeking, but he found that he couldn't see any difference in Lieyang Huang just by looking at him, so he had to give up.
After a formulaic speech, Emperor Lieyang announced the official start of the promotion ceremony. Then, a person resembling a host walked to Emperor Lieyang's side, took out a scroll, and opened it.
Why do I have this bad feeling?
The thought had barely formed in my mind, before I could even form any other ideas, when I heard the host begin to read...
"Now we begin the first item of the promotion ceremony: the ceremony itself."
Not far from Yi Shuihan, the Chaos Emperor, the representative of the Merchant Alliance, stood up.
"On behalf of the Business Alliance, the Blazing Sun Emperor has advanced to the Creation Dao stage, and I hereby present this gift: one million Chaos Crystals, a top-grade Primordial Spirit Treasure, the Firefly Spear, and one hundred Chaos Pills..."
He mentioned dozens of items, each of which was extremely valuable, prompting everyone present to exclaim how wealthy and powerful the business alliance was.
"Damn it! They actually gave gifts so openly, and it was the first item in the promotion ceremony. How could they be so shameless? They are all cultivators, senior experts. Why be so vulgar? Why give gifts? Isn't it enough that they came?"
Realizing what was happening, Yi Shuihan felt quite uneasy. In other situations, he would have thought that giving gifts was normal. But if he thought about it carefully, he realized that if the promotion ceremony didn't accept gifts, the cost of holding the ceremony alone would be considerable, and Xiandao Sect wouldn't have gone to such lengths to organize it.
The problem is that Yi Shuihan wasn't originally concerned with this; he was just following his senior brother to broaden his horizons. He had definitely prepared the gifts, but they were all with his senior brother. However, Ye Dongsheng was still in seclusion, so the gifts...
Yi Shuihan was getting anxious. Watching the representatives of the surrounding forces proudly display the treasures they brought, causing a stir among the crowd, Yi Shuihan felt extremely uncomfortable.
"Should we just make something up and get by?"
The idea was immediately rejected by Yi Shuihan. If it were just him, losing face would be one thing, but now he represented his entire sect, and Yi Shuihan did not want to be the sinner.
As time went by, Yi Shuihan grew increasingly anxious, racking his brains for solutions, but ultimately rejecting them one by one.
"Well, it seems I have no choice but to tell the truth."
After making the decision, Yi Shuihan breathed a sigh of relief; he was prepared to face the doubts.
There is an order to gift-giving, although it is not absolute and there are rules about who should give gifts first. For example, the first round must start with the core circle, and only after the core circle is finished can the gifts spread outwards. Forces without a Chaos Emperor as their representative do not need to come out in this stage; they do not even have the right to give gifts in public.
It can be said that being able to step forward and offer gifts also represents the strength of the forces behind them.
After all the members of the core circle, except for the forces represented by Yi Shuihan, had finished presenting their gifts, all eyes turned to Yi Shuihan.
At this point, Yi Shuihan couldn't keep a low profile even if he wanted to. Some of the smart ones had already noticed that Ye Dongsheng was gone and sensed that something was wrong. However, most of them were looking at Yi Shuihan with schadenfreude, secretly pleased with the situation.
"Yes, this thing is with my senior brother. He has some things to take care of right now, so he'll deliver it when he's done. You guys continue, don't worry about us."
Amidst the strange gazes of the crowd, Yi Shuihan calmly spoke.
After Yi Shuihan finished speaking, the entire hall fell silent. The Emperor Lieyang, who had been smiling, frowned and looked at Yi Shuihan with an extremely oppressive gaze.
Stared at by the Emperor of the Blazing Sun, Yi Shuihan felt as if he were in a special world, a world where only the Emperor of the Blazing Sun and he existed, and everything in this world was rejecting him and oppressing him.
The gap between Yi Shuihan and Lieyang Huang was too great. Fortunately, Yi Shuihan had taken precautions in advance, so he did not embarrass himself under this pressure. However, even so, he still had a hard time resisting.
"I wonder what Ye Dongsheng is so busy with that he can't even attend my promotion ceremony?"
After a long silence, Emperor Lieyang finally spoke in a deep voice, referring to himself as "this one," clearly indicating that he was somewhat angry.