After listening to Ye Ming's account, everyone felt a heavy weight in their hearts. They looked up as if a pair of imposing heavenly eyes were watching them from the vast sky.
"Young friend Ye, the eight great sect leaders all know about this heavenly wrath, right?" Zuo Fengliu asked in a deep voice. From Ye Ming's words and his own palace lord's reaction, it was clear that their powerful figures must have known some secrets.
"They all know!" Ye Ming nodded, certain of this.
"Then why..." Zuo Fengliu shook his head, utterly perplexed. Knowing of the heavenly wrath's existence, why would other sects still set foot in the mortal world?
Compared to his confusion, his dao companion, Ruo Ying, saw things more clearly. She sighed, "During these hundred thousand years, those sects must have observed the mortal world through various means. Otherwise, they wouldn't be so brazen."
In fact, this could already be inferred from forces like Wushuang Island and other ancient martial arts factions. It was likely that over the years, those sects had believed the heavenly wrath had dissipated and no longer posed a threat to them. Their meticulous planning was all for their eventual return to the mortal world.
"I'm not saying this to spread panic; I hope you all understand this," Ye Ming said gravely, looking at everyone. "I don't know what methods the sects in the secluded lands used to confirm the heavenly wrath had disappeared. But from my teacher's inheritance, he said that the heavenly wrath could never disappear. Its existence is generated by the desires of all sentient beings. Once these desires reach a certain limit, the heavenly wrath will descend."
He looked at Zuo Fengliu and continued, "Furthermore, each time it descends, it becomes more terrifying. The first Primordial War, you could say, was when the heavenly wrath was just forming. The second Primordial War that followed allowed it to mature fully. By the time the third Primordial War erupted, it could descend at any moment."
Back then, if Ye Zhi Sheng and others had not managed to move all cultivators to a special space in time, humanity might have been wiped out.
"The reason I established this alliance is to fulfill my teacher's wish and prevent the heavenly wrath from descending." This was the mission Ye Ming carried.
However, there was one point Ruo Ying seemed not to understand. She looked at Ye Ming and asked directly, "Young friend Ye, I understand what you are trying to do. But there's one thing I can't comprehend. You said, 'I Live Stream Teaching Immortal Cultivation.' Tell me, why are you teaching immortal cultivation to the entire world?"
"According to the intelligence our Yin Yang Palace currently possesses, it is precisely this action of yours that has indirectly caused the sects from the secluded lands to set foot in the mortal world." Ruo Ying looked at him deeply and continued, "Actually, before I met young friend Ye, I once suspected that you deliberately wanted to lure out people from the secluded lands. I wonder if you can answer this question."
As she spoke, the atmosphere in the room became heavy. Ruo Ying's words contained a hint of interrogation.
"Elder Ruo, before I answer your question, I have a question to ask you in return. Is that alright?" Ye Ming smiled gently, his expression calm.
"Yes!" Ruo Ying nodded.
"Good!" Ye Ming's eyes flashed with a sharp light as he asked, "Then I want to ask, elder, if I had never appeared, do you think people from the secluded lands would not have set foot in the mortal world?"
Without Ye Ming! Would they have come out?
"This..." Ruo Ying's expression froze, her beautiful eyes widening slightly. She understood the meaning behind Ye Ming's words. Would they have come out? The answer seemed clear. Absolutely! The deployment of those sects in the mortal world clearly indicated that the thought of setting foot in the mortal world had sprouted hundreds of years ago. Even without Ye Ming, they would have come out. Perhaps it would have been a little later. Maybe a year! But at most ten years! Because Ruo Ying herself could clearly feel that the actions of those sects in the secluded lands had become increasingly frequent in recent years.
"It seems the answer is already apparent!" Ye Ming said with a smile.
Ruo Ying remained silent.
"Now, I'll tell you why I am popularizing immortal cultivation worldwide." As Ye Ming said this, Ruo Ying looked up. Everyone in the room turned their gaze to him.
"As I mentioned before, even without my appearance, people from the secluded lands would eventually step into the mortal world. This is an unchangeable fact," Ye Ming stated gravely. "It is precisely because of this that I needed to start making plans before they completely emerged. Although I was well aware that teaching immortal cultivation would accelerate their emergence, if I wanted to fulfill the mission my teacher entrusted to me, I couldn't do it alone."
Ye Ming looked at everyone present, his gaze sweeping over each person. "You are all the strength I have accumulated through teaching immortal methods, which has led to today's alliance. Otherwise, if I did nothing, what could I do when the secluded lands made a massive appearance?"
"Advise them?" "Tell them the truth?" "Would they believe it?" "Ten thousand years have passed. Some things can no longer be saved by individual effort." Ye Ming shook his head and smiled. "Even if my teacher were reborn, he couldn't change this." "Therefore, I need to accumulate strength during this period. Only then will I have the capital to negotiate with them." Negotiation! It could only ever happen when both sides had equal strength. Otherwise, it was all meaningless.
"Not enough!" After listening to Ye Ming's words, Ruo Ying shook her head. "Even if you can teach immortal cultivation worldwide before the sects from the secluded lands fully emerge, and select those with excellent cultivation talent to nurture them." "However, your time is completely insufficient. No matter how monstrous a person's talent is, it requires time to mature. At that time, the person who can truly turn the tide must at least reach the Innate Realm." "Compared to the sects in the secluded lands, this is still far from enough. Their foundations far exceed your imagination."
Ruo Ying wasn't trying to pour cold water on Ye Ming's efforts; she was stating facts. The time difference before people from the secluded lands emerged could indeed be used to select some promising cultivation talents. But promising talents needed to grow and required time. For someone with monstrous talent to reach the Innate Realm would take at least nearly ten years. Did they have that much time now?
Regarding this point, Ye Ming smiled and looked at her, saying, "Elder, you seem to have forgotten our last conversation."
"Last time?" Ruo Ying frowned slightly. However, Zuo Fengliu beside her remembered and said gravely, "You said you could make cultivators grow in a short period. You weren't joking, were you?"
"You..." Ruo Ying's beautiful eyes widened, and her mind recalled what Ye Ming had said before. Ye Ming had once said that he could increase the speed of cultivation tenfold. At that time, Ruo Ying had thought he was going to use forbidden methods. Ye Ming had denied it then. Now, it seemed the methods he possessed were even more terrifying than she had imagined. It wasn't just about increasing the cultivation speed of one or two people by nearly ten times. It could be hundreds, thousands, or tens of thousands of people. This was unimaginable.
"Elder, as I said before, as long as Yin Yang Palace is willing to join us, the cultivation resources I possess can be shared with you," Ye Ming said with a smile.
"You... you can really do it?" Ruo Ying still found it hard to believe. If it were just a mere one or two-fold increase in speed, while exaggerated, it was still within her comprehension. But a tenfold increase! This had surpassed the understanding of a powerful Innate Realm expert like herself.
"Naturally, I can do it!" Ye Ming held Fang Junxue's hand and raised it, smiling. "Junxue was just an ordinary person a few months ago. With your cultivation, elder, you must be able to see her current realm."
"Source... Source Heart Realm!" Ruo Ying's beautiful eyes flickered with light as she saw Fang Junxue's current cultivation.
"In just a few months, she went from an ordinary person to a Source Heart Realm cultivator. This..." Zuo Fengliu was also shocked. However, what truly shocked them was something they hadn't yet discovered. After all, Fang Junxue also possessed the identity of an "Ice Spirit," a member of the Spirit race. Furthermore, there was more than one "Spirit" present. Mo Zhaoge possessed the "Time Spirit." Bu Qingyu possessed the "Wisdom Spirit." Feng Wuji possessed the "Wind Spirit." And Xiao Aiyin, who was not present, was an terrifying "Calamity Spirit." If they knew about these things, they would probably doubt their entire existence. In the entire secluded lands, there was only one "Spirit" openly known. And that one was an existence of the highest echelons. Now, so many had gathered in this small palace. If this news reached the secluded lands, it would likely cause upheaval, and all the sects would rush out in a frenzy to compete.
"Elders, after our alliance is officially established, there might be even more surprises waiting for you," Ye Ming said with a mysterious smile. Of course, there might also be frights!
"Ah... okay!" Ruo Ying and Zuo Fengliu calmed their racing hearts, feeling somewhat dazed. It had to be said that attending this alliance meeting had opened their eyes. At the same time, they also looked forward to the power this alliance would gather once established.
"I've said what I needed to say. Does anyone else have anything they want to say?" Ye Ming asked. The room was silent for a moment, with no one having further questions. In that case, it was time for the alliance establishment conference to begin.
"Alright!" Ye Ming waved his hand broadly and announced, "I declare that the alliance conference begins." The first order of business was to decide on the name of the alliance. This was to be a collective effort. Luo Li Ya began to preside.
"Does anyone have any ideas? What do you think would be a suitable name for our alliance?" she asked for everyone's opinions.
"How about the Invincible Alliance? It sounds powerful and imposing," Feng Wuji stood up first and offered the first suggestion.
"Uh..." As soon as he said this, the corners of everyone's mouths twitched. Invincible Alliance! Was that not too arrogant?
"Get lost! What kind of rubbish name is that!" Ye Ming glared at him and directly rejected it.
"Ye Ming, how about the Heaven-Defying Alliance?" Nangong Qianyu also joined in, explaining, "Aren't we trying to stop the heavenly wrath from descending? 'Heaven-Defying' is quite fitting."
"This..." Ye Ming's mouth twitched again.
"Hahaha! Sister Qianyu, your name is more imposing than mine. I think it's good," Feng Wuji expressed his agreement. Hearing Feng Wuji call her "Sister-in-law," Nangong Qianyu's face flushed, and she felt that this young man was quite eloquent and had potential.
"Qianyu! Perhaps we should be a bit more subtle and not so high-profile!" Ye Ming said helplessly. One was "Invincible," the other was "Heaven-Defying." Each was more outrageous than the last.
"Actually, I also think 'Heaven-Defying' has a good meaning!" At this moment, to Ye Ming's utter surprise, Fang Junxue agreed with Nangong Qianyu's suggestion.
"Ah! Jun... Junxue, are you serious?" Ye Ming doubted if he had heard correctly. Knowing Fang Junxue, a name like "Heaven-Defying Alliance" should not be within her aesthetic preferences.
"Of course, I'm serious!" Fang Junxue said with a light smile.
"This..." Ye Ming's eyes widened, and his mind felt a bit muddled. He then turned to Luo Li Ya, who was sitting on the throne, and cast a pleading glance. He certainly didn't want the alliance he created to be called the Heaven-Defying Alliance. But unexpectedly, Luo Li Ya also seemed quite interested in that name.
"I also think it's quite good!" she said with a smile, not appearing to be joking.
"???" Ye Ming was completely bewildered.
"Hahaha! It seems a few of the sisters-in-law are all imposing individuals, true heroines!" Feng Wuji burst into laughter. "To defy heaven, we shall act against heaven!" The others present, hearing this, all averted their gaze, not daring to look at him. It was too chuunibyo. Zuo Fengliu and Ruo Ying also wore wry smiles. Regarding this name, they truly felt... well! No comment!
"Alright!" Luo Li Ya continued, "Junxue just said that 'Heaven-Defying' has a good meaning, but it doesn't necessarily have to be named 'Heaven-Defying Alliance'." Phew! With these words, Ye Ming and the others finally breathed a sigh of relief. Ye Ming looked at Fang Junxue and asked seriously, "Tell us your thoughts."
Fang Junxue smiled gracefully and said, "What we are doing is indeed an act of defying heaven. This conviction is the core of our alliance. Therefore, I propose that our alliance, like the Temple of Destiny, be named..." She looked at everyone and said gravely, "The Alliance of Destiny."
Destiny! As soon as these words were spoken, the entire hall fell silent. Everyone's hearts trembled upon hearing this name and they looked at Ye Ming. They had all gathered here, all because of him. Was this not a form of destiny? It carried both the meaning of defying heaven and the will of fate.
"I agree!" Li Zhirou raised her hand.
"I agree too!"
"Agree!"
A few seconds later, everyone raised their hands. Thus! The Alliance of Destiny! Was officially established!