All beings, whether on the sacred mountain or suppressed by Sun Xiaoshan, looked up at the figure emanating boundless power from the flying ship.
"A fine statement, to be an enemy to all beings in the world. It seems you were right. You must be the Western Wolf Cub, correct? Half a year ago, I sent word to the Holy Land through the Great Elder's daughter. Did your Holy Land not inform you all?"
Sun Xiaoshan spoke indifferently, not noticing the stunned disciples beside him. Even Fei Yu, whom Sun Xiaoshan favored most, was somewhat shaken.
How many humans were there? Billions, yet any single one of the other twelve races in the world had far more individuals, totaling at least a thousand times that of the human race! If each person spat once, it could form an ocean vast enough to drown humanity.
Below, the leaders of the major sects were greatly alarmed. Sun Xiaoshan's words were simple, in essence telling them they had all been sold out by the Holy Land without realizing it.
No wonder the Holy Land had advanced the Heavenly Venerate Ceremony by over a year. No wonder the Holy Land had requested a doubling of the number of attendees for the grand ceremony. And no wonder the sect masters of the Three Great Sects were on the Holy Land's roll call.
If Sun Xiaoshan's strength was inferior to their Heavenly Venerate, then Sun Xiaoshan would be the perfect candidate to put the major powers in their place, using him to quell the growing ambitions of the Three Great Sects.
Sun Xiaoshan ignored the millions of cultivators below, his gaze fixed on the peak of the sacred mountain.
"The Holy Land has been passed down through countless ages, yet its hospitality today seems… unfitting for the name 'Holy Land.' Where is the Holy Lord? Hao Tian? Is this the extent of his magnanimity?" Sun Xiaoshan's tone was filled with mockery.
Others might fear this Heavenly Venerate of the Holy Land, but in his eyes, he was merely a cultivator he could slaughter at will.
Holy hell!
Sun Xiaoshan's words struck the hearts of everyone present like a hammer blow, leaving them all trembling.
Hao Tian, the renowned Heavenly Venerate of the Holy Land!
Since his ascension to Heavenly Venerate, no one had dared to utter his name so directly. Even his contemporaries would bow and respectfully address him as 'Heavenly Venerate Hao Tian.' Yet here, a mere human from this remote region was not only being presumptuous in the Holy Land but was also directly demanding the Heavenly Venerate come out to greet him.
This…
Even the ferocious wolves seemed like docile lambs compared to him.
"Well said, the ultimate Heavenly Prodigy of Heaven and Earth. Barely twenty years of age, and you rose to the Heavenly Venerate realm in the desolate North Domain. I must say, young man, you are the most defying of heaven I have ever seen in this world."
An old man in plain clothes slowly descended from the summit of the sacred mountain. The boundless space beneath his feet felt as solid as the ground, providing a stable footing. Three faint glows emanated from him, making him appear like a saint from afar.
With the old man's appearance, all the pressure Sun Xiaoshan had exerted below vanished without a trace. It felt as if Heavenly Venerate Hao Tian had come to their rescue. Only those above the Mahayana realm realized that it wasn't Heavenly Venerate Hao Tian's intervention, but that the human had voluntarily dispersed his power.
But at this moment, they could no longer concern themselves with such details; they were stunned by Heavenly Venerate Hao Tian's words.
Not only them, but all the cultivators on the sacred mountain were more than just trembling upon hearing the Heavenly Venerate's words.
From the overwhelming pressure that had rendered the three sect masters, all at the peak of Mahayana, immobile, they knew the human before them was undoubtedly a Heavenly Venerate. Now that Heavenly Venerate Hao Tian had confirmed it, they found some solace, but they never imagined that this human Heavenly Venerate, who had suppressed everyone, was a mere twenty-year-old youth!
What the…
Everyone roared inwardly.
Those present who could attend the Heavenly Venerate Ceremony were almost all the talents from their respective sects.
But at twenty years old, what were they doing? The vast majority were still struggling in the outer sects of their denominations. Those who could enter the inner sects were considered absolute prodigies, destined for at least the status of true disciples.
Dozens of divine senses instantly swept over from all directions, attempting to verify Sun Xiaoshan's true bone age, as appearance could deceive, but bone age was absolute.
They could no longer imagine how terrifying the future achievements of someone who reached the Heavenly Venerate realm at twenty would be. At the very least, the peak of Heavenly Venerate would not be his limit! For he would still have ample lifespan to explore realms beyond Heavenly Venerate.
And what about them, those in the Mahayana realm? Let alone others, even the geniuses at the peak of Mahayana from the Three Great Sects and the Holy Land's sect masters had remained at the peak of Mahayana for over three thousand years. Even with Hao Tian, who knew of the Mahayana realm in the Holy Land, they were still unable to break through the barrier between Mahayana and Heavenly Venerate.
The difference between Mahayana and Heavenly Venerate could thus be imagined.
"As expected of a peak Heavenly Venerate, you saw through me with just a glance. Now, old man, will you offer your head yourself, or shall I come and take it?"
Sun Xiaoshan's words were like a gentle breeze in winter, sweeping across everyone's hearts. Those belonging to the forces of the Three Great Sects below almost wept when Sun Xiaoshan spoke these words.
What sin had they committed to fight so hard for a spot at the Heavenly Venerate Ceremony? And now? They had nearly exhausted their true essence just to withstand the human's pressure. If these two Heavenly Venerates were to fight, those cultivators below the True Man realm would likely be annihilated without a trace.
"Human, this world is vast. You and I belong to the same world; there is no need to fight to the death for it. Logically speaking, we should unite. Perhaps when you break through to peak Heavenly Venerate, you will understand." Heavenly Venerate Hao Tian looked up at the boundless expanse of the sky, his eyes filled with a touch of melancholy.
"Ridiculous. You think this world is big enough to accommodate you and me? But in my eyes, this world is too small, so small that it cannot contain any specks of dust."
Sun Xiaoshan looked at Hao Tian, surprised that this old man had touched upon the barrier beyond Heavenly Venerate, even sensing other planets and worlds. It was a pity that due to his age, his current lifespan and talent would no longer support him in reaching the ethereal heights of the Heavenly Venerate worlds.
At this moment, everyone was utterly bewildered by their conversation. A powerful cultivator at the peak Heavenly Venerate realm stated the world was vast, while a newly ascended Heavenly Venerate claimed the world was too small, too small? This…
"Hao Tian, this world can only belong to my human race, including that world in your mind, and even hundreds, thousands, or tens of thousands of such worlds will bow at your feet in the near future! As for you?"
Sun Xiaoshan spoke no further. His entire aura surged at that moment, becoming immeasurably more powerful than before.