Chapter 217

Chapter 217: The Fundamental Reason for the War of the Saints

The fame of God King Taiyi was immense. Like the current greatest saint of the vast world, Zhan Tianque, he was destined to leave behind a stunning legend.

Even thinking about his life and death felt dangerous.

Zhang Yang felt the same way.

He looked down on the saints, but that was merely his confidence in the future—it wasn’t something he could act upon now.

"There’s no need to be afraid. This place is bound by space and time, rendering its inhabitants like statues. As long as you don’t touch them, they will remain in a state of ignorance forever," Shui Lianyi stated.

Zhang Yang asked, "Really?"

Shui Lianyi frowned. How could he doubt a dignified saint so much?

"If that weren’t true, would I let you go down? If you couldn’t come back, how would I know what’s inside?" Shui Lianyi replied irritably. "If I could learn everything just by sending someone to die, why would I need to ask you?"

"In the end, I must emphasize one thing: I am a saint. Is it necessary for me to deceive you?"

Zhang Yang reflected on her words and realized she had a point.

He steadied his mind but couldn’t help having more questions—things he needed to clarify.

"Before I go, may I ask the goddess two questions?"

Shui Lianyi crossed her arms and looked at him sideways. This little man didn’t take her status as one of the strongest saints seriously. It was quite displeasing, but considering they had barely spoken in a thousand years, she reluctantly nodded, indulging in a conversation.

Zhang Yang asked, "A thousand years ago, it was said that God King Taiyi was regarded by some as the number one saint in the world. At that time, the Soaring Saint, along with you and others, were not inferior to him. So why does the goddess say so directly that God King Taiyi was the strongest person in the vast world a thousand years ago?"

Shui Lianyi replied calmly, "Although I do not fall short of any saint and am the first goddess, I am indeed slightly inferior to God King Taiyi. This was my realization after the War of the Saints. Perhaps if I were to battle him, regardless of life or death, I could take him down with me. However, in a proper contest, I would not be his match."

Zhang Yang was taken aback. Shui Lianyi was surprisingly frank. Was she broad-minded, or was God King Taiyi truly so powerful that even his enemies acknowledged his strength?

He pondered deeply.

So, God King Taiyi really had been the strongest saint a thousand years ago.

What if he was still alive?

A thousand years had passed, and now a new number one saint, Zhan Tianque, had emerged.

This truly was a great era!

"After a thousand years, does the goddess still lack confidence in surpassing him?" Zhang Yang asked.

Shui Lianyi smiled faintly. "Times have changed; we would have to fight to know who is stronger or weaker. My thousand years of seclusion have been part of an extraordinary transformation. If God King Taiyi is still alive, I firmly believe he has grown even stronger. If he walks out of this place, he might even touch the edge of immortality. So in this era, there will be unprecedented and extraordinary changes beyond your imagination."

She seemed to open up, reflecting, "From my observations of Ghost King Youye’s strength, he could already contend with me from a thousand years ago. And then there are those you call Chi Zhenyi, Zhan Tianque, Lu Changkong, and others. Moreover, with our return from a thousand years ago, after Eternal Night, there has never been such an extraordinary era recorded."

"You, comprehending holy power martial arts techniques in the Ascending to Heaven realm, possessing Holy Might."

"Yaoruoxian, unprecedentedly creating Saints’ laws in the Ascending to Heaven realm."

"The Seventh Prince, bearing the aura of immortality, as if an immortal resides within him."

"Ye Kuanglan, after breaking the shackles of the sword path, already has a pure Yang essence, reminiscent of the sword path’s transformation into immortality recorded in ancient texts before Eternal Night."

"Bai He, Yuluan, and others—all show extraordinary potential, talents, and future achievements that could likely rival ours. And all of you were born in the Southern Region."

"If the Southern Region is like this, then what about the Western Desert, the Eastern Domain, the Northern Plains, and the Central States? This unprecedented phenomenon is unheard of."

As she spoke, she looked up at the sky and murmured to herself, "In this great era, perhaps the mystery of Eternal Night will finally be revealed."

Zhang Yang sighed inwardly. This goddess was truly exceptional; in such a short time, she had already grasped the entire situation of the Daybreak Phoenix Luan.

When the mystery of Eternal Night was mentioned, he suddenly thought of his Ascending to Heaven calamity, where the final strike among the nine tribulations had been a ten-thousand-meter Ghost King turning into a heavenly tribulation to kill him.

He pondered for a moment and said, "I suspect the mystery of Eternal Night is related to the Ghostly Divine Platform."

"Oh?"

Shui Lianyi looked intrigued.

Zhang Yang shook his head and added, "I cannot say more."

He kept it brief—not intentionally, but to protect himself as much as possible.

If others knew that the ten-thousand-meter Ghost King had transformed into a heavenly tribulation to kill him, he would undoubtedly be suspected.

In the eyes of others, it seemed as if everyone was walking the immortal path. But in reality, only he was truly walking the complete immortal path. Of course, the Seventh Prince might also be included in this, so both of them were tacitly covering for each other. Exposing one would inevitably bring strong suspicion upon the other.

He had merely hinted at it, hoping Shui Lianyi would pay attention. Perhaps her strength could uncover something.

"You little one, you actually hide such secrets," Shui Lianyi said, looking at him with newfound respect.

Zhang Yang smiled. "Do you trust what I say, goddess?"

Shui Lianyi shook her head.

Zhang Yang was speechless—this goddess!

He decided to shift to the second question, one that had always puzzled him.

"Goddess, could you tell me what caused the War of the Saints a thousand years ago?"

"I don’t believe it was just because of the Daybreak Phoenix Luan tribe that so many saints were drawn into the conflict—saints falling like rain, the entire landscape of the vast world changing, a pervasive sense of insecurity, and the downfall of countless holy places."

This was a deeply suspicious question.

Shui Lianyi replied, "You’re not suited to know that yet."

Zhang Yang paused for a moment and muttered, "Then it doesn’t seem suited for me to check whether God King Taiyi is alive or dead either."

"Are you threatening me?" Shui Lianyi laughed in exasperation. This little one was quite bold.

Zhang Yang countered, "I just want to know the reason. If there’s a greater cause behind it, I’m willing to bear the burden."

Shui Lianyi smiled. "Do you understand the consequences of threatening me?"

"What consequences? I’m the only one who can go in. Or does the goddess intend to find the Seventh Prince? Or Yaoruoxian?" Zhang Yang asked.

"It can only be you!" Shui Lianyi insisted.

Zhang Yang straightened his back. "If it can only be me, shouldn’t I at least have the right to some answers?"

Shui Lianyi stared at him, her Holy Might surging like an invisible storm. "Provoking me has serious consequences."

"I don’t believe the goddess would lower herself to squabble with a junior like me. Besides, the questions I’m asking aren’t secrets meant to be buried forever, are they? If you refuse to say, the other saints who survive will certainly reveal the truth," Zhang Yang argued, standing his ground.

Shui Lianyi’s gaze flickered as she studied him. This junior possessed an unusual quality—an unshakable fearlessness, as if, deep in his soul, he lacked the very concept of revering saints.

It reminded her of something Zhang Yang had once said:

Saints are human!

Reflecting on it now struck a chord within her, evoking a faint impulse to reconsider her own path as a saint.

Soon, she realized Zhang Yang was secretly observing her reaction, which made her chuckle inwardly—after all, he was still a junior.

"Alright," Shui Lianyi said. "You’re right. There’s no point in keeping it hidden. Among the major holy places, there must already be records about the secrets of the Daybreak Phoenix Ruins. Telling you now only means you’ll learn a little ahead of time."

She paused slightly before revealing a truth that made Zhang Yang’s eyes widen in shock.