The Zhenren Empire.....

The Holy Illumination Empire Sect and Infernal Dusk Empire Sect, the two Empire Sects had existed for tens and thousands of year with a history going back far before the Zhenren Empire. 

One practised the Art of being Virtuous and Righteous, to follow a Path left by those of Wise Sages, Devas, Buddhas, Gods, Deities, Immortals, Celestials, Divine Entities and the alike. 

The other practised the Art of being Wickedness and Sinful, to follow a Path left by those of Malicious Priests, Asuras, Era Fiends, True Ghosts, Everlasting Creations, Demons and the alike. 

By following such a path, one's power would increase as they would draw upon power from the Heavens or Hells which would allow for them to not just be stronger at the same cultivation stage as cultivators that didn't follow a path, they would also progress quicker.

The Zhenren Empire had existed for a mere few thousand years and was only somewhat older than Yuan Zen and it followed no Path, but what had made it so powerful?

Capable of suppressing both the Holy Illumination and Infernal Dusk Empire Sect, perhaps Yuan Zen wasn't the greatest under the Heavens, but on the Black Serpent Continent, both the Infernal Court Judge and Holy Assembly Master had to admit their inferiority. 

Why was the Zhenren Empire so strong? The ability to overturn any force except for the two other Empires, they were considered invincible.

Their secret was how eccentric they were! They unlike the Holy Illumination and Infernal Dusk Empire Sect had hundreds of different cultivation Arts and Methods, the Zhenren Council, had members that whilst weren't at a high level of Transition with Nine of the Twelve being at the early levels of Transition.

However even the weakest of the Council, the one that was fatigued by the strange pressure, but if he was to face someone at the Peak Third or False Fourth Transition, the latter would be defeated with a mere flick of the wrist. 

The difference between the First and Third Transition, was a great gap, Yuan Li was, of course, a special exception with his incredible speed. The difference between the First and Pseudo Fourth Transition was even greater. 

A Pseudo Fourth Transition Cultivator was the same as virtually any Pseudo Cultivator, they had limited life and would die soon, but near death, it wouldn't be rare for them to reach a type of Enlightenment as they were walking on the very edge of life and death.

There were even Legends of a Pseudo Seventh Transition Cultivator who was once a Genius that was reputed to become an Enlightenment Cultivator but failed miserably on the last step. 

He lost Enlightenment of the Heavens, but he gained something else, he gained Enlightenment of Life and Death by walking constantly day and day through it without a care in his life. 

By this, he bypassed the Pseudo Stage and became an Enlightenment Cultivator and ruled an entire Era before ascending to the Upper Realms. 

Of course even the strongest of the Council, Yuan Zen couldn't do this and it was unlikely that anyone would ever do so.

Whilst crossing the gap between the First Transition and Pseudo Fourth Transition seemed trivial in comparison, it was still without a doubt incredible. 

The weakest member of the Council could cross from the First Transition to the Pseudo Fourth Transition, except for the Council themselves, no one knew of such facts.

Whilst the Holy Illumination and Infernal Dusk Empire Sect had their own hidden experts, if they heard that the Council had such people, perhaps they would have already surrendered to the Zhenren Empire.

As for the other eight of the Nine that was either at the First or Second Transition, they were all comparable to the Fourth Transition and those at the Second Transition were comparable to the Fifth Transition. 

But what would make the Holy Illumination and Infernal Dusk Empire Sect truly feel frightened would be that Zhenren Ling the Ancestor of the Zhenren Empire that always lived in the shadow of Yuan Zen, wasn't actually that much weaker than the latter.

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If Zhenren Ling himself, was to say that he was the second strongest on the continent, just below Yuan Zen, then it wouldn't be hubris from the former or crazy talk. If the Holy Assembly Master or Infernal Court Judge challenge the former, they would make likely make the biggest mistake they could make.

Living in the shadow of Yuan Zen, Zhenren Ling managed to live a life without much publicity or fame as most of the things he had done were already accomplished by the former. 

He lived a simple life when he wasn't at the Council and lived as a scholar and by living as such managed to touch upon Enlightenment before even Yuan Zen which meant that if he reached the Seventh Transition, he would have a high chance of reaching True Enlightenment, unlike Yuan Zen who had a minimal chance.

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But even without the Council, they had hidden experts, naturally, they were below the Council, but they created their own organisation called "Ten Arts and Methods, One Thousand Masters, Hundred Thousand Students". 

(NOTE: Arts and Methods are different!, Arts are something that can be used in any level and method is a way to cultivate, most methods will be the same, but as they progress will have more and more distinct features)

The top ten Cultivation Arts and Methods were recorded and each had their respective Masters, there were actually more than just ten, but only the top ten could truly be worth thought of, the Solant Patriarch practiced the SolarFire Art which was an ancient art of controlling flames.

The SolarFire Art was ranked at the Tenth greatest Cultivation Art, and this included those of the Infernal Dusk and Holy Illumination Empire Sect.

Those who had mastered it would be capable of drawing fire from the Sun and using it to their own, obviously the Solant Patriarch wasn't the strongest as he was only at the Emergent Stage, but he wasn't too far and was ranked as the Seventh Greatest Master of the Art. 

As for the Method that the Solant Patriarch used, it was the Solace Method, it was virtually the same as any other method, except that cultivation would go on more smoothly and easier if one had a virtuous heart and helped others.

Obviously, Methods were more prized than arts, this meant that there were fewer methods, but regardless, the Solace Method was only ranked at Twenty-Seventh. 

The organisation also kept a list called the "Masters, Lords, Kings and Emperors List" it was a list of if someone was in any of the five categories and each level of the list was quite self-explanatory and this helped the Zhenren Empire, roughly identify who was the strongest and helped to increase the fame of those on the list.

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Such an organisation secretly served the Council and were capable of overthrowing any force below the Three Empires, except for perhaps the Legendary Teng Kingdom.....

The Ten Arts and Methods Organisation combined with The Council, excluding Zhenren Ling and Yuan Zen, would have no trouble conquering any Kingdom except for the Teng Kingdom, however with Zhenren Ling and Yuan Zen, perhaps the dream of unifying the continent, wouldn't be a dream, but rather a goal to strive for.

As long as Zhenren Ling and Yuan Zen lived, then the Zhenren Empire would never fall, the loss of the Council or The Ten Arts and Methods Organisation may prove somewhat detrimental, but it was only a small loss compared to Zhenren Ling or Yuan Zen. 

If the Zhenren Empire was so strong, then why didn't they act? It was because they themselves also feared the Holy Illumination and Infernal Dusk Empire Sect. 

The Holy Illumination Empire Sect had the Incredible ability to call down Divine Judgements and Striking down foes from thousands of miles away with Forgotten Arts.

The Infernal Dusk Empire Sect had the Ancient ability to transform into Demons and reviving Archaic Demons long dead or faded to dust. 

If one where to say, that there was a war which happened between all three Empires, then there would likely be no victor, whilst the offensive power of the Holy Illumination and Infernal Dusk Empire Sect weren't as powerful, they had formation and an ancient heritage which allowed for them to at the very least make sure that their own Headquarters wouldn't be destroyed.

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Other than Yan Mo, there was also a genius known as Wu Lin, who came from the Holy Illumination Empire Sect, Wu Lin was told by his Master to be on good terms with Yan Mo and make sure he doesn't in life-threatening danger. 

He felt quite bored, he was waiting for a moment to talk with Yan Mo and become friends with him, but he felt as if there was someone who was looking down on him and in any moment could crush him. 

It wasn't a senior cultivator, but rather the girl, he felt a sense of reverence when he was near Yan Mo and thus let himself be suppressed, but he was actually suppressed by the girl, if she was at a higher cultivation, then it would be normal.

But he was an Emergent Cultivator of the Early Emergence (Early Emergent Cultivator), surprisingly the girl was a Spirit Master of the Late Foundation, however most surprising was that the girl was younger.

This wasn't suppression because of a difference in talent, it was suppression of power, Wu Lin felt that if he was to face the girl, he would lose within three moves....