Chapter 179: Chapter 180: Training in the Earth Palace

In terms of physique, the Giant Spirit Clan possessed Innate Spiritual Bodies, making them far stronger than other races.

However, when it came to reproduction, they found it extremely difficult. It was as if they were envied by the heavens, bound by some unseen shackles that prevented their population from ever exceeding three thousand!

Of course, though their numbers were small, every single one of them was incomparably formidable!

Even their "children," like Pann Lin, possessed strength comparable to the True Essence Fifth and Sixth Layers. They were terrifying, and in the entire Endless Wilderness, almost no faction dared to provoke them!

BUZZ!

「Three days later.」

A special flute-like whistle echoed from within the Giant Spirit Clan’s territory. The sound tore through the heavens, traveling far and wide!

It could be heard for thousands of miles in every direction!

Instantly, majestic giants walked out from palaces hundreds of feet high. They looked up to the east, their gazes filled with extraordinary excitement!

It was the Giant Spirit Flute, which only sounded on the day of the Priest’s return. This meant that after a thousand years, a Priest had finally returned to the Giant Spirit Clan!

The Giant Spirit Priest was the guiding light of their clan, destined to lead them to glory!

"Damn these shackles! Our Priest has returned! You can’t stop our clan’s rise!"

Heaven-shaking roars, filled with fury and indignation, erupted from the members of the Giant Spirit Clan!

BOOM!

BOOM!

To the east, the Giant Spirit Hall towered into the clouds, standing a full thousand feet tall!

The Giant Spirit Hall was where the clan discussed important matters. It was far taller than any of the other palaces, resembling a massive castle when viewed from afar.

At this moment, giants were converging on the Giant Spirit Hall from all directions.

The interior of the Giant Spirit Hall was immense. Even as the giants stepped inside, it didn’t feel the least bit crowded, easily accommodating dozens of them!

Within fifteen minutes of the Giant Spirit Flute’s call, the Giant Spirit Hall was packed.

At the front of the hall stood two rows of giants, nine to a row. Most were elders, the most powerful beings in the Giant Spirit Clan. Each one was comparable to the Spiritual Spring Ninth Layer—a truly shocking sight!

Now, all of them were gazing toward the head of the hall.

Pann Cang sat solemnly upon a giant throne fashioned from Beast Bones. Beside him was another seat, one that looked utterly insignificant in comparison.

This was the seat of the Priest!

Ye Wushuang was currently sitting upon it. However, compared to the giants, he looked minuscule. An uninformed observer walking in might not have even noticed his presence!

And yet, not a single person in the hall looked down on him. Their gazes, when they fell upon Ye Wushuang, were filled with the utmost respect!

"Esteemed elders, I have gathered you all today to discuss the future of our clan. If you have any opinions, please voice them now!"

Pann Cang’s resonant voice echoed through the hall, the sound waves causing the very walls to tremble and hum.

Hearing this, a barefoot elder spoke up, "Clan Leader, now that the Priest has returned and the Earth Palace has been opened, our Giant Spirit Warriors are ready. It is time for our clan to emerge into the world!"

"That’s right!" A brown-haired elder also stepped forward. "The shackles are still upon us. If we don’t fight for our future, I fear our clan is doomed to extinction!"

At the mention of the shackles, all the Giant Spirit elders fell silent.

Those mysterious shackles made reproduction difficult for the Giant Spirit Clan. Their population was dwindling, and they were on the verge of extinction!

And despite their formidable Combat Power, they were powerless to stop it!

That was why they were so ecstatic when the prophecy left by the previous Priest came true—when the Priest foretold to lead their resurgence finally appeared. It was why they revered Ye Wushuang as a god!

Hearing the discussion, Pann Cang fell silent for a moment before turning to look at Ye Wushuang.

Ye Wushuang was sitting calmly, his expression serene, listening to the discussion.

He didn’t speak, however. Instead, he was muttering to himself. ’It seems this group has placed all their hopes for the Giant Spirit Clan’s rise on me!’

The thought weighed heavily on him. He had initially acknowledged his identity as the Priest simply to find an opportunity to leave. Who would have thought that he actually *was* the so-called Priest, and that the previous one even seemed to have some connection to him?

It seemed that whether he wanted to or not, he had to accept this identity.

"Lord Priest, what are your thoughts?" Pann Cang suddenly asked, turning his head and interrupting Ye Wushuang’s contemplation.

The question brought Ye Wushuang back to the present. He didn’t answer immediately, taking a moment to think.

"Kid, this Priest gig isn’t half bad," the Dragon Cat suddenly chimed in. "With it, you’ll have the whole Giant Spirit Clan backing you. GAGAGA! Then if anyone dares to mess with you, you can just lead this army of meatheads to wipe them out!"

’Backing?’

Ye Wushuang thought to himself. The incident at the Demon Abyss had taught him just how important it was to have a powerful faction behind him.

The Dragon Cat had a point. If he had his own faction, he wouldn’t have to fight all his battles alone. It would offer a measure of security on the path ahead.

Suddenly, it was as if something clicked for Ye Wushuang.

"Oh, right, kid," the Dragon Cat added suddenly. "The Giant Spirit Clan has an Ancestral Land. Lord Cat just paid it a visit, and it’s pretty nice. You should check it out. You might be able to boost your strength quite a bit!"

Hearing this, the corner of Ye Wushuang’s mouth twitched.

The Ancestral Land was the final resting place for a clan’s powerful experts—in other words, their ancestral tomb.

And this little rascal had actually snuck into someone else’s tomb without anyone noticing. If the Giant Spirit Clan found out, they would surely kill him.

Worse, the little rascal was now egging him on to go too, leaving Ye Wushuang utterly speechless. He ignored the Dragon Cat, letting his gaze sweep over the elders below before turning back to Pann Cang. "Clan Leader," he asked, "can you tell me about the Earth Palace?" 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

Pann Cang nodded. "The Earth Palace is, in truth, a world of its own. According to our clan’s Ancient Texts, it has existed since before the Ancient Times. Legend says a Great Saint used a Heaven-Defying Divine Technique to shatter a corner of the Grand Emperor Domain, sealing it beneath the Endless Wilderness to serve as a training ground for future generations. That is why we call it the Earth Palace."

"A Great Saint?"

Ye Wushuang was inwardly astonished. ’What kind of existence could shatter a corner of the Grand Emperor Domain? That’s terrifying. Could it be an expert above the Nirvana Realm?’

Ye Wushuang wondered, continuing to listen.

Pann Cang continued, "The Earth Palace is very mysterious. It only opens once every three hundred years. Otherwise, even a Nirvana Realm expert would be unable to detect a trace of it and would have to wait for the next opening. As a training ground, it is filled with countless dangers. It is home not only to Demon Beasts and Barbaric Beasts of all levels but also Desolate Alien Species and Undying Creatures. Of course, it also holds many natural wonders and Divine Weapons and Treasures that Cultivators covet. Once it opens, the younger generation from the various factions in the Endless Wilderness will pour inside to compete for resources!"

"A training ground?"

Ye Wushuang listened, his mind racing.

’Looks like I have to go!’

’If I want to cultivate the Giant Spirit Dao Skill, I have to obtain Giant Spirit True Blood, and that can only be found in the Earth Palace. Plus, the Demon God Statue is also connected to it. I should also go and check out that secret Treasure-Seeking Rat Grandpa mentioned.’

’Besides, my sister and the others will probably be heading there too. I might even run into them!’