Southern Desolation Immortal Domain, Divine Maiden Sect.
As the foremost power of the Southern Desolation Immortal Domain, the sect was home to nothing but women, from its sect master down to its lowest disciple. And yet, the Divine Maiden Sect’s overall strength was not much inferior to the Heavenly One Immortal Sect of the Eastern Divine Immortal Domain.
Its sect master, Yun Lan, known as the “Yunshang Divine Maiden,” stood alongside the Heavenly One Immortal Sect’s Empress Qingning on the Desolate Ancient Continent, and together they were hailed as the “Peerless Twin Beauties.”
On this day, in the main hall atop Divine Maiden Peak, Yun Lan, who had always been a picture of composure through both honor and disgrace, clenched her pink fists, her expression dark.
The atmosphere in the entire hall turned suffocating as a result.
“Jiang Wuhen! That ignorant brat is truly courting death! Not only has he detained the first elder of my Divine Maiden Sect, he even demands that This Sect Master pay a ransom in person!”
“Hmph! He simply does not take my Divine Maiden Sect seriously!”
Yun Lan swept her jade hand and slammed her palm onto the white jade desk before her.
Boom!
The desk shattered into dust in an instant.
Everyone present was a senior figure of the Divine Maiden Sect. At the sight, they all exchanged glances, silent as cicadas in winter.
Relations between the Heavenly One Immortal Sect and the Divine Maiden Sect had never been close, but both were giants of their respective immortal domains, bellwether forces in every sense. Now that the immortal domains avoided war to coexist in peace, both sides had maintained a civil face.
But this time, the Heavenly One Immortal Sect had not only shown no courtesy, it had ground the Divine Maiden Sect’s dignity into the dirt and rubbed it around for good measure!
For the dignified sect master of the Divine Maiden Sect to obey a junior like Jiang Wuhen and pay to ransom her own people would undoubtedly invite the ridicule of every powerhouse on the Desolate Ancient Continent.
Everyone knew that much.
The problem was, if they didn’t go, the two sides couldn’t remain at this standoff forever.
Their own first elder was being held captive, and the sect master did nothing about it. That would only make it look as though the Divine Maiden Sect feared the Heavenly One Immortal Sect.
Just as everyone was wavering, an aged yet resonant voice rang out from beyond the hall:
“I’m afraid this matter is not as simple as it appears on the surface.”
With those words, an old woman led a gentle, elegant young woman in purple into the hall at a measured pace.
In an instant, everyone rose in deep respect.
“Greetings, Supreme Elder!”
They said in unison.
This old woman was none other than sect master Yun Lan’s own Shizun, the Divine Maiden Sect’s supreme elder, Venerable Qingyun.
And the young woman in purple at her side, though young in years, was of the same generation as Yun Lan.
The current Saintess of the Divine Maiden Sect, Venerable Qingyun’s youngest disciple, and sect master Yun Lan’s junior martial sister, Lin Ziyan.
“Shizun!”
Yun Lan rose and cupped her fists in greeting.
Venerable Qingyun nodded.
“Several days ago, the one in the Eastern Divine Immortal Domain who triggered a phenomenon unseen since time immemorial is none other than the disciple of the Heavenly One Immortal Sect’s Luo Qingning, Jiang Wuhen. His battle with that child Xiao Chen shook countless powerhouses.”
“That Jiang Wuhen bears not only the supreme bone, but in combat he revealed the potential of an ancient sage, the double pupils. If this trend continues, in a hundred years he will undoubtedly become the supreme of the Desolate Ancient Continent!”
Venerable Qingyun’s voice was calm, yet her tone carried immense gravity.
Hearing this, everyone exchanged glances.
Yun Lan narrowed her eyes.
“Shizun, you said earlier that things are not so simple. You mean…”
Venerable Qingyun let out a soft sigh.
“Powerful as Jiang Wuhen is, he remains a junior. Suppressing Fengxi would never have been possible without Luo Qingning’s approval. Even if Jiang Wuhen had the nerve, he wouldn’t have the ability.”
“Ultimately, the architect of this affair is not Jiang Wuhen. It is… Luo Qingning!”
“This may well be a probe directed at our Divine Maiden Sect.”
Venerable Qingyun said gravely.
“A probe?”
Yun Lan’s brow furrowed.
“Precisely. She is testing the limits of our Divine Maiden Sect, and she wants to use this opportunity to suppress us!”
“From there, she’ll pave a road to supremacy for her disciple.”
“And we… are nothing but stepping stones for Jiang Wuhen’s ascent to supremacy…”
Venerable Qingyun stated bluntly.
At these words, anger flickered across Yun Lan’s face.
“What! Luo Qingning dares look down on us so!”
“Shizun, must we simply swallow this bitter pill?”
Yun Lan said with a frown.
Venerable Qingyun shook her head.
“As the saying goes, the one who tied the bell must untie it. Since Luo Qingning wants to use this to establish her disciple’s might… then we shall strike at that very point and make her lose more than she gains!”
As she spoke, her gaze fell on Lin Ziyan beside her.
Yun Lan noticed and narrowed her eyes.
“Shizun, you don’t mean to…”
Venerable Qingyun gave a subtle nod.
“During her seclusion, Ziyan comprehended the Azure Nether Sword Emperor’s 《Primordial Sword Canon》 and refined the ‘chaos sword soul stone’ that has been hidden in our Divine Maiden Sect for tens of thousands of years. A ‘sword soul’ has already been born within her. Right now, across the Desolate Ancient Continent, there is scarcely anyone of her age who can stand against her.”
“That Jiang Wuhen defeated Xiao Chen three days ago, yes, but only after a grueling fight. His strength likely isn’t much greater than Xiao Chen’s, whereas Ziyan’s power now far surpasses Xiao Chen’s.”
“This time, Ziyan will go with you and meet this Jiang Wuhen under the guise of a friendly exchange.”
“Remember, before the battle begins, you must build up enough fanfare that Jiang Wuhen’s defeat… will be known to one and all!”
“Only then will everything Luo Qingning has done for her disciple instead become the making of Ziyan, the making of our Divine Maiden Sect!”
With that, Venerable Qingyun turned to Lin Ziyan and smiled serenely.
“Ziyan, are you confident?”
Lin Ziyan lightly pressed her red lips together.
“Shizun places such great expectations on me. If that Jiang Wuhen truly possesses only the strength he displayed several days ago, this disciple is fully confident in defeating him. However, should he harbor hidden methods, this disciple fears… the outcome may shift.”
Venerable Qingyun chuckled softly.
“Neither arrogant nor hasty, and you don’t underestimate your opponent. A fine thing.”
“To ensure not a single misstep… this master will bestow upon you one more gift!”
She turned to Yun Lan.
“For the next few days, build up all the fanfare you can. When Ziyan has mastered this gift, that will be the day Jiang Wuhen… falls utterly!”
…
Eastern Divine Immortal Domain, Heavenly One Immortal Sect.
Jiang Wuhen received word that the news of Fengxi and the others had reached the Divine Maiden Sect, causing quite a stir there.
Sect master Yun Lan took the matter very seriously, and in her reply to Luo Qingning, she stated plainly that she would come in person.
Yet for the Divine Maiden Sect, this was hardly a glorious affair. Even if Yun Lan was forced to come, she should have kept things as low-key as possible. Their behavior, however, was the exact opposite.
An uncharacteristically ostentatious display, as though they were afraid people wouldn’t notice.
Moreover, after Yun Lan’s response, there was no follow-up whatsoever.
All thunder and no rain, as they say.
“What on earth is the Divine Maiden Sect playing at…”
Jiang Wuhen muttered to himself, unable to see through it.
Still, he didn’t dwell on it.
Affairs between the higher-ups were the sect’s powerhouses’ responsibility. No matter how much he thought about it, it would only be needless worry.
By contrast, he cared far more about his own strength.
At his last meeting with Xiao Chen, he had fleeced nearly a hundred and seventy thousand villain points in one go.
He first spent fifty thousand villain points to advance the nine revolutions emperor devil art to its third revolution.
Then he spent another hundred thousand to comprehend the invincible double pupils’ skill, endless vitality.
This skill could release life essence to reinforce the body, rapidly healing injuries and keeping one’s condition at its peak at all times.
Jiang Wuhen felt out his own state and nodded in satisfaction.
“Good. Very good!”
“The emperor devil tyrant body is already incredibly resilient, its flesh and blood rivaling a primordial fierce beast. Add the endless vitality skill on top, and in battle, even if the opponent’s strength far exceeds my own, as long as they can’t kill me in a single strike, I can outlast them and grind them down through attrition!”
As for offensive and killing techniques…
No rush to exchange for those just yet.
After all, in battle, you had to guarantee survival first before you had any chance of dealing damage.
“Powering up feels great, but it burns through money fast.”
“The villain points I just earned haven’t even had time to warm my pockets, and there’s barely twenty thousand left…”
“For the next few days, I need to keep a close eye on Xiao Chen and find every opportunity to fleece him!”
Jiang Wuhen thought to himself.
Meanwhile, in a remote courtyard of the Heavenly One Immortal Sect…
A certain handsome lad felt an inexplicable tightness up his backside, and a sheen of cold sweat broke out behind him…
