NOVEL NEXT Chapter 223: A Whirlwind of Chaos
Chapter 223: A Whirlwind of Chaos
“He’s radiating divine light—it’s Xu Lian!”
“He has already defected from the Heavenly Mystic Sacred Land. How dare he come back here?”
As expected, the moment Xu Lian appeared, he immediately drew the attention of the disciples coming and going on the stone steps, causing a stir.
Xu Lian paid no attention to the idle chatter. He knew that the old Sovereign atop the Thirty-Three Heavens would surely sense his presence. He cupped his hands and bowed in the direction of the Thirty-Three Heavens, saying, “Esteemed Sovereign, your disciple Xu Lian wishes to return to the Heavenly Mystic Sacred Land.”
Soon, a hoarse voice echoed from the Thirty-Three Heavens, “Granted.”
With permission granted, Xu Lian immediately activated his movement technique, ascending the steps and entering the small world of the Heavenly Mystic Sacred Land.
His first stop was the registration office for new disciples.
The middle-aged manager greeted him with a bright smile, “Junior Brother Xu, welcome home.”
“…” Xu Lian replied, “Just now, the Sovereign granted my request. The entire Heavenly Mystic Sacred Land must have heard it. Please register me.”
The manager chuckled, “There is no need to register. Your name has always remained in the records. You have never been removed.”
Xu Lian thought for a moment and understood. As he had been told, the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands did not want to sever ties with him. As the highest achiever of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands in this era, a “Divine Law Posessor”, how could they give up on him? After all, the divine laws of the divine kingdom were still embedded in him.
“Very well.”
Xu Lian gave a slight bow and took his leave.
Returning to his residence on the World Tree, he found that the “territory” he had claimed was still intact. The five houses were still empty, untouched by others.
He quickly realized why – the entire Heavenly Mystic Sacred Land now knew who was “protecting” him. The Goddess of Time, his senior sister, the highest achiever of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands, even the old Sovereign had openly admitted that he was no match for her. Who would dare to touch his property? Did they have a death wish?
As Xu Lian stepped out of his residence, intending to report to the Sequence Hall, his vision suddenly blurred and his surroundings twisted and shifted. The world was spinning around him.
Damn it… Xu Lian hated this feeling of being tossed around by powerful beings. It made him feel like an ant, easily picked up and moved at the whim of a giant. This feeling of helplessness and lack of control was something no one would enjoy.
Of course, unless he willingly allowed it, like when he had asked his senior sister to send him here earlier… that had been quite convenient.
Xu Lian found himself standing on a bloodstained arena. He glanced around and recognized it as the second layer of the small world, a place where top sequence geniuses trained.
A man in a black robe, his face obscured, stood on the arena a few feet away from him. There was no doubt – this was the Holy Master of the Heavenly Mystic Sacred Land.
Xu Lian coldly asked, “What do you want now? Are your injuries from the last time healed?”
“…” The Holy Master calmly replied, “Young man, there’s no need to be so aggressive. I bear you no ill will. Last time, I was merely following the Sovereign’s orders. I didn’t mean to harm you.
Think about it-with the Goddess of Time protecting you, I wouldn’t dare lay a finger on you without the Sovereign’s command.”
Xu Lian knew that he couldn’t blame the man, so he softened his tone, “Then why have you brought me here this time?”
The holy master said, “It’s nothing important. I just wanted to apologize, to clear up any misunderstandings you might have, so that you don’t think I’m out to get you.”
Xu Lian nodded, “All right, I accept your apology. But shouldn’t you show some sincerity?”
The Holy Master was speechless for a moment. After a moment of thought, he said, “I’ve noticed that you’re always surrounded by beauties. It seems that you have a fondness for them. My daughter is a first sequence genius. How about if I introduce her to you?”
He’s selling out his own daughter? Xu Lian was stunned for a moment before realizing the Holy Master’s true intention – he wanted to forge a connection with his senior sister. “Forget it. I like beauties, but I prefer those with genuine feelings. How about giving me something more tangible instead?”
The Holy Master, speaking from experience, said, “Feelings can be cultivated with time.”
Xu Lian refused, “One hundred billion Spirit Stones.”
Seeing Xu Lian’s firm stance, the Holy Master didn’t push any further. He casually took out a spatial bag and tossed it to Xu Lian, “There’s about a hundred billion in there. I didn’t count, but it’s definitely not less than a hundred billion,”
Xu Lian was surprised at how easily the Holy Master agreed. He realized that he might have asked for too little, but since the words were already out, he didn’t push his luck any further.
The scenery shifted again and the world spun around him.
Xu Lian found himself standing at the entrance of his residence. He put the bag of space away, satisfied with his considerable profit. His net worth had now risen to 42.9 billion Spirit Stones.
As he made his way to the Sequence Hall, the world spun around him once more… This time, he was utterly baffled and had the urge to curse.
When his vision cleared, he found himself standing at the entrance of a magnificent palace, shrouded in mist like a celestial abode. The edges of the area were blurred, as if the chaos of creation had not yet settled.
A beautiful palace maid stood at the entrance, making Xu Lian question his reality. Was this an imperial palace? Was he no longer in the Heavenly Mystic Sacred Land?
No, he must still be in the Heavenly Mystic Sacred Land.
Although the Old Sovereign was aging, his might remained. Moreover, the Old Sovereign had several junior brothers and disciples whose cultivation was close to the Sovereign level. Who could kidnap Xu Lian from the Heavenly Mystic Sacred Land?
As if sensing Xu Lian’s confusion, the palace maid smiled and curtsied gracefully, “My mistress, the Goddess of Nine Heavens, instructed me to dress in this attire and wait here to welcome you, young master.”
Quite the elaborate display… Xu Lian noticed her form of address, “Are you someone the Goddess of Nine Heavens brought from her family to the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands?”
The palace maid replied, “Young master, I am the personal maid of my mistress. I’ve been by her side since childhood and have stayed with her ever since she began her studies at the Heavenly Mystic Sacred Land”.
Xu Lian’s interest was piqued, “What is the name of the Goddess of Nine Heavens, and which family does she come from?”
“Let him in.”
The voice of the Goddess of Nine Heavens echoed from the palace.
The palace maid smiled and said nothing more, gesturing for Xu Lian to enter.
Xu Lian had no choice but to enter.
Inside, the Goddess of Nine Heavens was lounging lazily on a brocade couch, dressed in the robes of an imperial consort. Her stunning beauty carried a hint of playfulness, and her lips curled into a faint, alluring smile as she gazed at Xu Lian with tender affection. Who could resist such a sight?
Xu Lian nearly lost control and rushed over, wanting to ask her to assist him in his cultivation.
The Goddess of Nine Heavens asked, “Am I beautiful?”
Xu Lian nodded earnestly and told the truth, “You are beautiful. You are undoubtedly one of the three most beautiful women I have ever seen.
The Goddess of Nine Heavens frowned slightly, “I can understand being first or second. The Goddess of Time must be first in your heart, and I, the Goddess of Nine Heavens, would be second. But who is this third? What other woman in the world can compare to me and the Goddess of Time?”
Xu Lian replied, “The Imperial Princess of the Yin Dynasty, Tantai Youxuan. However, she’s around my age, belonging to the younger generation. Her cultivation isn’t as high as yours, so she lacks your divine, untouchable aura. She only has the noble bearing of an imperial princess.”
The Goddess of Nine Heavens snorted, “You are indeed blessed. So how do you plan to arrange the ranking between me, the Goddess of Time, and the Imperial Princess?”
Xu Lian was overjoyed, knowing full well that she was feeding him sweet words, but he couldn’t help but drink them all in. To die under the peony blossom was a fate worth accepting. “You and the Goddess of Time will share the top spot. The Imperial Princess can take a back seat. How about that?”
The Goddess of Nine Heavens finally couldn’t hold back her laughter. Her smile was as radiant as a blooming peony, and she shot a playful glare at Xu Lian, “You really do have quite the imagination!”
“Goddess, why did you summon me here?”
Xu Lian didn’t want to stay any longer. If he did, he feared that he might agree to any condition she proposed. Her charm was simply too overwhelming for a mere mortal to resist.
The Goddess of Nine Heavens said, “Let’s make a deal. You come here once a day, and I’ll guide you in your cultivation. In return, you will let me study the divine laws in you. How about it?”
Xu Lian replied, “I don’t need your guidance. I can cultivate on my own.”
The Goddess of Nine Heavens teased, “And then what? Like a few months ago, are you satisfied with being in the top fifty of the second sequence?”
Xu Lian said confidently, “Before, I just hid my strength, not wanting to stand out too much.
But now I’ve learned about the many benefits of becoming a Nine Heavenly Saint. Not only would I receive preferential treatment in the cultivation resources of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands, but I might also have a chance to become your Dao companion.
So I’ve decided to stop holding back. I’m going to go all out and claim the position of Nine Heavenly Saint.”
The Goddess of the Nine Heavens looked at him skeptically, “Have you really been hiding your strength? You are only at the eighth level of the Great Grandmaster realm, aren’t you? I couldn’t have misjudged you.”
Xu Lian said, “You’re not wrong. I’m only at the eighth level of the Great Grandmaster realm, but that’s because I suppressed my cultivation progress. From now on, I won’t hold back anymore. I’m going to rapidly advance to a much higher level and sweep through the younger generation,”
He wanted to give a heads up… so that when the time came, the entire Heavenly Mystic Sacred Land wouldn’t be too shocked, thinking he was some reincarnated powerhouse. That would be troublesome.
The eyes of the Goddess of Nine Heavens sparkled with intrigue, “Then I’ll wait to see if you’re really able to match my senior sister’s achievements back then.”
Xu Lian said no more, cupped his hands and took his leave.
With a wave of her sleeve, the Goddess of Nine Heavens sent him spinning through space, and he found himself standing at the entrance to Sequence Hall.