Marrying Wives and Attaining Immortality in a Chaotic World

Chapter 356: The Coming Turmoil

Just as Xu Lian reached out to take the divine medicine and deep-sea mother metal, a claw covered in long black fur suddenly pierced through the void, grabbing toward the treasures!

Almost simultaneously, a translucent emerald green branch extended from the void, attempting to coil around the divine medicine and the deep-sea mother metal.

And then a pitch-black void appeared, exuding an overwhelming gravitational pull and trying to swallow both the Divine Medicine and Deep Sea Mother Metal whole!

“Damn it!” Xu Lian cursed inwardly.

Clearly, several Supreme-level experts had been observing the duel between the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands and the Sea Race from an unknown distance, waiting for this perfect moment to strike. Their goal was either to seize the divine medicine and deep-sea mother metal, or to prevent the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands and the sea race from forming an alliance through marriage.

“How dare they openly plunder within my Ten Thousand Peaks Stone Sea! Do they think that the Ten Thousand Peaks Stone Sea is dead?”

A cold snort accompanied by a dragon’s roar echoed from the depths of the sea, reverberating through the heavens and the earth. A dragon claw surrounded by black flames erupted from the water, intercepting the black-skinned claw.

The Time Supreme also acted, unleashing the laws of time. The emerald green branch and the pitch black void seemed to freeze in place, unable to reach the divine medicine and Deep Sea Mother Metal.

She waved her hand, drawing the Divine Medicine and Deep Sea Mother Metal towards her, allowing Xu Lian to safely take possession of them.

The sudden ambush failed. The claw covered in black fur, the emerald green branch, and the pitch black void all exploded into ash, vanishing as if they had never existed.

“Dare to act in front of us… Some people can no longer control themselves. It seems the world will soon descend into chaos,” the Sea Race Supreme Elder said with a sigh.

The Time Supreme simply said, “Prepare early.”

That one sentence was enough. The Sea Race Supreme Elder knew that she wielded the laws of time and might have foreseen something.

Xu Lian asked curiously, “Could those three attackers be the three from the Divine Thunder Sect faction?”

The Supreme Elder of the Sea Race chuckled. “It shouldn’t be them. The one from the Divine Thunder Sect was gravely injured at the root by the late Supreme Elder of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands, and hasn’t recovered yet. How could they dare to act in front of me and the Time Supreme?”

The Time Supreme explained, “These three attackers were very cautious. They attacked from an incredibly long distance. After their first attempt failed, they severed their connection to this place, leaving no trace of their origin.”

Xu Lian nodded. “In that case, these three Supremes must also fear you and the Supreme Elder of the Sea Race, not wanting you to discover their identities.”

This gave Xu Lian an idea. In the future, once he became a Supreme, he could do the same – launch surprise attacks from countless miles away, immediately severing the connection if the attack failed. Play the role of a devious opportunist.

“Ao Mei, go and stay in the ancestral land of the Divine Race for a while. Preferably, don’t come back until you’ve conceived,” the Supreme Elder of the Sea Race finally said before falling silent.

Ao Mei blushed and replied, “Yes.” Then she walked over to Xu Lian, adopting an obedient stance as if carrying out an order.

What could Xu Lian say? He simply muttered, “Come with me,” and led Ao Mei to the ancestral lands of the Divine Race.

After returning to the ancestral lands, Xu Lian and Ao Mei consummated their relationship. This lasted for over three months, and Ao Mei successfully became pregnant. This surprised Xu Lian and filled him with a sense of accomplishment. Even at the Sage Realm, Ao Mei had conceived so quickly!

Ao Mei herself was also astonished. “Our sea dragon race struggles to conceive offspring. I never expected you to help me conceive so quickly. Your constitution is truly remarkable. Our Supreme Elder did not misjudge you.”

“…” Xu Lian’s expression turned strange. Her words made it sound like some kind of “business arrangement”.

Ao Mei continued, “Well, I’ll go back to sleep and cultivate. The gestation period for our sea dragon race is quite long. When the child is born, I’ll let you know.”

With that, she crossed through space, leaving the Divine Race’s ancestral lands and returning to the Ten Thousand Peaks Stone Sea.

Her affection level was only 75, and Xu Lian felt no particular attachment. He took out the divine medicine and planted it in the center of the ancestral lands. Without even consuming it, the medicinal aura it emitted would extend the life span of everyone present by many years.

Naturally, everyone was excited, and a feast was held in honor of the occasion.

Xu Lian noticed that some people’s eyes were shining when they looked at the divine medicine. To prevent anyone from stealing it or plucking its leaves, he used his divine power to set up a barrier. No one below the Supreme level could break through this barrier.

This barrier was primarily set up to protect them from their own people. As for the external Supremes, it would be impossible for them to take the Divine Medicine without permission. After all, the ancestral lands of the Divine Race were protected by the remaining traces of a Supreme Elder’s Dao. Without the Time Supreme’s approval, no one could force their way in.

Xu Lian stayed in the Divine Race Ancestral Lands for another month, spending time with each of his wives before setting out once again to “strive” in the world.

“Damn it! In my previous life, I worked hard just to survive, but I never expected that even in this world, I’d still be destined for such an arduous life – running around everywhere just to gather resources for advancement.”

Using the skull of the supreme elder of the Divine Race, Xu Lian transformed into Qin Feng. With his current cultivation level and strength, wielding the skull had become second nature to him. Even if he stood right in front of an ordinary Supreme, they would find it difficult to see through his disguise.

He crossed through space and arrived at the Qian Dynasty.

“It has been almost half a year since ‘Qin Feng’ left Chi Sui’s Exclusive Cultivation Resource Zone, almost a full year. It’s time to return.”

He had spent almost four-five months in the Shui family, and another four-five months here. That made it almost nine or ten months-nearly a year.

“On the side of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands, Time Supreme has already prioritized me as the top candidate. Whenever the Metamorphosis Elixir is refined, I’ll be the first to receive it. As for the Qian Dynasty, I’ve also made great progress. I’ve gained Chi Sui’s favor, and it’s practically guaranteed that I’ll soon manage my own exclusive cultivation resource zone.

“By tackling both fronts simultaneously, I can secure more Metamorphosis Elixir and accelerate my advancement.”

He could already see the light at the end of the tunnel – a bright future lay ahead.

When Chi Sui saw him return, he didn’t ask where he had gone. By now, Xu Lian had mastered all of Chi Sui’s alchemy techniques, so there was little left for Chi Sui to teach him.

Chi Sui smiled and said, “You and Zhao Ming will work together to refine the Metamorphosis Elixir. I’ll watch from the side. In the future, the two of you will each manage your own exclusive cultivation resource zones. Practicing together now will only benefit you both.”

“Yes,” Xu Lian replied.

Xu Lian approached Zhao Ming and sat down cross-legged next to him.

Zhao Ming glanced at him coldly before returning his focus to casting spells and controlling the operation of the pill furnace.

Zhao Ming had already caused an explosion in the furnace once due to distraction. If it happened again, not only would he face scolding from his master, but the Imperial Court might question his ability to manage an exclusive cultivation resource zone on his own. That would be a disaster.

Xu Lian didn’t deliberately interfere, choosing instead to close his eyes and rest. To him, Zhao Ming was like an insignificant ant. A dragon wouldn’t waste its time scheming against ants.

With his current strength, Xu Lian could clearly sense the presence of the Quasi-Supreme guarding this exclusive cultivation resource zone. The Quasi-Supreme was currently meditating in a stone room not far from this High Furnace.

“When I take over my own exclusive cultivation resource zone, the Qian Dynasty will undoubtedly assign a Quasi-Supreme to oversee it. How can I secretly acquire the Metamorphosis Elixir right under the Quasi-Supreme’s nose? This is something that needs careful planning.”

Xu Lian quietly thought about it. A person without foresight is bound to run into trouble immediately. Thinking ahead would ensure that he didn’t miss any opportunities.

“It’s your turn.”

Zhao Ming had been continuously casting spells to control the pill furnace for several hours, and his energy was significantly drained. As he finally stopped, sweat dripped from his forehead.

This was why refining Metamorphosis Elixir required at least two alchemists working together. The process wasn’t something that could be completed overnight – it required two alchemists taking turns to keep the furnace running.

Xu Lian opened his eyes, formed the necessary hand seals, and began channeling energy into the furnace.

Chi Sui watched with satisfaction, stroking his beard and smiling. Qin Feng’s mastery of every nuance of the alchemical techniques was impeccable – perfect down to the smallest detail. Even Chi Sui himself couldn’t achieve such perfection. This was why he regarded Qin Feng as his most accomplished disciple. Not only had Qin Feng truly inherited his teachings, but he had also surpassed him in skill. Who wouldn’t love such a disciple?

In the evening, the Pill Furnace entered the “maintenance phase”. Xu Lian stopped casting spells, as there was no longer any need to actively control the furnace. The apprentice alchemists only had to make sure that the flames didn’t go out.

Chi Sui said, “Go get some rest.”

After bowing respectfully to Chi Sui, both Zhao Ming and Xu Lian returned to their respective quarters.

Upon returning to his residence, Xu Lian began preparing dinner, waiting for Ning Meixue to return so that they could eat together. This had become a regular part of their life as Dao partners.

The meal was almost ready when Ning Meixue returned, and she smiled brightly. “It’s rare for my junior brother to cook.”

Xu Lian gave a curious glance at Huangpu Shuyi, who was following her. He wondered what she was doing here. Could it be that she didn’t want to miss out on an opportunity either?

Ning Meixue sighed helplessly. “She heard that you were back and insisted on staying with us.”

Huangpu Shuyi had already rushed to the dining table and sat down uninvited. She picked up chopsticks and started tasting the food, laughing lightly as she said, “Delicious! I didn’t expect Third Brother to be such a skilled alchemist and also an excellent cook.”

Xu Lian had no choice but to get another set of bowls and chopsticks.

The three of them began eating.

Out of habit, Xu Lian reached out to serve some food to Ning Meixue, but Huangpu Shuyi suddenly extended her bowl. He reluctantly served her as well.

“Thank you, Third Brother,” Huangpu Shuyi giggled, looking triumphant.

When Xu Lian reached for his wine, she quickly stood up, grabbed the wine jug, and poured him a drink. “Third brother, let me do it.”

Xu Lian was confused. When had their relationship become so close? Or perhaps she didn’t consider herself an outsider because she was close to Ning Meixue?

Huangpu Shuyi seemed to notice Xu Lian’s confusion and complained, “Third Brother, don’t misunderstand. I’m not here to interfere with your life with Second Sister. I’m here to avoid Master Zhao Ming. He’s been cultivating for over two thousand years, yet he still insists on pursuing me. Recently he’s been visiting my residence whenever he has free time, which is driving me crazy. I’m staying here for a while to avoid him and make him realize that he should give up.”

Ning Meixue chuckled. “Just ignore him. He used to chase me too. That’s just how he is – he goes after any woman who is beautiful and comes from a good family.”

Huangpu Shuyi was naturally outgoing, her mouth running nonstop. “I’ve rejected him countless times, but he won’t give up. His gaze makes me feel like he wants to cling to me, and it makes my skin crawl. If it weren’t for the fact that he’s the senior disciple, I’d have reported him to my father long ago…”

Xu Lian had gotten used to drinking and being intimate with Ning Meixue. Suddenly, having Huangpu Shuyi around made him feel uncomfortable. She talked too much, and her presence annoyed him. 

“You want to avoid being bothered by the senior brother, so you came to live with me? Aren’t you afraid that I might ‘eat’ you?”

Ning Meixue playfully smacked Xu Lian, seemingly finding his comment inappropriate.

Huangpu Shuyi blushed slightly but laughed. “I’m not afraid. Third Brother has Second Sister watching over him.”

Xu Lian feigned a threatening expression. “Second Sister can’t always keep an eye on me. When she’s not paying attention, I’ll sneakily ‘eat’ you.”

Huangpu Shuyi turned red, but still refused to leave.

Xu Lian sighed inwardly. It seemed that she was determined to stay.

Fortunately, Huangpu Shuyi was considerate enough to retire to the guest room after dinner, leaving them in peace.