Online chapter 1102
After receiving Yuan's permission, Dong Ye proceeded to tap his forehead, causing a glowing orb of blue light to emerge from his head.
He then offered it to Yuan by raising it above his head, treating it as though it was an offering to god.
"Master, here are my memories."
The glowing orb of light floated off Dong Ye's hands and into Yuan's forehead.
Yuan immediately closed his eyes and began digesting the memories.
Inside Dong Ye's memories that went back tens of millions of years, Yuan could see himself when he was living as Evil God Tian Xian, and he was currently standing in front of a massive jade tablet while Dong Ye was kneeling behind him.
"How are things going for the Shadow Army, Dong Ye?"
"Everything is going as planned, Master. Our members are rising at a respectful pace every day. It won't be long before we can be fully operational."
Suddenly, the scenery changed, and Yuan could see Dong Ye standing before another person.
This person was clearly another one of his incarnations, but he didn't recognize this incarnation.
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"Master, I am Dong Ye, your loyal servant. You may not remember me, but I have been serving you since your second life as the Evil God."
This person, who was a tall and handsome young man, spoke in a calm voice, "I remember you, Dong Ye. Although I don't remember everything, I remember enough to understand the situation."
The scenery switched again.
This time, Yuan recognized this person. However, this person's face was covered by a bland-looking mask.
'He must be the Lord…' Yuan thought to himself.
"Master, I am—"
"Dong Ye, right? Took you long enough to find me this time." The Lord spoke in a calm voice.
"How much of your memories have you recovered, Master?"
The Lord turned to look at Dong Ye and spoke, "I remember everything. I was born in this life with all of my previous memories. This is unprecedented."
Dong Ye was pleasantly surprised to hear this.
Sometime later, Yuan opened his eyes and spoke, "Since you know so much about me, can you help me recall what I have yet to remember to speed up the process?"
Dong Ye shook his head with a bitter sweet smile, "Unfortunately, I cannot do that."
"You can't, or you won't?"
"Per the Master's own orders, I won't." Dong Ye said.
"My orders?" Yuan raised an eyebrow.
He nodded, "Master wanted to naturally recover his own memories, so you ordered me to not give too much information regarding your past even if you threatened me."
"..." Yuan sighed inwardly after hearing this. Why would he make things more difficult for himself? He also did the same with the Stairway to Heaven.
"Anyways, I believe you when you say that you are my servant. With that being said, what are your plans now? Did my previous incarnations give you some sort of mission?"
Dong Ye nodded, "This body only has one purpose— to serve you until its death. If you need anything, I will be here for you."
Feng Yuxiang couldn't help but feel as though her role as Yuan's handyman was suddenly in jeopardy.
Dong Ye then continued, "However, with that being said, it's not as though I can constantly remain by your side. Master, are you aware of our current situation with the upper heavens?"
"No, what kind of situation are we in?" Yuan shook his head.
"The Celestial Emperor, our natural enemy, will be sending experts to the lower heavens to kill you. They will arrive in less than a month."
Yuan was left speechless after hearing this information.
"What?! Why would the Celestial Emperor do such a thing?! I've never even met the man!" He exclaimed.
"According to what I've learned from the Seven Legacy Families' memories, the Celestial Emperor is not specifically targeting you because of your identity. He doesn't even know your real identity, but because of the Heavens' Judgment, you now have a target on your back." Dong Ye explained.
And he continued, "Honestly, if the Celestial Emperor knew your real identity, I wouldn't be surprised if he personally came down here with his entire army just to kill you."
"How troublesome… And here I was planning on going to the Nameless Emperor's Tomb." Yuan gritted his teeth.
"Worry not, Master. This is why I am here. I have already erased the Seven Legacy Families' memories of you, so they won't be able to help those from the upper heavens to identify you. Furthermore, I will do my best to mess with those from the upper heavens and keep them from finding you. If you are ever in a dangerous situation that you cannot solve, break this jade slip and I will immediately come to you no matter what kind of situation I am in, even if I have to crawl through broken glass and the scorching ground. If you need me for anything else, use this communication jade slip to contact me."
Dong Ye handed Yuan two different jade slips.
"I would give you life-saving treasures and other useful treasures, but I cannot give you any significant assistance that could greatly affect your natural growth."
"Let me guess… I told you that." Yuan said in a sighing voice.
Dong Ye smiled and said, "The point of reincarnating multiple times is to expand your experience and talent. If you're given a silver spoon every time you reincarnate, it would defeat its purpose, after all."
"I understand the reasoning behind this logic, and I even agree with it. However, it still sucks." Yuan said with a bittersweet smile.
"Anyways, before I ask you more questions, let's introduce ourselves properly."
"In this life, I am Yuan. It feels a little weird to be called Master by someone as ancient as you, so you can just call me Yuan or Young Master like Feng Feng here. Feng Feng, introduce yourself." Yuan looked at her, who silently nodded and proceeded to introduce herself despite being reluctant to do so.
"Feng Yuxiang. I am a Divine Beast that carries the bloodline of a phoenix." Feng Yuxiang gave a brief introduction about herself.
"The rest of you should introduce yourself as well." Yuan looked at the others.
"Lan Yingying. I am a Divine Beast as well— a Divine Serpent."
Dong Ye, who already knew that Feng Yuxiang and Lan Yingying were Divine Beasts, nodded his head. While they can hide their identity from cultivators around their level, Dong Ye was an Immortal who has existed for millions of years. It was simply impossible to fool someone like him.
"A Phoenix and a Serpent, huh? It sure brings back memories." Dong Ye couldn't help but break out a smile on his face when he recalled the Immortal Monarch and his Divine Beast followers.
"The Immortal Monarch?" Yuan asked out of curiosity.
He nodded, "Do you remember?"
"No, but I am aware of his existence."
"His Divine Beasts were always fighting with each other over his attention." Dong Ye chuckled, "It caused the Mast— Young Master plenty of headaches. However, they were all reliable and loyal, which sort of balances things out."
Yuan suddenly remembered something and said, "Speaking of the Immortal Monarch… Do you know how to upgrade his bloodline? What about the Heaven Refining Physique?"
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"The answers you seek are within the Nameless Emperor's Tomb."
"The Name Emperor's Tomb… Did I build it?" Yuan then asked.
Dong Ye smiled and said, "You will find out once you go inside."
Seeing how Dong Ye won't give him any direct answers, Yuan decided to give up and to wait to enter the Name Emperor's Tomb.
Dong Ye suddenly shifted his gaze to Xiao Hua, whose tiny body instinctively trembled.
"An exile, huh? The Young Master called you Xiao Hua, so you must be from the Asura Family. Do you believe in fate?" He asked while staring at her intensively.
Xiao Hua silently nodded.
"Then do you believe someone— a mere human can control fate?"
Xiao Hua raised an eyebrow and said, "Nobody can control fate."
"What if someone has such ability?"
"That's impossible. No human can have such an ability."
Dong Ye smiled and shifted his gaze back to Yuan.
"Believe it or not, someone out there has the ability to control fate, and he's standing in this room as we speak."
Xiao Hua and the others turned to look at Yuan, who was quite confused.
"You may not realize it, but you're subconsciously controlling fate."
"The Young Master is subconsciously controlling fate? How does that even work?" Feng Yuxiang asked.
Dong Ye shrugged, "Even I do not know the answer to this question."
"This is partially why the Young Master ordered me to not assist him too much, as it could affect his fate."
Yuan looked at his own hands.
'I'm controlling fate? Am I really doing such a thing?' He couldn't believe it.
Manipulating fate sounded very complicated, so it seemed very unlikely for him to subconsciously control it.
"What do you know about Xiao Hua's family?" Xiao Hua suddenly asked Dong Ye.
"I know a lot about the Asura Family. And believe it or not, but I also know a lot about you, Xiao Hua."
Xiao Hua frowned. "How? Xiao Hua was born in the Primordial Realm. Nobody can enter or leave this place without the Celestial Emperor's approval or the Ancient Seals."
"Sorry, but I cannot tell you." Dong Ye shook his head.
"Why not?"
"Because you're directly related to the Young Master, which means I will spoil him if I answer your question."
"Brother Yuan…?" Xiao Hua turned to look at Yuan with a look of wonder in her eyes.
"Anyways, if you have any more questions that aren't related to the Young Master's past, feel free to ask me. If you have any requests, I am also willing to hear it."
Yuan pondered for a moment before speaking, "The Nameless Emperor's Tomb will open very soon. Do you plan on going inside with us?"
"No, I will be staying out here to mess with the Celestial Emperor's lackeys and throw them off your track."
Yuan nodded, and he said, "Then if you don't mind, can you watch over my friends while I am inside the Nameless Emperor's Tomb? I don't know how long I will be staying inside, nor can I bring them to such a dangerous place with me. They're extremely valuable to me. I want you to protect them as though they're me."
Dong Ye nodded, "No matter who you want me to protect, I will protect them with my life."
Yuan proceeded to tell Dong Ye about Meixiu and the others who were training at the Cultivators' Haven.
"They are likely to spend all of their time cultivating inside the Cultivators' Haven, but better safe than sorry."
"Rest assured, Young Master. As long as I am breathing, no harm will come to your friends. Even if I am not constantly by their side, I can cover this entire world with my divine sense, so I will know immediately the moment they're in any danger no matter where I am."
"Covering this entire world with your divine sense? I have been wondering about this for a while now, but what is your cultivation?" Yuan asked out of curiosity.
"This humble one is only at the 7th level of God Ascension realm."
"God Ascension…?" Yuan mumbled in a dazed voice.
"If one's ascension towards Godhood succeeds, they will become a Cultivation God, which has been the peak of the Cultivation World since ancient times."
"You're not that far away from the peak of cultivation, yet you sound disappointed." Yuan couldn't understand this part.
"Because I know my limits, Young Master. As much as I hate to admit it, I don't have enough talent to become a Cultivation God. That is a truth that I must accept. You, on the other hand, have not only succeeded in becoming a Cultivation God multiple times in your past lives, I have a good feeling that you'll break through that limit and achieve something unprecedented in our world." Dong Ye spoke as he gazed upon Yuan with a confident glint in his eyes.
Wait a second. I thought all cultivators in the Nine Heaven must abide by the rules of each heaven." Feng Yuxiang suddenly spoke.
"For example, the limit of cultivation in this world is the peak Spirit King. If someone who doesn't belong in this world appears, they would invoke Heavenly Tribulation. Will you be fine down here with your cultivation?"
Dong Ye nodded, "Only mortals abide by that rule. Immortals like me can ignore such a rule and come down here whenever we want. Even if we invoke a Heavenly Tribulation, it won't be strong enough to harm us. Though, it's a pain in the ass to come down here because we have to enter through the long route, so most of us won't bother unless absolutely necessary."
"Also, I am currently masking my presence, so the heavens don't even know I am here, and as long as I don't do anything crazy, it will remain that way. I am more worried about the Celestial Emperor than any Heavenly Tribulation because the Young Master won't be able to fight them at his current state."
"What's the situation with me and the Celestial—" Yuan halted his sentence midway.
"Never mind. I hope the Nameless Emperor's Tomb will have all of the answers."
Sometime later, Dong Ye's eyebrows suddenly twitched, and he spoke with a dejected face, "It's truly regrettable that I can only spend such a short time with you after spending so much time apart, but I must leave now, Young Master. Some people from the upper heavens have just arrived in this world, and to minimize the chances of your true identity being known, I must disappear. However, even though I won't be by your side, I will always be watching over you. If you are ever in deep trouble, you know how to contact me."
"But before I go, I must apologize to you, Young Master. There is so much that I want to say to you— to tell you, but I truly don't dare to mess with your fate."
Yuan shook his head, "Don't worry about it. I understand your feelings, and to be honest, I like it this way even if it's a little more inconvenient for me. My past, my purpose, and my goals… I will unveil them as I follow my own path."
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After giving Yuan a slight nod, Dong Ye dissipated into thin air like smoke.
"An Immortal who has reached near the peak of cultivation… Who could've imagined that such a powerful individual would be willing to serve someone." Yuan mumbled out loud after Dong Ye disappeared.
"That's just how amazing your existence is, Young Master." Feng Yuxiang chuckled.
"Don't flatter me." He shook his head.
Meanwhile, somewhere within the Third Heaven, a large hole appeared in the sky moments before a group of individuals came out of it.
There were 21 people in this group, and all of them had the cultivation of a peak Spirit King, but the aura they emitted far surpassed what someone at their cultivation base could ever achieve.
"Fuck, the spiritual energy in this place is so trash. It feels like I am breathing in dust with every single breath." One of them immediately complained after taking his first breath.
"How do people live in such an environment?"
"Let's hurry and kill that criminal and get the hell out of here as soon as possible."
Most of these people agreed with the sentiment. However, one couldn't completely blame them for their behavior. The spiritual energy in the upper heavens was countless times purer than the ones down here, and as cultivators, they have reached the level where they don't need to breathe in air to live, just spiritual energy.
These people have lived their entire life thinking that their spiritual energy was the standard, so it wouldn't be weird for them to have such a strong reaction after suddenly being exposed to something much worse.
"Anyways, where are the Ji Family and the Seven Legacy Families? I was told that they'd be greeting us the moment we arrived."
"Perhaps they got the location wrong."
? "I wouldn't be surprised if a world of this low standard housed such dumb people."
Unbeknownst to these people, the Seven Legacy Families and the Ji Family all had their memories stolen by Dong Ye, hence why nobody showed up to greet them.
After waiting around for a few moments, these people split up to look for the Seven Legacies Families themselves.
When they found the Seven Legacy Families, these people from the upper heavens immediately demanded for answers. However, they quickly realized that nobody from the Seven Legacy Families knew about their arrival.
This made them wonder if the people from the upper heavens had forgotten to notify the Seven Legacy Families.
But they soon realized the truth— that the Seven Legacy Families and the Ji Family had their memories erased for some reason.
"What's going on? Who would erase their memories?"
"I think a better question would be 'who could have the capability to do such a thing in this world'."
"I only know of one person in the Nine Heavens who could erase memories, but that person's been missing for hundreds of thousands of years."
"I also don't think it's him. Why would he be down here stealing memories from mortals, right?"
The people from the upper heavens quickly dismissed the phenomenon, mostly because they couldn't be bothered to investigate any further.
But then they realized another problem.
Without the Seven Legacy Families' help, how will they ever find the person they were looking for? Even finding a needle in a haystack would be easier than this task since they at least knew what a needle looked like. However, it was not as though they could leave without even trying.
In the end, these people decided to stay around for a little longer to wait for the others that have yet to arrive.
These 21 people were just the first batch of people amongst a dozen, after all.
"In the meantime, I am going to take a look around. As shitty as this place is, it's a rare chance to experience the lower heavens."
"Try not to get yourself killed. You'd immediately become a laughingstock if you died in a place like this."
"Hmph. Even if my cultivation is suppressed to being a mere Spirit King, what could possibly hurt me down here?" This individual sneered in a mocking manner before disappearing into the world.
Many people from the group followed suit, as they were also curious about the Third Heaven.
The day before the Nameless Emperor's Tomb's opening, Yuan received a message through one of his communication jade slips.
"Yuan, Lady Xu will return in 5 days to give you what she promised." Senior Bai's voice resounded inside his head.
'Oh… I was so occupied with the Nameless Emperor's Tomb that I nearly forgot about our agreement.' Yuan felt a drop of cold sweat appearing on his forehead. He couldn't imagine what he'd do if he didn't show up for the soul technique and Xu Jiaqi decided to not give it to him anymore.
'However, the Nameless Emperor's Tomb will be opening tomorrow, and I promised Tian Yanyu that I'd enter with her…'
As much as he wanted to enter the tomb with Tian Yanyu, he had to prioritize the soul technique, as it could potentially be the difference of whether he'll clear the Nameless Emperor's Tomb or not.
After preparing himself for Tian Yanyu's complaints, Yuan went to knock on her room.
Tian Yanyu opened the door a moment later.
"Hey."
"Hey…"
"Something wrong?" Tian Yanyu raised an eyebrow.
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"You see, I just remembered that I had an appointment with someone, and this is an important meeting that I cannot miss, but it will happen five days after the Nameless Emperor's Tomb's opening, so I won't be able to enter with you on day one."
"What?! You're telling me this the day before it opens?!"
Tian Yanyu was clearly unhappy about the situation. However, even though her voice was loud, she didn't look angry.
"I'm truly sorry." Yuan lowered his head in an apologetic manner.
Tian Yanyu rubbed her eyes and sighed, "Don't worry about it. It's only five days, right? I can ask my mother to delay our entrance for you."
Yuan quickly lifted his head and said, "Please don't. Your mother won't like it and will probably refuse. Furthermore, you're not going with just your mother, right? We cannot delay the others just for me."
"Where will you guys be headed first? I will meet up with you in five days." Yuan suddenly suggested.
,m "We'll be spending our first month at the Nameless Stone Warrior. You know where it is, right?"
He nodded, "I memorized the map."
"Good."
The following day, Yuan and Tian Yanyu went to meet up with Tian Suyin, who brought them to the gathering area, where tens of thousands of disciples were waiting in anticipation with more to show up.
"Senior, due to another appointment I had arranged before coming here, I will be entering the Nameless Emperor's Tomb a few days after it opens." Yuan said to her, who merely shrugged.
"Why are you telling me? I don't really care if you come with us or not." Tian Suyin said.
However, while she claimed to not care, she wasn't telling the truth entirely. Since she knew how powerful Yuan was, she would feel less nervous inside the tomb, but that's no longer the case.
Tian Yanyu then spoke, "By the way, you can enter and leave the Nameless Emperor's Tomb as many times as you please, so you don't need to worry about that."
Sometime later, Sect Leader Yu Jian showed up at the gathering place and swept the crowd with a sharp and profound gaze.
'About 90,000 disciples…'
90,000 disciples was about a third of the Jade Sword Manor's entire disciple population, but compared to the other sects that will be bringing half of their sect, it wasn't anything impressive.
Once Yu Jian gave the disciples a short speech, he retrieved a spiritual treasure and mass teleported everyone there to another gathering area, one that was much closer to the Nameless Emperor's Tomb.
"The Nameless Emperor's Tomb is 100 km to the north. All of the major sects will have a spot reserved for them. Look for the flag with our sect's emblem."
After saying these words, Yu Jian went ahead and flew away.
The disciples there quickly followed suit.
Sometime later, Yuan and the disciples arrived at a vast and spacious land that had nothing in sight besides the very obvious and large temple that was situated right in the center of this area.
This temple was massive— larger than any building Yuan has seen before, and this included the buildings in the Giant's Continent.
The temple itself seemed to be made of white marble, and it appeared to be in pristine condition at glance, almost as though it was just created yesterday even though it stood for millions of years already.
When Yuan saw this temple, he could feel his heartbeats quickening, and he suddenly had this near uncontrollable urge to approach the place, like it was calling for him.
Surrounding the temple was a sea of people— tens of millions of people.
This reminded Yuan of the Mystic Realm, but the scale of this event was multitudes larger.
Still wearing the Jade Sword Manor's guest uniform, Yuan followed Tian Yanyu and the other disciples to their sect's assigned location in front of the temple, where Sect Leader Yu Jian was waiting.
"This isn't even half of the people participating." Tian Yanyu suddenly said to him.
"Since there are too many people that want to enter the Nameless Emperor's Tomb, all of the sects are given a set date to enter. The top sects will get to enter on day 1 while the weaker sects and rouge cultivators will enter a few days later. Although entering a few days late may not seem like much at first, these few days could be the difference between gaining enlightenment and gaining nothing. There have been plenty of cases where people were kicked out right before they could be enlightened."
"Is that so… When does the tomb open, anyway?" Yuan asked.
"It should open within the hour."
"I will stay here until you enter the tomb."
"Alright."
Thus, they began to wait for the Nameless Emperor's Tomb to open.
Meanwhile, more and more people showed up for the tomb's opening, including those that had no intention of participating.
An hour passed within the blink of an eye while Yuan inspected the Nameless Emperor's Tomb with his divine sense.
Besides its pristine condition, there really wasn't anything too special about the temple itself— at least Yuan didn't notice anything unique about it.
He also noticed that even though tens of millions of people had gathered in front of the temple, they all left an empty path straight down the center leading to the temple for some reason, almost as though they were expecting someone to walk through the path.
About five minutes before the Nameless Emperor's Tomb's opening, the Ji Family showed up at the site.
All of the Sect Leaders and Clan Leaders went to greet the Ji Family upon their arrival, including Yu Jian from the Jade Sword Manor.
However, these powerhouses were absolutely gobsmacked when they noticed Lord Ji's unusual and shocking condition.
"L-Lord Ji! What happened to your arm?!"
Lord Ji, who was almost an invincible existence within the Third Heaven had suddenly lost an arm, an injury that most would consider to be crippling. However, who or what could possibly injure the strongest cultivator in the Third Heaven to such a degree? None of these Sect Leaders or Clan Leaders could imagine.
Lord Ji's body shuddered after being reminded of his injury— one that he doesn't even remember getting.
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"I… I don't remember." He eventually shook his head. "When I woke up, my arm had disappeared."
The Sect Leaders exchanged glances with each other. What could have possibly caused such a phenomenon? One doesn't simply wake up with an arm missing!
These experts all believed that Lord Ji had been attacked while he was asleep, as that was the only logical explanation, but such a thing was easier said than done.
However, Lord Ji insisted that he doesn't remember anything, so the Sect Leaders and Clan Leaders had no choice but to drop the topic.
"I would normally give a speech, but as you can see, I am not in the condition to do so." Lord Ji spoke a moment later, and nobody there could blame him.
Eventually, it was time for the Nameless Emperor's Tomb's opening.
Yuan could sense a sudden change in the atmosphere, almost as though the presence of an otherworldly expert just showed up.
,m The temple suddenly began emanating a golden glow that would grow brighter with every passing second.
BOOM!
The entire Third Heaven shook for a brief second when a powerful ripple swept the place.
Suddenly, like a ghost, the figure of a tall individual wearing exquisite white robes appeared in the empty path that all of the sects had purposefully avoided.
This figure was entirely made out of spiritual energy, yet it felt like he truly existed as a real person, and he was carrying a large sword on his back while wearing a mask on his face.
When the experts there saw this masked figure, they all lowered their heads and silently bowed to him, their hearts trembling with reverence.
Although nobody there knew this masked figure's true identity, they all had a good feeling that he was the Nameless Emperor— the master of this unfathomable tomb.
Yuan's body trembled slightly when he saw this masked figure and the sword on his back.
'Empyrean Overlord…' It only took a glance for him to recognize the sword and the masked figure.
A few moments after he appeared, the masked figure began taking small strides towards the temple in the distance.
As he slowly approached the tomb, not a single soul in that area dared to make even the slightest movements, and even the most powerful cultivator in this world, Lord Ji, had to hold his breath.
Unbeknownst to most of the people there, several experts from the upper heaven were hidden amongst them, and they were just as awed by this masked figure's unfathomable presence despite being part of powerful families and sects in the upper heavens themselves.
'I have heard countless rumors about the Nameless Emperor's Tomb and its unknown master, but I never really understood why even the experts in the Ninth Heaven are wary of this place until today! This masked figure… If he is still alive today, he would, without doubt, be one of the strongest cultivators in the Nine Heavens!'
'How is he exuding such a powerful aura even though he's just a phantom created entirely out of spiritual energy?! Even the top experts in my family cannot emit such an aura while they are alive! This doesn't make any sense!'
After taking exactly 99 steps, the masked figure stopped his movements and proceeded to reach behind him to grab the Empyrean Overlord.
The moment his grasp tightened on the Empyrean Overlord, all of the experts there suddenly felt a cold sensation around their neck, almost as though there was a real blade pressing against their skin at this moment.
The experts tried their damned hardest to not swallow by accident, and their back was quickly soaked in cold sweat.
The experts from the upper heavens even subconsciously grabbed their weapons when they sensed this chilling sensation, but they quickly released their hands when they realized the situation.
'His Sword Qi is so profound that our body— our very soul— had instinctively reacted defensively even though it wasn't directed at us… Even the current Sword Emperor would look like a sword apprentice compared to him! Why does such an existence exist in this world?! What is the Heavens thinking, allowing such a thing to happen?!'
While the experts from the upper heaven were in deep thoughts, the masked man suddenly made his movement and swung his sword vertically at the temple.
A beautiful arc of sword light was created by the swing, and it flew straight at the temple.
Sha!
Almost as though the sword light ripped through space itself, a massive portal suddenly appeared in front of the temple.
The Nameless Emperor's Tomb was finally open, but nobody there dared to move, as the masked figure had yet to disappear.
Thus, the tens of millions of people there patiently waited for the masked man to disappear after opening the tomb like he usually does. However, what happened next shocked everyone there.
What's going on? Why isn't he disappearing like he normally does after opening the tomb?' Lord Ji and all of the experts there wondered inwardly when the masked figure continued to stand in front of the temple even many moments after opening the tomb.
Everyone there was puzzled by the situation, but none of them dared to approach the tomb until the masked figure completely disappeared even if they had to wait hours.
Moments quickly turned into minutes. The atmosphere there had become almost suffocating with everyone nervous about this phenomenon.
The Nameless Emperor's Tomb has existed for millions of years with many experts there experiencing the tomb's opening over a dozen times, yet nobody there had seen or heard about this kind of situation.
Did the Nameless Emperor's Tomb have a sudden malfunction? Was there something different about this year's event? Nobody there could say for sure, nor were they willing to find out, as even the slightest mistake could cost them their life as long as the masked figure remained.
'Fuck… I don't feel this kind of pressure even inside the tomb!' Sect Leader Yu Jian cursed inwardly, feeling like he's already aged a hundred years in these few short minutes.
Suddenly, a voice resounded in the area.
This voice was calm, soothing to the ears, and as gentle as feathers, yet there was a strikingly domineering feeling to the tone that demanded complete obedience.
"It took you long enough to get here… How long are you going to keep us waiting? Hurry up and get this over with so that you can continue your journey, which is just starting if you just made it here."
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To everyone's absolute shock, this voice came from the masked figure. Although everyone doubted their ears at first, they quickly realized that nobody but the masked figure could possibly have the audacity to speak in such a tense situation.
'The Nameless Emperor spoke…? What's he talking about? Has he been waiting for someone this entire time? Who?' Lord Ji was baffled. He has seen the Nameless Emperor over a hundred times in his lifetime but this is the first time he's heard the Nameless Emperor's voice.
Meanwhile, Tian Yanyu was baffled for another reason.
'His voice… It sounds oddly familiar… like I have heard it before…' She moved her eyes to glance at Yuan without turning her head.
'Right… It sounds exactly like Xiao Yang's voice, albeit a little more mature… Or am I just imagining things?' She didn't want to jump to conclusions so she disregarded such thoughts for now.
Shortly after the Nameless Emperor spoke, his body made of spiritual energy began to disperse until there was nothing left.
Normally, the people there would instantly rush into the Nameless Emperor's Tomb after the Nameless Emperor's disappearance, but nobody there made any movements even after he was gone this time.
'Even though you're telling me to hurry, I won't be able to enter the tomb for another five days. Sorry.' Yuan shook his head inwardly.
Eventually, the experts started snapping out of their daze, and they finally started sending people into the Nameless Emperor's Tomb.
"I will see you later, Xiao Yang." Tian Yanyu said when it was their sect's turn to enter.
"Stay safe. We will meet in five days if nothing goes wrong."
Yuan continued to wait outside the tomb until he saw Tian Yanyu enter the Nameless Emperor's Tomb with his own eyes.
Once he confirmed this, he turned around and disappeared from the scene.
"Disciple Tian, what happened to your friend? I thought he was going to enter the tomb with us." Yu Jian, who had been keeping his eyes on Yuan, asked Tian Yanyu and Tian Suyin when he noticed that he didn't enter with them.
"Something came up for him so he'll enter at a later date." Tian Yanyu explained.
"I see… How unfortunate. I would feel a lot safer if I knew that he was in here." Yu Jian shook his head.
Seeing how much the Sect Leader held a junior in such high regard, Tian Suyin could only shake her head inwardly and admit that she felt the same way.
The Jade Sword Manor would continue traveling in the Nameless Emperor's Tomb as a whole sect for a little longer before everyone split up into smaller groups, dispersing in every direction.
Tian Yanyu followed her mother and others that were going to the same destination, quickly making their way towards the Nameless Stone Warrior.
Meanwhile, Yuan returned to Meixiu and the others to let them know of the situation since he had a few more days before the meeting with Xu Jiaqi.
"There's a good chance that I might not leave the Nameless Emperor's Tomb for a while so I am going to leave behind some things for you guys just in case you want to leave the Cultivators' Haven and explore Third Heaven by yourself."
"Exploring the Third Heaven without you? That's suicide for cultivators at our level." Chu Liuxiang said with a bittersweet smile.
"How long do you think it will take?" Meixiu asked.
"At most six months, but I really hope it won't take that long."
"Half a year… Do you think we'll reach at least Spirit Grandmaster in that amount of time?" Li Jinxi asked.
"With your talents and resources, I have no doubt that you'll reach at least Spirit Lord." Yuan smiled.
"By the way, even though I won't be with you, just know that you're still being protected no matter where you are."
"What do you mean?" Meixiu raised an eyebrow.
"I will tell you about it at tonight's dinner table."
"Alright."
Later that night at the dinner table, Yuan would tell Meixiu and the others about the Nameless Emperor's Tomb and his new friend Dong Ye. However, he didn't tell them everything about Dong Ye, such as how Dong Ye was a servant from one of his past lives, as that would've made things complicated. Though, he did tell Meixiu and Chu Liuxiang since they were already aware of his past lives.
Over the next five days, Yuan would spend them in the real world with most of his time being spent in the training field or the bedroom.
Five days passed in the blink of an eye, and it was time for his promise with Xu Jiaqi to be fulfilled.
A few days prior to her meeting with Yuan, Xu Jiaqi had to retrieve the soul cultivation technique from Lady Xiang.
"I have done what you asked. I want the soul cultivation technique now." Xu Jiaqi said while standing before Lady Xiang.
Lady Xiang lowered her cup of tea and smiled, "I knew you were powerful, but who thought you'd be capable of annihilating the entire Sky Whales Faction overnight. The entire Supreme Heaven is trembling because of your actions, you know. How long has it been since you last stirred the world this much? 100,000 years ago?"
"The soul cultivation technique. I will not repeat myself." Xu Jiaqi even extended her hands out.
Lady Xiang sighed, "Why are you being so impatient? Do you really think I am going to swindle you?"
After placing her tea down, Lady Xiang continued, "I don't know how you think this works, but I cannot just hand you the technique. This soul cultivation technique is a little special, so I will have to transfer it to the individual myself."
Xu Jiaqi narrowed her eyes, "If you're doing this just so you can identify the junior…"
Lady Xiang shrugged, "I won't lie. I am intrigued by this junior whom you're so desperate to help, but I do not have any ulterior motives, nor am I the type to go after someone else's man. I cannot give him the technique unless I do so personally. This is a rule that cannot be broken even if you threaten to kill me."
After a moment of silence, Xu Jiaqi nodded, "Fine. Meet me at the Myriad of Techniques in three days."
And without saying another word, Xu Jiaqi disappeared from Lady Xiang's sight.
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"She's as difficult as ever." Lady Xiang shook her head with a bittersweet smile on her face.
Normal people would be irritated by Xu Jiaqi's bossy attitude, but Lady Xiang has known her for millions of years and knew Xu Jiaqi's true personality, so it didn't offend her even the slightest.
Three days later, Lady Xiang entered the Myriad of Techniques, where Xu Jiaqi and Senior Bai were waiting.
"How have you been, Bai Linyu? Are you still being tossed around by Lady Xu?" Lady Xiang asked him in a teasing voice.
"And you seem the same as always, Lady Xiang." Senior Bai smiled at her.
"Don't you mean I look prettier than before?"
"The two of you can chat all you want later, but we have someone waiting for us right now." Xu Jiaqi said.
"Take me to this junior." Lady Xiang smiled.
A few hours before Lady Xiang's arrival, Yuan entered the Myriad of Techniques and met up with Senior Bai.
"You're here early. Lady Xu won't be here for a few more hours." Senior Bai said to him.
"That's fine. If you're free, let's have a chat. I have some questions for you." Yuan said.
"What kind of questions?"
After a moment of silence, Yuan asked, "What do you know about someone named Evil God?"
Senior Bai's eyes widened with shock after hearing this name.
"W-Where did you hear this name?"
"I'm not exactly sure where or when I heard it, but it resurfaced in my mind recently and I can't stop thinking about it since." Yuan lied with a straight face.
"I'm saying this for your own good, but do not look into the Evil God— In fact, don't even utter this name in public. You could be mistaken as the Evil God's Worshiper, which is punishable with immediate death."
"Now I'm even more curious. There's nobody but us here, so it should be fine, right?" Yuan smiled.
Senior Bai sighed, "If I quench your thirst, can you promise me that you will stop looking into it?"
Yuan quickly nodded.
After taking a deep breath, Senior Bai spoke, "The Evil God was one of the strongest and most dangerous individuals to have ever existed in the Nine Heavens. Nobody knows his true identity, but he showed up out of the blue one day and declared war on the Celestial Emperor— the first Celestial Emperor in history."
"This occurred somewhere in the middle of an ongoing war called the Heavenly War of Immortals and Gods when the cultivators fighting the Celestial Emperor were losing. The Evil God's appearance changed the direction of the war."
"Heavenly War of Immortals and Gods… I heard of this war before. What was the cause of it?" Yuan asked.
"The rogue cultivators didn't like how the Celestial Emperor limited the resources in the Nine Heavens, restricting its access to only those that served under him, so they revolted. This rebellion rocked the entire Nine Heavens, even splitting it into 9 separate worlds in the process."
"And the Evil God joined this war in the middle of it, killing the Celestial Emperor?" Yuan asked for confirmation.
"That's right."
"And nobody knows why?"
"Perhaps a few close to him knew the real reason, but the majority of us do not."
"Speaking of people close to him, I remember the name Dong Ye being mentioned alongside the Evil God. Do you know anything about him?"
Senior Bai pondered for a moment before speaking, "If I remember correctly, Dong Ye was the commander of the Evil God's Shadow Army, one of the most fearsome groups of assassins within the Nine Heavens."
Yuan would continue to ask questions about the Evil God, and Senior Bai would answer them to the best of his knowledge.
A few hours later, Senior Bai said, "Alright, it's about time. I'm going to get Lady Xu now."
"Okay. Thank you for your time."
"Remember your promise."
Yuan nodded with a smile, "I know. I won't look into the Evil God anymore."
Senior Bai left the Myriad of Techniques the next moment.
A few minutes later, Yuan could sense Senior Bai's presence reappearing nearby, alongside two other presences, one of which that he did not recognize.
'Who is that?' Yuan wondered to himself as he gazed at the unfamiliar beauty that was following Senior Bai and Xu Jiaqi.
Good morning, Miss Xu, Senior." Yuan bowed to them in a respectful manner when they got close enough.
"We've kept you waiting." Xu Jiaqi nodded her head in acknowledgment.
"There's still a few days before the agreed date." Yuan smiled.
He turned to look at Lady Xiang whom he was unfamiliar with, but he didn't want to be noosy, so he didn't ask for her identity.
'She seems a bit dazed for some reason.' He thought to himself.
Xu Jiaqi also noticed this, so she decided to introduce Lady Xiang instead.
"This is Lady Xiang from the Divine Essence Monastery. You probably haven't heard of this place since they only exist in the upper heavens, but they're one of the top 10 powers in the Nine Heavens. As for her reason for being here—"
"I am here to teach you my soul cultivation technique." Lady Xiang suddenly spoke, interrupting Xu Jiaqi.
"My apologies for the late introduction. I had something on my mind just now. I am Xiang Biyu, the current Holy Maiden of the Divine Essence Monastery. You may address me as Sister Biyu."
Senior Bai and Xu Jiaqi looked at Lady Xiang with raised eyebrows. Why would Lady Xiang allow Yuan to address her with such familiarity despite this being their first meeting?
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Lady Xiang continued without pausing, "In my possession is what I believe to be the strongest soul cultivation technique in the Nine Heavens, so Lady Xu went to the right person if that's what she— you are looking for."
"Tell me, why are you seeking such a powerful technique when you're just a mere Spirit King? Did you not stop to think that you might be biting more than you can chew?"
Yuan smiled and said, "I was just looking for a suitable soul cultivation technique. It was Miss Xu who offered to find me the best one she could find. There's no way I could refuse such an offer. As for whether or not I can chew it… I guess we will find out once I bite into it."
Lady Xiang glanced at Xu Jiaqi for a second but didn't say anything.
"Fortunately for you, unlike most soul cultivation techniques out there, my soul cultivation technique doesn't discriminate against one's cultivation, so anyone can learn it as long as they qualify. However, that is easier said than done, as there have only been three people since ancient time that have managed to learn this soul cultivation technique."
"Only three people…?" Yuan was surprised to hear this, but he was also excited. After all, the harder it was to learn something, that something is usually more unique and powerful.
"If you do not have what it takes to learn this soul cultivation technique, there is nothing I could do for you. It just means you are not fated to learn it." Lady Xiang said a moment later.
She turned to look at Lady Xu and continued, "As I have mentioned before coming here, if he doesn't learn it, don't expect any compensation, as this was part of our deal."
"I am well aware." Xu Jiaqi nodded.
Lady Xiang returned to Yuan and smiled, "She destroyed an entire faction just to get you this chance, young man. Try not to waste it— even if you don't really have a choice."
"You did what?" Yuan looked at Xu Jiaqi with wide eyes.
"Don't misunderstand. Even though it was part of the agreement, the Celestial Overlords have a duty to deal with any Demon Worshippers, so I would've dealt with them the moment I learned that they were Demon Worshippers even if it wasn't part of the agreement."
"Whatever you say, Lady Xu."
Lady Xiang proceeded to glare at Yuan with a serious look on her face.
"Are you ready?" She asked.
"I am." He nodded.
"Let's go." Xu Jiaqi suddenly said to Senior Bai, who nodded in silence.
The two of them proceeded to leave Lady Xiang and Yuan alone.
Since Lady Xiang only promised to teach Yuan the soul cultivation technique, it was only natural for everyone else to leave.
Once they were alone, Lady Xiang spoke, "This technique is a little special, so the learning method will be a little special as well. Though, it's quite simple."
Lady Xiang closed her eyes, and her aura suddenly began to soar.
A few moments later, a massive golden bell materialized behind her.
This bell didn't appear to be completely solid and seemed somewhat semi-transparent. It was the size of a four-story building, and it emanated an otherworldly aura.
Upon closer inspection, Yuan could see tiny words engraved onto the front of the bell, exactly 1,000 words.
"Is that the soul cultivation technique inscribed on the bell?" Yuan asked.
"Indeed. It may seem very insignificant compared to even the most ordinary technique, but each word ecompasses a profound secret that will lead you closer to learning the technique."
"What is this technique's name?"
"You will learn it if you are fated to. Otherwise, you are not worthy to know its name." Lady Xiang said.
Yuan's gaze was fixated on the golden bell ever since it came into view, looking as though he was bewitched by it.
"It could take weeks, months, even years to learn this technique. I will give you fifty years." Lady Xiang said a moment later.
Although 50 years may sound a lot, it would feel no different than a few weeks for an Immortal who has lived millions of years. Furthermore, it took Lady Xiang, one of the most talented individuals in her era, 120 years to learn the technique, so 50 years was actually very little time.
However, almost as though he couldn't hear her, Yuan remained silent.
Lady Xiang continued speaking regardless, "Once you think you have comprehended the technique, ring the bell with your spiritual energy. Even a little is fine. Once you do, the bell will ring, and each ring will signify your understanding, so the more times it rings, the more you'll comprehend it."
'I doubt you'll be able to learn this technique in 50 years, but there's no need to worry, because I will—'
In the midst of Lady Xiang's thoughts, Yuan suddenly lifted his finger and pointed it at the bell.
And before Lady Xiang could even wonder what he was thinking, Yuan released a strand of spiritual energy that flew straight at the bell.
"What are you—?!" Lady Xiang exclaimed in a shocked voice after seeing his seemingly reckless actions, but she had no time to be shocked, as Yuan would surely be dead before the bell could even finish ringing once.
The moment Yuan's spiritual energy touched the bell, its golden figure began to tremble, and a second later, almost as though someone had struck it with a wooden log, it released a heart-throbbing noise that swept the entire world.
DONG!
Yuan could feel his entire body trembling with the bell, and it felt like his very soul had been struck alongside the bell.
"Do you have a death wish?! If you ring the bell before you comprehend the technique, it could shatter your very soul!" Lady Xiang cried out loud after hearing the first ring.
However, there was nothing she could do about it, as once the bell rings, it would not stop until the very end, and whether Yuan's soul will survive the ordeal was entirely up to him.
"Don't worry, I have already comprehended the technique." Yuan spoke in a calm voice as the first ring continued to echo.
The sound of each ring lasted nine seconds, so he had some time until the next one.
"What in heavens' name are you talking about?! That's impossible! It took me 120 years to comprehend the technique while you've just started!" Lady Xiang didn't want to believe it— she couldn't. In fact, nobody in the Nine Heavens would believe Yuan's outrageous claims.
However, Yuan wasn't lying. Almost as though he was fated to learn the technique— or he learned the technique in advance, he'd instantly grasped the meaning behind the words on the bell at glance and comprehended the technique the following second.
It was so unbelievably easy that even Yuan doubted it at first, hence why he went ahead and rang the golden bell, as he suddenly had this uncontrollable urge to do so, which was probably affected by the technique he'd just comprehended.
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With that being said, while he's comprehended the technique, he hasn't actually learned it yet.
How much of the technique he learns will entirely depend on the amount of times the bell resounds. Thus, the more the bell rings, the more he will learn the technique.
Nine seconds after the first ring, the bell rang for a second time, sounding even louder than the previous.
DONG!!!
Yuan could feel his entire body being pushed back by the noise as well as the invisible force that was pressuring his internal organs and his very soul.
Despite that, it didn't really affect Yuan too much, and the pressure on his soul was nothing more than just that. He wasn't hurt by the pressure, nor did he feel like his life was threatened by it.
Therefore, Yuan stood tall and endured the second bell for nine more seconds.
After the second ringing ended, the bell resounded for a third time— but not before the golden bell itself grew in size.
And in the blink of an eye, the golden bell nearly doubled in size.
DONG!!!
Lady Xiang swallowed nervously as an expression of disbelief was plastered all over her face.
'He's withstanding the pressure from the bell… Did he really comprehend the technique in that short of a time? How many times will the bell ring for him?'
Lady Xiang recalled her experience learning the technique and facing the bell. After spending 120 years trying to comprehend the technique, she managed to make the golden bell ring a total of 6 times out of a possible 9.
DONG!
The golden bell rang for the fourth time, and it had grown so large that it was almost as big as Yuan's God of War's Astral Art's avatar.
Yuan had closed his eyes and sat down long ago, and his understanding for the soul cultivation technique deepened with every ring.
Eventually, the loud noise sounded no different than music to his ears, and his body felt like it was being embraced by the goddess of sounds.
DONG! DONG!!!
The fifth and sixth ring resounded shortly after.
'Six! He's managed to make the golden bell ring six times!'
DONG!
In what seemed like a blink of an eye, the seventh bell rang.
At the seventh ring, the power of the noise had transcended their space and leaked to the outside world where Xu Jiaqi and the others were waiting.
"Is this… the sound of a bell?" Senior Bai turned around to look at the portal behind him.
"What are they doing inside?" He wondered out loud.
"Whatever they are doing, I have a bad feeling about this." Xu Jiaqi said with a slight frown on her face.
Dong!!!
When the eighth bell rang, Xu Jiaqi and Senior Bai felt the entire world around them tremble.
"What is happening?!" Senior Bai exclaimed.
Xu Jiaqi didn't say anything. She turned around and rushed back into the portal to see what was going on inside. Senior Bai quickly followed.
And to their absolute surprise, there was a massive golden bell inside Senior Bai's world, and it was big enough to cover the entire place.
"What in Heavens' name are we seeing?" Senior Bai uttered in a voice of disbelief.
Despite the loud noises, neither Senior Bai nor Xu Jiaqi were affected by it, as the pressure was mostly focused on Yuan, so the most they felt was their heart beating louder than usual.
'E-Eight rings…' Lady Xiang could be seen trembling in shock even from a distance.
Xu Jiaqi immediately approached her and asked, "What the hell is going on here?!"
Lady Xiang turned to look at her with wide eyes before speaking in a dazed voice, "H-He's managed to make the bell ring eight times…"
"What is that even supposed to mean?" Xu Jiaqi frowned.
"It means a new legend is about to be born!" She exclaimed with a wide smile on her face.
DONG!!!
The golden bell rang for the ninth time, causing the entire Nine Heavens to tremble, and Lady Xiang could feel her excitement reaching its climax when she heard this.
However, little did Lady Xiang know that this was just the beginning.
After the golden bell rang nine times, it suddenly rang again for the tenth time.
DONG!
Lady Xiang always believed that the golden bell could only ring a maximum of nine times, but Yuan had managed to surpass that and ring it 10 times!
After the 10th ring, the golden bell fell silent, but both Yuan and Lady Xiang could somehow tell that it wasn't completely over yet.
"Tell me, what's going on?" Xu Jiaqi asked them, as she was completely clueless to the situation.
"Once one comprehends the soul cultivation technique, the golden bell will ring a certain number of times with nine— ten rings being the maximum, and the more times you manage to make it ring, the stronger your understanding of the technique will be. In other words, the more it rings the better." Lady Xiang explained in a dazed voice.
And she continued, "For reference, I made the bell ring six times when I comprehended the technique, and I was considered a genius that would appear only once every few million years."
After swallowing nervously, she said, "Your little friend here has managed to make the bell ring ten times… that kind of talent is frightening. I cannot imagine what kind of monster he'll be like in the future."
Although it might be a bit rude to call Yuan a monster, Lady Xiang could not think of another term to call him by, and his talent was truly monstrous.
"So what happens now?" Xu Jiaqi asked.
Lady Xiang shook her head, "I don't know. The golden bell should've disappeared after it stopped ringing, but it's still here for some reason, so it might not be the end just yet. As for what might happen, I cannot even begin to imagine."
"..."
After a brief moment of silence, Xu Jiaqi spoke while staring at Yuan, who was still sitting there with his eyes closed, "How are you feeling?"
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"..."
However, almost as though he couldn't even hear her, Yuan remained silent.
Xu Jiaqi didn't try to speak to him again, fearing that she might disturb his trance.
Thus, both Xu Jiaqi and Lady Xiang would patiently wait for Yuan to wake up.
Yuan would not move a single muscle for the next 24 hours, and neither did Xu Jiaqi or Lady Xiang. They would stare at Yuan's face intently, their thoughts unknown. Senior Bai was still waiting outside the portal, feeling a little nervous about how silent it was.
Fortunately, that silence would not last too long, as the Nine Heavens would soon experience another turmoil.
Once 24 hours had passed, Yuan suddenly opened his eyes, but they seemed empty, almost as though he was still unconscious.
A profound aura suddenly swept the world, followed by the deafening sound of a bell ringing.
The golden bell has started to ring again for the 11th time, but it was much quicker this time.
Unlike the slow ringing at the start, the pace became much quicker, and the golden bell would ring every second.
DONG! DONG! DONG!
Every ring would send out a ripple with unfathomable secrets that filled the small world before leaking out into the Nine Heavens.
The Nine Heavens would tremble every time the bell rang, so it would shake every second, causing a major uproar in every world within the Nine Heavens.
This constant shaking made many people wonder if the world was ending, and more people would begin to have the same thoughts when the trembling grew stronger and stronger.
Somewhere in the Nine Heavens, the Celestial Emperor stood before his throne with his hands wrapped into a tight fist and a dazed look on his face.
He could hear the faint sound of a bell ringing that was getting clearer with every passing second, almost as though he was standing before the bell himself, and he recalled a certain sentence.
"When the glorious Bell of Supremacy resounds, a new ruler is born, and the Nine Heavens will tremble as it enters a new era."
"Have you returned once again to trample on this world's peace? Why won't you give up? No matter how many times you reincarnate, you cannot escape the fate bestowed upon everyone born under this heaven. It's impossible to win…"
The Celestial Emperor had a tired and somewhat defeated look in his eyes.
Back in the Myriad of Techniques, Yuan could feel something deep within his body being loosened— being awakened.
As the bell approached its 90th ring, Yuan finally understood one thing.
'This has nothing to do with the soul cultivation technique. This is a key… a key to a lock within me. Something inside me is being unsealed.'
Although he didn't know what was being unsealed, he somehow knew that it would help him face whatever was inside the Nameless Emperor's Tomb.
Once the golden bell rang a total of 99 times, it would stop for a few seconds before resounding one more time.
When the golden bell rang for the 100th time, it shattered into countless fragments.
These fragments did not immediately disappear and instead transformed into golden swords that pointed at Yuan.
Each of these swords had unique symbols engraved into them, but neither Xu Jiaqi nor Lady Xiang could read them.
As for Yuan, even though he couldn't read them, he could somehow understand them.
Whoosh!
These countless golden swords suddenly flew at Yuan, entering his body without harming him in the slightest.
Once Yuan absorbed all of the golden swords, he took a deep breath before closing his eyes and entering into another trance.
This trance didn't last as long and ended a few minutes later.
When he opened his eyes, it was pure gold and glistening like stars in a starry night, giving an otherworldly feeling to his existence.
Both Xu Jiaqi and Lady Xiang subconsciously swallowed nervously when they saw his eyes, feeling as though they were before a divine entity despite being god-like existences themselves.
"I think it's over," he spoke in a calm voice a moment later.
However, the goddesses were still in shock and trying to process what had just happened.
"H-How do you feel?" Lady Xiang asked him a moment later.
"I feel fine."
? "Just fine? Do you feel any different?"
To her surprise, Yuan shook his head, "No, I don't feel any different."
"How is that even possible…?" Lady Xiang muttered in a dazed voice.
I don't believe it." Xu Jiaqi suddenly spoke with a cold expression on her face.
"You just learned the strongest soul cultivation technique known in the Nine Heavens, not to mention that spectacle just now. There's no way you don't feel any different."
Yuan shook his head with a bittersweet smile, "Why would I lie to you? I truly don't feel any different. Perhaps the effects will start showing later, but I can't sense anything different about my body at this moment."
Neither Lady Xiang nor Xu Jiaqi could argue with his logic, especially when they still cannot comprehend what had just occurred.
"Then I would like to make a suggestion. You should stay here for a little longer so that I can monitor your condition." Lady Xiang then said.
"I'm sorry, Lady Xiang, but I have somewhere to be, and I already broke my promise once. I cannot disappoint my friend a second time. I hope you can understand. If I feel any different, I will let Senior Bai know."
Lady Xiang frowned, clearly unhappy, which was to be expected. However, what Yuan didn't expect was what she would go on to say.
"That's not right. I told you to address me as Sister Biyu." Lady Xiang revealed her reason for being displeased, leaving Yuan speechless.
Xu Jiaqi then spoke, "You don't need to report anything if you don't want to. We just wanted to make sure your body is unharmed after enduring the golden bell for so long."
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If it is considered rude to question a cultivator about their gains after they consumed a treasure, the same logic applied to cultivation techniques.
"Anyways, about the soul cultivation technique… Do you have it?" Lady Xiang asked a moment later.
Yuan silently nodded.
Lady Xiang took a deep breath before speaking, "Not only did you surpass me in comprehension, you even made the golden bell ring 110 times. I don't think something like this will ever be surpassed or repeated again."
"Junior Brother Yuan, would you like to be my disciple?" Lady Xiang suddenly offered to be his master.
"If you become my disciple, I will immediately bring you to the Supreme Heaven, and I will spare no resources nurturing you. All of my disciples have become a powerhouse in the Nine Heavens one way or another, and with your talents, you will surely be my brightest disciple yet. Moreover, since our soul cultivation technique is very unique, I am the only person in the Nine Heavens who can guide you properly in that regard."
"Although the Divine Essence Monastery is a female-only sect and I have only ever accepted female disciples before, I will make an exception for you. You will not only be surrounded by beauties, they're the most brilliant and beautiful flowers you can encounter in the Nine Heavens. If that's not enough to satisfy you, I don't mind offering myself to you. I may have lived a long time, but as the Holy Maiden, my body is still pure." Lady Xiang winked at the end.
Yuan was speechless. How did the conversation go off the rails so fast within a single sentence?
"Hey, what nonsense are you spouting? I'll kill you." Xu Jiaqi interrupted with a cold look on her face.
Lady Xiang remained calm despite Xu Jiaqi's threatening aura, and she even smiled, "Nonsense? I did not utter a single lie just now. In case you forgot, you also studied under me at one point."
"That was because my father…"
"No matter how you put it, you cannot alter the truth."
Xu Jiaqi rubbed her eyes and sighed, "Yuan, ignore her. She may be the Holy Maiden, but she acts anything but one. Even if she is the only person in this world who can teach you about the soul cultivation technique, I have a feeling that you won't need it. In fact, you might even be the one guiding her in the future."
"How can you say such a thing in front of a junior right before my presence, Little Qi? To make things fair, how about I reveal some of your embarrassing secrets?" Lady Xiang spoke with a cold look on her face.
"I thought I told you that I would kill you if you ever utter that name again…" Xu Jiaqi's eyes flickered with killing intent.
Sensing that things were getting out of hand, Yuan cleared his throat and spoke in a stiff voice, "Seniors, please calm down. You're both my benefactors. I cannot bear to watch the two of you fight with each other."
He then turned to look at Lady Xiang and continued, "As for your offer, Lady— Sister Biyu, I'm sorry, but I will have to decline."
"May I ask for your reason?" Lady Xiang asked, her expression turned serious.
,m "There are still things that I must do— questions that I need to find answers for down here before I ascend to the Supreme Heaven. I have already decided to climb every step of the way to the Supreme Heaven, so I cannot let you take me there." Yuan explained.
After all, he won't be able to recover his memories if he skipped all the way to the end.
Lady Xiang closed her eyes and released a long sigh, "If that's your decision, I won't force it."
While she really wanted to accept Yuan as a disciple, she already expected for him to refuse. However, even if Yuan accepted her offer, she wouldn't have actually accepted him as her disciple for one simple yet complex reason— a reason that she cannot reveal to either Yuan or Xu Jiaqi.
"Junior Brother, I won't pursue this issue any further, but I have another request. Let's meet again in this place after three months. I want to see how much you've progressed with the soul cultivation technique." Lady Xiang said.
"Three months… I might not be able to make it, as I will be entering the Nameless Emperor's Tomb, which could last for as long as half a year." Yuan said.
"Nameless Emperor's Tomb…? You're actually going inside that torture chamber? What are you, a masochist?" Xu Jiaqi couldn't help but utter these words.
"You've been inside before?" Yuan had a feeling this was the case.
"Of course. In fact, most of the Immortals in the Supreme Heaven have explored the Nameless Emperor's Tomb at least once. Despite this place existing in the Third Heaven, it is still dangerous enough that even Immortals have perished inside. While inside, everyone above Spirit King will have their cultivation restricted to peak Spirit King, and all spiritual treasures above Ancient-grade are rendered useless, so the only advantages we have are our knowledge, experience, and techniques." Xu Jiaqi said.
Yuan swallowed nervously after hearing all of this.
The Nameless Emperor's Tomb is dangerous enough to kill even Immortals that are entities that he cannot even comprehend yet? Why does such a place even exist? He couldn't wait to find out.
"Now that I know you're planning to explore the Nameless Emperor's Tomb, I cannot leave you empty-handed." Lady Xiang suddenly said.
"Here are some life—"
Right as Lady Xiang prepared to pull out life-saving treasures for Yuan, Xu Jiaqi stopped her and said, "What are you doing? Have you forgotten our position? If we interfere too much, it could have the opposite effect and harm him instead."
"..." Lady Xiang wanted to argue, but she couldn't.
"Fine, I won't give him any life-saving treasures, but I won't let him go inside without anything." Lady Xiang said with a stern look on her face. "Even though he's not my official disciple, he still learned my soul cultivation technique, so he is technically one."