Chapter 149 - Brother, Your Death Was Really Tragic!
"Interesting," Yun Xiao mused with a smile. The Heavenly Realm's political landscape was infinitely more intricate than the Sea of Swords.
The Demon Continent, the Ancestral Temple, the Grand Temple Academy, the Six Immortal Divisions, the Great Dao Pavilion, the Ye Royal family, the Nine Heavens Immortal Army, the Chen Clan, the hundred thousand Sword Cultivators of the Three Great Sword Tombs, and the Spirit Treasure Palace... Countless individuals, all eyeing the benefits that lay before them.
Indeed, this War of Immortals in the Heavenly Realm was shaping up to be quite the spectacle. Including themselves, the so-called couple, who, at that moment, were walking deeper into the fray, each harboring their own intentions, speaking little.
"Welcome back." Upon hearing she had reached the Establishment stage of the Wind Fire Tribulation Realm, numerous students from the Grand Temple approached to greet her.
These students hailed from dozens of Heavenly Realm families, and most of their parents held official posts within the Immortal Empire. Unlike the mortal sects, the Grand Temple was an educational institution of the Immortal Empire. Students here addressed each other as upperclassmen or underclassmen, much like in the Cloud Nation.
In the Cloud Nation, there were also academies for the offspring of officials. While they taught the ways of literature, they also taught martial arts and held contests for both literary and martial prowess. However, in scale and prestige, they could hardly match the Grand Temple of the Immortal Empire.
Recent gossip had it that Ye Xingchen met his end in a rather embarrassing manner, struck down by Chen Xi's newlywed husband. Chen Xi's previous humiliation from a broken engagement a year ago had now evaporated, her reputation soaring once again. Within the Grand Temple, few dared to act rashly in front of her. Aside from the Mu and Ye Families, scarcely anyone would.
"The Grand Temple is quite the place. It's a melting pot of the younger generation, making it a microcosm of the Immortal Empire itself."
"The likes of the Ye, Mu, and Han Clans represent the established powers of the Immortal Empire, naturally wielding greater influence. But a direct descendant of the Chen Clan isn't someone ordinary second-generations can mess with!" For this reason, when Yun Xiao entered, he didn't face the typical disdain one might expect in such settings.
Everyone knew the tale of the young man in white who'd somehow managed to off the top student of the Grand Temple's Dragon Ranking. Their expressions varied from amused to bewildered.
As fate would have it, Yun Xiao and Chen Xi happened to stroll by a rather magnificent spot.
"Hold on a second." Yun Xiao, utterly captivated, couldn't help but halt.
"What's the matter?" Chen Xi, ever the impatient one, prodded, "Let's not dilly-dally. I plan to top the Dragon Ranking by day's end."
"What's that?" Yun Xiao inquired, pointing ahead. Before him lay a lake, its surface shimmering like a mirror. The lake was filled with a pure white liquid, emitting an aroma reminiscent of fresh milk... which was precisely why Red Moon had sunk its teeth into his flesh, preventing his departure.
Upon glimpsing the milky substance, Chen Xi's thoughts darted to the double bathtub she had prepared in the Divine Dawn Pavilion. Livid, she pinched Yun Xiao's arm fiercely, exclaiming, "This is for standing me up!"
Yun Xiao, wincing from the pain, looked perplexed. What did the lake have to do with him breaking a date?
"Seems there's people in the lake?" Yun Xiao observed earnestly.
Seeing him so invested, Chen Xi momentarily set aside her grievances, saying, "That's the Noble Dao Sea."
"Noble?" Yun Xiao responded with an eyebrow raised in amusement. More lofty ideals about chivalry and honor? The Grand Temple sure had a knack for setting moral high grounds.
On closer inspection, Yun Xiao noticed tiny, radiant specks floating in the milky waters, looking similar to jade slips, lending the Noble Dao Sea a magnificent and profound aura.
Faintly visible at the lake's bed was a pentagram formation. Its light converged with the pristine waters, adding a hint of dreamy allure to the already mesmerizing lake.
"What are those jade slips?" Yun Xiao's curiosity was piqued.
"Why must you question everything like a toddler?" Chen Xi huffed, clearly exasperated.
"If you'd simply answer without the sass, I'd speak less," Yun Xiao retorted.
Giving him a withering look, Chen Xi sighed. "They are daoist spells, passed down from our ancestors. Sealed within the jade slips, they are available only to the destined."
"Destined, you say? Well, I believe I am," Yun Xiao grinned, having witnessed Chen Xi's spells, his intrigue with daoist spells had only intensified.
Pausing a moment, he said, "Bear with me a moment. I want to try my luck."
Chen Xi shook her head, "You can't."
"Why? There are a dozen folks in there," Yun Xiao pointed out.
"Only those ranked within the top hundred on the Dragon Ranking may enter the Noble Dao Sea. And most of them are at least at the Wind Fire Tribulation Realm," she clarified.
Disappointed, Yun Xiao sighed, "Guess I'll return tomorrow."
"Tomorrow? You're in the Sovereign Dragon Realm now!" she exclaimed, knowing he could challenge higher realms. She had, after all, nourished him.
Surveying the Noble Dao Sea with a look of longing, Yun Xiao appeared thirsty for... something. But it wasn't thirst. Red Moon had threatened him to the point where he couldn't take a single step without fearing for his flesh!
"Oh, fine!" Chen Xi relented. "Didn't you loot some of the treasures of Chen Xuan and the other teachers of the Grand Temple? There's another way you can enter the Noble Dao Sea now."
"How?" Hope sprang in Yun Xiao's eyes.
She gestured to a small hut beside the lake. "There's a teacher there. Pay a fee, and you can experience the lake for fifteen minutes."
"How much?" he inquired.
"A hundred million Spirit Stones," Chen Xi revealed.
"Good grief, that's highway robbery! I'll come back tomorrow," Yun Xiao muttered, taking a step, but suddenly, his face turned ashen.
"What happened?" Chen Xi asked, alarmed.
"Upset stomach... I threw up all night," Yun Xiao explained, clutching his belly.
"You!" Chen Xi's face turned a shade of scarlet, and in a fit of fury, she reached for a nearby stone stool, poised to hurl it at Yun Xiao's head. That man was infuriating!
But, in the end, she held back. After all, a crowd had formed, eagerly watching their exchange. People always gathered in large numbers beside the Noble Dao Sea, including youngsters from the Mu, Ye, and Han Clans. Some were young kids, gawking at Yun Xiao, while others were Chen Xi's rivals from the Dragon Ranking.
"What's the pinnacle of daoist spells in there?" Yun Xiao asked, still clutching his stomach.
"The Elemental Scripture," she responded tersely, not in the mood for chit-chat.
"Elemental Scripture? Is that the name of a spell?"
"Yes! In the Grand Temple, spells are given poetic names, demonstrating a scholar's refinement. Understand?" Chen Xi chuckled.
"And the spell you used earlier, what was that?"
"The Big Bang Spell. Impressed?" Chen Xi replied, lifting her chin ever so slightly.
"Well, compared to the Elemental Scripture, it sounds a bit... rustic," Yun Xiao said, cracking a grin. "What's the level of the Elemental Scripture?"
"Galaxy grade," Chen Xi replied, narrowing her eyes, "Why? You interested? That spell represents the orthodoxy of the Grand Temple. To master it, one not only needs exceptional skill but also profound understanding in literary arts. Every accomplished practitioner has been a literary giant, a sage of poetry."
"So, what? I've got to recite a couple of poems to unlock it?" Yun Xiao quipped.
"Exactly."
"Whatever, I'll give it a go." Yun Xiao chose it because he didn't want to waste the one hundred million Spirit Stones. He had no choice. Red Moon had driven him to this point. Today, he needed to spend money to avert a catastrophe.
"Are you really going to waste that much money?" Chen Xi questioned.
"We're practically married, and you're still mocking me like everyone else? Maybe wish me good fortune instead," Yun Xiao retorted.
Chen Xi chuckled softly, a twinkle in her eyes.
Yun Xiao sighed and made his way toward the small hut.
Some of their conversation was overheard by the students of the Grand Temple. So, before he even approached the hut, an excited voice shouted, "Daoist Chen Miao! Here comes a big spender!"
Yun Xiao just stared, taken aback for a moment. He arrived at the entrance of the small hut to find a large vat placed right outside. And behind that vat stood a stern-faced woman, her gaze icy.
"Do you know who I am?" the woman questioned, her cold stare never leaving Yun Xiao.
"Not a clue," Yun Xiao replied, puzzled by her sudden hostility.
"Chen Xuan was my brother!" she declared with a venomous tone.
"Oh! Now I remember." Yun Xiao pointed at Chen Xi. "She's the one who killed your brother, not me. Don't take it out on me. I was just dragged into this marriage against my will."
The woman, now identified as Daoist Chen Miao, just stared blankly.
Then, she noticed Yun Xiao pulling out several Pouches of Holding.
"That's my brother's Pouch of Holding!" Chen Miao's eyes blazed with fury.
"Nonsense! My wife gave those to me," Yun Xiao retorted, dropping the pouches into the vat. "Count them if you want. I'm going for a dip."
Chen Miao shot Chen Xi a cold glare. She held back any further outburst, simply picking up the Pouch of Holding and muttering, tears glistening, "Brother, your death was truly tragic...!"
"He really spent a hundred million Spirit Stones!"
"Damn, marrying into a rich family sure has its perks!"
"That's dirty money, earned by selling one's body!"
Witnessing the scene, the scholars of the Grand Temple couldn't help but swear, envy evident on their faces.
"A hundred million Spirit Stones for just fifteen minutes in the Noble Dao Sea? What kind of daft move is that?"
"Stop being sour. Rich folks like him perceive money differently than poor scholars like you."
The Noble Dao Sea became the hot topic of the moment.
Yun Xiao had barely turned when he found himself facing a young man dressed in blue. The lad clutched a folded fan in one hand, and his eyes held the chill of an icy abyss. Under that gaze, it felt as though a frosty layer settled over Yun Xiao's skin.
"Mu Shuofeng, back off," Chen Xi warned. In response, concentrated bolts of white lightning curled around the face of the youth in blue.
Despite the deeper chill in those icy eyes, the youth in blue robes stepped back. "Yun Xiao," he said coldly, "I know the foul game you're up to."
"Oh?" Yun Xiao raised an eyebrow in his direction.
"My sister is on the brink of absorbing the profound mysteries of the Elemental Scripture! You recklessly spent a hundred million Spirit Stones to descend and disturb her, right?" A murderous glint flashed in the young man's eyes.
"Your sister?" Yun Xiao's gaze trailed to the deepest part of the Noble Dao Sea. There, a breathtakingly beautiful young woman sat at the center of the lake, enveloped in a mist of icy blue. It was Mu Lingyi.
"I'll have you know..." The face of the youth in blue robes contorted with malice. "The Grand Temple dictates that anyone who disrupts another's critical comprehension within the Noble Dao Sea will face the severest of punishments. They'll be blacklisted, forbidden from ever joining the Immortal Empire."
"Oh?" Yun Xiao chuckled lightly, "I must thank you. I hadn’t noticed your sister until your warnings. Now, deeply touched by your threats, I'm even more inclined to ensure she leaves empty-handed."
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