Chapter 538: Heaven’s Chosen (II)
Lin Zheyu glanced toward the door and said with a hint of apology on his face, "I was a bit discourteous just now and ended up driving your friend away. My apologies."
"This has nothing to do with you. Fellow Ning was the one who started it," Han Ge said with a smile, shaking his head as he looked at Ning Ji'an's departing figure.
The woman across from Lin Zheyu said with a smile of admiration, "Fellow Xiao, your strength is truly remarkable. That display just now was astonishing. This is the first time I've seen someone at your level wield such powerful rule power."
The power of rules was something one only began to touch upon before attaining the Golden Core realm. In the Immortal Dao, the extent to which one comprehended the power of rules before reaching the Golden Core realm was closely tied to the strength of the destiny aura one could grasp, directly affecting the grade of one's Golden Core.
For martial artists, although they did not form a Golden Core, the amount of rule power they comprehended before advancing to the Shackles realm was likewise crucial to how powerful they would be afterward.
Moreover, before advancing to the Shackles realm, a martial artist's affinity with the Heavenly Dao and the ease with which they could comprehend rule power were vastly different compared to after advancement. For Lin Zheyu to have already grasped such formidable rule power while still in the Divine Repository realm made it hard to imagine just how monstrous he would become once he broke through to the Shackles realm.
Lin Zheyu waved it off with a smile and said, "I just happened to encounter a fortunate opportunity before. It's nothing worth mentioning."
If not for the opportunity he had when obtaining the rule fragments, where he used Origin Force to effectively extend his comprehension time, Lin Zheyu would never have been able to grasp such powerful rule power in such a short period, relying on his own comprehension. So what he said was the honest truth.
"Luck is also part of strength. We wouldn't even be able to come across such an opportunity if we tried," Han Ge said with a smile.
"We were interrupted by Fellow Ning earlier and didn't get to make introductions. Let me introduce them properly now. On my left is Su Qingqing from the White Tiger Sect, and on my right is Pei Yichen from the Azure Dragon Sect." Han Ge gestured toward the two beside him.
Lin Zheyu cupped his hands toward them and said with a smile, "I am Xiao Yu. I cannot compare to your backgrounds. I come from the Martial Alliance."
He quietly sized up the three of them, not expecting all of them to come from top-tier forces. The Four Symbols Sects were among the most powerful in Great Wei's cultivation world, standing on equal footing with the eight great esteemed families. The Four Symbols Realm itself was a grotto heaven jointly governed by those four supreme sects and the eight esteemed families.
"A hero is not judged by their origins. With your strength, Fellow Xiao, you would be a standout even within the Azure Dragon Sect," Pei Yichen said with a smile.
"Fellow Xiao, I wonder which faction you come from, and who your master is? I often deal with martial artists and have heard of most of the talented ones in Great Wei, yet I've never heard your name. Could it be that you came from another continent?" Su Qingqing asked curiously, blinking her eyes.
Han Ge and Pei Yichen also looked over, clearly interested in Lin Zheyu's background. They all knew each other well, yet knew very little about this talented martial artist named Xiao Yu. No matter how they investigated, they could not uncover anything substantial. It was as if he had appeared out of thin air. Obviously, that was impossible.
In this era, no matter how talented a martial artist or cultivator might be, without the backing of a powerful force, they would simply fade into obscurity. This was the reality of the times. Even in ancient eras, those who rose from nothing without relying on powerful backing were exceedingly rare. As such, no one considered the possibility that Lin Zheyu was merely a rootless martial artist without support. Instead, they guessed that this Xiao Yu might not belong to any faction within Great Wei at all.
"Fellow Su, you jest. I've lived in Great Wei since birth and have never left this continent. As for my master, I was instructed not to reveal that lightly. I ask the three of you to forgive me," Lin Zheyu said with a helpless smile.
"You're too polite, Fellow Xiao. Being able to join the Martial Alliance and pass its Heart Questioning Trial already proves your background poses no issue and that you bear no ill intent toward Great Wei. It was somewhat presumptuous of us to ask about your origins. Allow me to offer you a drink as an apology." Su Qingqing raised her cup with an easy smile.
"There's no need to speak of apologies. I'm glad to have made your acquaintance. Let me toast the three of you," Lin Zheyu said with a smile, raising his cup.
After the earlier unpleasant episode, the atmosphere in the room gradually returned to normal. Perhaps because Lin Zheyu had just demonstrated his strength, Han Ge and the others now spoke to him as an equal, even with a hint of politeness.
"Fellow Xue Zizhao won't be coming. He got excited upon spotting a worthy opponent and went off to challenge someone," Han Ge said with a hint of helplessness as he set down his cup.
He had just received word from Xue Zizhao that he wouldn't be coming. When Lin Zheyu heard the name, his thoughts stirred slightly. He had heard it before while teaming up with Ji Ziyang at the demon god barrier. This was a monstrous genius who had dared to charge into the other side of a space-time node.
Gathering so many talented cultivators... are they planning something big? Lin Zheyu thought to himself.
"As expected of Fellow Xue Zizhao. That really does sound like something he would do," Pei Yichen said with a light chuckle, setting down his cup.
"Since Fellow Xue Zizhao won't be coming, Pan..." Su Qingqing began, only to pause as a knock sounded at the door.
The door opened, and two beautiful women who looked almost identical appeared at the entrance.
"Apologies for being late." The two spoke in unison, their voices soft and pleasantly sweet.
"Alright, aside from Fellow Xue Zizhao, everyone is here now. Fellow Xiao, these two are Pan Xinyu and Pan Xinwen from the Extreme Cold Palace. Among the younger generation, few can match them in the Dao of formations." Han Ge introduced them with a smile.
Lin Zheyu cupped his hands toward the two women and said, "Greetings, Fellows. I am Xiao Yu from the Martial Alliance, a martial artist."
At the mention of the Extreme Cold Palace, it was clear they cultivated ice-based techniques. Their auras were cool and distant, giving off the impression of icy beauties.
"Greetings, Fellow Xiao," Pan Xinyu and Pan Xinwen replied calmly.
They took seats beside Lin Zheyu, a faint fragrance drifting over.
"Since Fellow Xue isn't coming, we'll leave him aside. This gathering was arranged at the right moment. I've invited everyone here to discuss a matter," Han Ge said with a smile, his gaze sweeping across the room.
"I assume all of you have already reached the limit of the Foundation Establishment realm and could step into the Golden Core realm at any time. And you likely have a solid chance of forming an eight-pattern Golden Core, correct?" Han Ge said with a smile. "Yet you've held back, aiming to go further, to form a nine-pattern or even a Primordial Golden Core."
"Just say it. Where and when?" Pei Yichen interrupted.
"The demon cave. Half a year from now," Han Ge replied calmly, unfazed by the interruption.
"We'll go to a suitable space-time node in the demon cave within half a year?" Su Qingqing asked in confusion.
"Yes. It's well hidden and lies deep within the demon cave. The danger is considerable," Han Ge said slowly.
Listening quietly, Lin Zheyu quickly understood the reason behind Han Ge's gathering. Deep within the demon cave, a hidden space-time node was nearing maturity. This node was even larger than the one he had entered before, and Golden Core realm yaos had already appeared within it. Once it fully stabilized, even Nascent Soul realm yaos might emerge.
"What do you think, Fellow Xiao?" Han Ge asked with a smile after finishing his explanation.
He had originally planned to bring along a few martial artists, including Ning Ji'an. But after witnessing Lin Zheyu's strength, he lost interest in Ning Ji'an.
"Count me in," Lin Zheyu said after a brief pause, nodding.
With these people with him, that old bastard Fan Hongwei wouldn't dare act recklessly. Once inside the space-time node, he could use Origin Force to significantly boost his strength. After coming out, he wouldn't have to worry about Fan Hongwei's threat anymore.
"Good." Han Ge nodded with a smile and looked at the others.
"We'll pass."
While Pei Yichen and Su Qingqing agreed, the twin sisters shook their heads and declined.
This surprised Lin Zheyu. He had assumed they had all agreed beforehand.
"That's a pity. Without the two of you and your formation support, this trip will be far more dangerous," Han Ge said, his brows slightly furrowing.
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