The Divine Master was the master of the Holy Domain’s Divine Capital. According to rumor, he possessed the strength of a True God. However, he never showed his true cultivation, making others find him unfathomable.
The five super factions here all revered this person.
However, this person appeared only in the Faux God World and never in the Great Thousand Realms. Rumor had it that the Divine Master could continue living only in this Faux God World because time flowed too quickly in the Great Thousand Realms. He had stopped interfering with mundane matters long ago.
The Divine Master even left the management of the Holy Domain’s Divine Capital to the five super factions, never asking about anything.
The Divine Master was very mysterious and low profile, so low profile that people forgot about him. However, when he appeared, everyone revered him and recalled that he was the true master of the Holy Domain’s Divine Capital.
The Divine Master wore a mask, hiding his appearance and expression, as he stood above the Trial Tower’s roof.
The Divine Master had come because only he could remove the seal on the eighty-first floor, the place that sealed Paradise.
“Greetings, Divine Master.”
All the powerhouses of the super factions performed cupped-fist salutes to show their respect.
The Divine Master nodded slightly, stretched out a hand, and gently tapped the air.
A spot of iridescent light appeared. In an instant, the spot enlarged into a black whirlpool, looking like a black hole. It seemed like it could suck souls, looking very mysterious.
As the black whirlpool continuously enlarged, it soon turned huge.
Everyone felt somewhat anxious and nervous. Paradise was rife with uncertainties. No one knew what kind of fortuitous encounters they might meet.
It was this uncertainty that made everyone nervous and filled them with anticipation.
The disciples of the Martial God Palace, the Profound Heaven Holy Land, the Hidden Spirit Temple, the Universe Origin Sect, and the Heavenly Alliance all stared at the black whirlpool, entranced.
“The seal has already been lifted. If there is any danger, you can come out at any time.” The Divine Master’s aged voice rang out. Closely following that, he disappeared, going somewhere.
Perhaps the Divine Master returned to the True God Palace; perhaps he hid somewhere to watch everyone.
“Let’s go, then.”
“Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!”
No one knew who moved first, but all the false Emperors of the various super factions led the charge, unwilling to fall behind. They all wanted to be the first to enter Paradise.
The Heavenly Alliance members were last, slightly inferior.
Those that could enter the Faux God World were the elite among elites. Anyone here could be called outstanding talents and geniuses in the Great Thousand Realms. The scene of them moving as one was majestic.
This was especially so for the leaders of each group. They were false Emperors, people who were very close to the Divine Vein Realm. All of them showed their sharpness, looking boundlessly elegant.
Mu Zifeng looked around, hoping to see Xiao Chen appear at the last minute. Helplessness flashed in his eyes.
From the looks of things, it seemed that the rumor of Xiao Chen being injured was true.
“It looks like that fellow is really crippled.”
Mu Yunzhu did not move as his sharp eyes scanned the surroundings. As long as Xiao Chen revealed any aura, he would instantly capture it.
Mu Yunzhu had waited a very long time for this day. Every day of the past five years had felt like a year long. He had increased the intensity of his cultivation severalfold every day to openly trample on Xiao Chen one day.
After the story of what happened at the Ice Fire Wasteland five years ago circulated, Mu Yunzhu and Bai Yunfei became the laughing stock of the disciples in the Faux God World.
So many half-step Sovereign Emperors, many of them princes of great empires and Noble Clan scions, had been utterly fooled by a Heavenly Alliance member.
Paradise was an excellent chance for Mu Yunzhu to prove himself. Unfortunately, Xiao Chen did not show up.
Damn it! I managed to cultivate Divine Energy after so much difficulty. To think that you ended up crippled like that!
In the end, I failed to see Xiao Chen. Mu Yunzhu cursed in his heart. Then, his figure flashed, and he flew to the entrance while shining with profound light.
Like Mu Yunzhu, Bai Yunfei, Xiahou Wu, and Fang Shaobai all waited a long time for Xiao Chen before flying to the black whirlpool with some disappointment.
—
Fiend Cloud Hall:
A person lay on a white jade bed where Fiendish Saber Xi Mu cultivated. Plenty of bandages wrapped this person, even the face, only revealing a pair of tightly shut eyes.
A faint medicinal fragrance permeated the room, which came from the Primal Chaos Heaven Replenishing Ointment on the bandages.
The Primal Chaos Heaven Replenishing Ointment was a medicinal ointment that could reconstruct a Faux God’s physical body, yet it was used on a Sovereign Personage.
If others saw this, they would definitely find this a pity, feeling that this heavenly item was wasted.
Lu Benwei sat cross-legged and meditated with his eyes closed near the white jade bed.
“Whoosh!”
Suddenly, Xiao Chen opened his eyes without any prior signs.
His eyes appeared listless as he stared at the ceiling. It was like he just woke up from a dream and was still basking in the warmth of it.
Xiao Chen did not move, even after a long time. He had dreamed.
He had dreamed that he returned to Qingyun Peak and passed wondrous days. Like the most fragrant wine in the world, the dream was wonderful, intoxicating one into losing oneself. One would be unwilling to wake up from the drunken stupor, willing it to continue forever and never end, wishing that one could drink forever.
However, Xiao Chen was awake in his dream. The hand that held the wine cup kept trembling.
This was because of pain.
Even the most wonderful dream in the world could not make Xiao Chen smile wholeheartedly. He could not ease the pain. After he had drunk enough and seen enough of his memories, he opened his eyes and returned to reality.
What is the point of my martial skills?
Xiao Chen, who had watched while dreaming, already had an answer. His martial skills represented hope, allowing him to struggle and fight.
Without his martial skills, he could not even meet Liu Ruyue. His heart would be dead.
A dead heart was even more hopeless than heartache and heartbreak.
At least, I have dreams, a goal to pursue and fight for. Many people in the world do not even have a goal.
Just like Fiendish Saber Xi Mu. He possesses excellent martial skills, reaching the peak of Faux God. However, his heart died long ago.
Xiao Chen’s lifeless eyes slowly lit up. A fighting spirit spread out in his heart as he tightly clenched his right fist. The light of determination appeared in his eyes.
“Whoosh!”
Lu Benwei, who was at the side, seemed to sense this gaze since he quickly opened his eyes.
Indeed, Xiao Chen had woken up.
Xiao Chen looked at the bandages wrapped around his hands and body. After thinking for a while, he wanted to remove them.
“Don’t do that. The Primal Chaos Heaven Replenishing Ointment has not been completely absorbed yet, so you cannot remove them. This time, your internal injuries are even worse than entering a state of Berserking Qi Deviation and losing control. If not for Master applying the Primal Chaos Heaven Replenishing Ointment, you would not recover so quickly,” Lu Benwei called out, stopping Xiao Chen.
Primal Chaos Heaven Replenishing Ointment?
No wonder. No wonder it feels like I’m soaking in a medicinal spring. My body feels warm and indescribably comfortable.
“Where is Senior?”
Xiao Chen felt a warmth in his heart. He wanted to find Xi Mu to express his gratitude.
Lu Benwei smiled and said, “Given Master’s temper, I doubt that he will want to see you. It’s good that you woke up. I nearly thought that you would never wake up.”
Xiao Chen felt somewhat guilty when he heard that. He said apologetically, “Big Brother Lu, many thanks for saving me.”
Although it was Xi Mu who saved Xiao Chen, Xiao Chen would have died without Lu Benwei assessing the situation.
“How long was I asleep?” Xiao Chen asked.
“Exactly three days.”
Perhaps it was fated, or perhaps Xiao Chen never thought of giving up at all, thinking of the trial at Paradise in the depths of his heart.
If Xiao Chen did not wake up on this day, then he would have completely given up. He would never have woken up, becoming a coward for life.
If Xiao Chen could not trust in his martial skills, then what was the point of living?
Xiao Chen believed that he would return to the Divine Dragon Empire one day to take back everything he had lost.
Xiao Chen’s pride would never allow him to give up.
“Can I still make it in time?”
Xiao Chen did not say what he wanted to make it in time for, but Lu Benwei naturally understood. He said after some thought, “Normally, it would be hopeless. The passageway that the Divine Master opened is slowly closing already. However, I have a way. Come with me.”
Xiao Chen got off the bed and wanted to put on the Alloy Battle Armor. However, he discovered that he was completely wrapped in the bandages with the Primal Chaos Heaven Replenishing Ointment. There was no way to activate the gloves.
He could not even take anything out of his storage ring. If he used his storage ring, it would tear the bandage and the medicine’s effects would leak out.
Left without a choice, Xiao Chen pulled on a white bedsheet and casually draped it over his body like a cloak.
A strong wind blew at the mountain summit, the clouds appearing like a sea.
Bandages covered Xiao Chen’s entire body, and the bedsheet draped over him flapped in the wind. He looked very strange.
Lu Benwei did not mind. He pointed at the distant cloud sea and said, “Do you see that? That is the entrance to Paradise.”
Xiao Chen looked over casually and saw a scary, black whirlpool in the extreme distance—a black dot at the limits of his vision.
That black whirlpool was currently shrinking. With Xiao Chen’s speed, he could not possibly arrive before it closed.
“What is said to be the fastest in the Great Thousand Realms?”
“The roc.”
“That’s right. Have you heard of this saying? The great roc flies with the wind, moving more than forty-five thousand kilometers in an instant. Where did this wind come from? I once obtained an ancient inheritance when I went out to adventure. It is called Great Gale Force. Only then did I learn that the great roc cannot fly without the wind. However, I have not tested this Palm Technique before. This summit of this mountain has many space-time tears, so I cannot guarantee a safe arrival. Do you dare to take my palm strike?”
Lu Benwei looked at Xiao Chen as he stored up power. He knew Xiao Chen’s answer already and was just waiting for him to say it.
“Do you think that I will give up?”
“Hahaha! In that case, I will give you the power of the roc to help you ride the wind.”
Lu Benwei reared his head back to the sky and guffawed. His laughter filled the sky, and a strong wind started clamoring, sounding like horrifying waves. A boundless aura gathered behind him.
This wind seemed like it would even overturn the ground and sky.
“Great! Gale! Force!”
An even more boundless howl rang in the sky, sounding like a shocking, ancient roar. Then, Lu Benwei landed a palm strike on Xiao Chen.
“Boom!” Xiao Chen instantly disappeared into the cloud sea.
The vast cloud sea was vast and boundless. Xiao Chen fell into it like a raindrop, not causing any ripples.
Suddenly, the sky shook, and the ground trembled. Even the Holy Domain’s Divine Capital started shaking.
Many Faux Gods could not help looking into the distance. Then, their expressions changed. They saw the sky turned pitch-black as a huge aura rushed towards the Trial Tower.
“A roc!”
Several Faux Gods felt startled as they looked. They thought that a roc had really appeared in the Faux God World.
They saw a figure fly out of the distant cloud sea, draped in a white cloak, with his arms outspread. He looked like roc covering the sky, showing an overwhelming aura. This figure traveled more than tens of thousands of kilometers in the blink of an eye. Just before the black whirlpool closed, this figure turned into a beam of flowing light and entered. This figure draped in a bedsheet radiated pride and stubbornness, not caring about the gazes of others.
The great roc flies with the wind, moving more than forty-five thousand kilometers in an instant.