“Hey Brother Chu, so how was it?”
After returning to the inn, Li Xingchen hurriedly went up to Chu Kuangren.
“What do you mean how was it?”
“How was it between you and the Princess of course.”
“How can anything possibly happen between us? All we did was discuss and exchange knowledge about the path of Daoist cultivation. I came back right after that,” Chu Kuangren casually replied.
He did not have the habit of spreading the personal affairs of others. The issue of forming a marriage was only Princess Linglong’s matter to worry about. He would not agree to help, and he would not involve himself in that matter as well.
“Her royal highness Princess Linglong purposely kept you guys alone just to exchange knowledge about the path of Daoist cultivation?” Li Xingchen teasingly asked again, thinking Chu Kuangren was kidding with him.
“Not everyone’s minds are full of dirty thoughts like you, Brother Li.”
Chu Kuangren replied as he rolled his eyes, not saying another word after.
After that night, news of Chu Kuangren defeating the Third Crown Prince started to spread throughout the different circles of Sky-prides.
Despite that, Chu Kuangren did not care about the kinds of disturbance that got riled up as it spread.
The date for the martial arts competition for Princess Linglong’s hand in marriage steadily got closer. Suddenly, something big happened within the royal Azure Dragon Domain just a few days right before the event.
The artificial world of the Luminous Moon that had disappeared for tens of thousands of years suddenly reappeared in the air above the northern seas!
…
Morning came.
Chu Kuangren had just finished rolling from the lucky draw when Li Xingchen rushed into his room with an anxious look on his face, as if something serious had happened.
“Brother Li, what’s up with you today?”
“Brother Chu, let’s go right now. You have to follow me to the northern seas.”
“To the northern seas? For what? Aren’t we joining the marriage martial arts competition?”
Chu Kuangren chuckled.
“In the air above the north seas lies the Luminous Moon’s artificial world, and there was once a sage that lived there and mysteriously disappeared for tens of thousands of years, and he’s suddenly reappeared. If we don’t go now, that opportunity will be taken by others. Participating in the martial arts competition for marriage is not something as important as this.” Li Xingchen said.
The Luminous Moon’s artificial world?
Chu Kuangren frowned curiously. Then again, anything that could be related to a sage would not be something simple. He became very interested due to that.
After calling Lan Yu, the few of them headed out to the northern seas.
Besides them, all of the great Sky-prides who were preparing to compete in the marriage martial arts competition and had been staying in the royal capital also headed towards the northern seas.
Since that happened, the event had no choice but to be delayed.
…
The turbulent waves of the northern seas were covered by the dark clouds above. A pair of silver-white gates could be seen, with the image of a bright moon pattern carved onto them.
Surrounding the area, numerous groups of strong cultivators had already amassed.
Even a few Honorable Ones were present as well.
They glared at the Luminous Moon’s artificial world with very stern and imposing looks.
“The Luminous Moon’s artificial world was the residence of the Luminous Moon Sage tens of thousands of years ago. There has been no news about that location since then, yet it has reappeared today.”
One of the Honorables from Zhiyang Valley curiously commented.
“The Luminous Moon Sage was a top-notch sage who defined the very era he lived in. He was not easily outdone even compared to a Sage Ruler, there must certainly be a lot of fortunate opportunities and items within his artificial world.” Another Honorable said with a fiery look in his eyes.
Although they were all from sage orthodoxies who had produced sages in the past before, those sages mostly were either dead or in a hibernating condition. Hence, the Sage treasures within were greatly sought after by them.
Not to mention, there had not been any top-tier sages at the level of the Luminous Moon Sage that had come from the Azure Dragon’s Eight Great Sage Orthodoxies.
“There’s definitely no lack of treasures and other items within this artificial world. However, we have to open the thing first.” Elder Ruyan from the Black Heaven sect calmly uttered upon arrival as she looked at the Luminous Moon’s artificial world.
She was not wrong.
There was a strong seal of restriction placed on the Luminous Moon’s artificial world entrance. Even the Honorable Realm cultivators could not hope to approach it, leading all of them to stop nearby.
They would have rushed in if that were not the case.
“While this seal is strong, it doesn’t restrict cultivators below the Battle Monarch Realm from entering. We can let our disciples enter first to explore it, and whatever they obtain will be up to their luck and destiny.”
Another Honorable Realm Cultivator uttered.
“They’re already rushing over here from the royal capital, let’s seal off our current location and prevent those cultivators from taking the opportunity to slip in unnoticed.”
Said another Honorable Cultivator ruthlessly. His thoughts were obvious.
‘Even our sage orthodoxy cannot enter, so small fry like you should not even come and join in on the action, but immediately leave this place instead.’
Some of the cultivators were enraged upon hearing those words, but felt frustrated They could not do anything as they could not compete with the sage orthodoxies.
Their oppression of the weak was an eternal and unchanging principle in the world of cultivation!
Very soon after, a crowd of Sky-prides reached the north seas at the same time.
Lin Batian from Zhiyang Valley, Fangtian of the Five Ways Sect, Huayun from the Serene Wisdom Sect, the Maiden Sage of the White Lotus School, and some others all arrived at the location.
Chu Kuangren and the others also just arrived.
“What a crowd.” Chu Kuangren looked at the crowd of tens of thousands of cultivators, all surrounded by the boundless crashing waves of the northern sea.
Meanwhile, the higher-ups of a few sage orthodoxies had gathered at the central area closest to the Luminous Moon’s artificial world. They were surrounded by their respective Sky-prides. All of them proudly levitated in the air, full of vigor in an imposing manner.
Especially the Royal Azure Dynasty’s Princess Linglong and Gu Changge, who sat in horse-driven carriages surrounded by a battalion of well-equipped soldiers. Each infantry unit held their heads up high, their gazes filled with seriousness, clearly showing that they were battle-hardened soldiers who had experienced and survived life on the battlefield.
The Royal Azure crown prince Gu Changge looked indifferent. He glanced around the area with a look of superiority in him like he was a Sky-pride of the heavens.
Chu Kuangren took a look at him and said, “Wow, that guy has recovered well. I almost thought he would be unable to recover from back then.”
“That’s how these larger great orthodoxies are with their might and imposing manner.” Li Xingchen replied frustratingly, lamenting that their White Jade Hotel could never hope to compare against the sage orthodoxies.
After that, he seemingly stared straight at a certain direction in a daze. Pulling Chu Kuangren’s sleeve, he told him, “Brother Chu, take a look. That’s the Maiden Sage of the White Lotus School.”
Chu Kuangren followed his gaze and looked, and saw a lady in white robes among the group of Sky-prides in the sage orthodoxy.
The lady had lush black hair with a glowingly delicate skin and a beautiful face. She was putting up a gentle smile, an expression that could captivate the hearts of many.
Numerous Sky-prides stared at that woman in awe of her beauty, even the Sky-prides of the sage orthodoxies also could not help but look twice at her.
“Maiden Sage of the White Lotus School, Bai Wanqing. Cultivation level – Paradise Realm…”
Chu Kuangren checked her stats using his Eye of Revelation.
He realized that of the Sky-prides of the sage orthodoxies, the White Lotus Maiden Sage was one of the strongest among them. Her strength was not far compared to Princess Linglong’s.
“The White Lotus Maiden Sage still has that gentle look, like the calm surface of a lake.” Li Xingchen sighed suddenly.
“Is it bad having a gentle look like that?” Chu Kuangren asked.
“Brother Chu, you don’t know a thing about her yet. This Maiden Sage may look approachable, but she’s like a rare mountain flower. I’ve lost count of the men who had pursued her over the years, but all I know is that none of them succeeded. Besides that, I’ve also never heard of her being together with any other man as well. There isn’t even a hint of a scandal at all about her.”
While speaking of that, Li Xingchen paused and gave Chu Kuangren a weird look. “The only exception is that a few days ago, the White Lotus Maiden Sage openly declared that she wants to discuss the principles of Daoism with you, brother Chu.”
Speaking of that, Li Xingchen’s tone became a bit sour.
Chu Kuangren shrugged. “That I did not know of.”
He did not care about news of that sort.
“Brother Chu, my dear brother Chu, having Lan Yu beside you is enough. Why did both Princess Linglong and the White Lotus Maiden Sage decide to have their eyes on you?”
Li Xingchen said bitterly.
“Brother Li, take a look at my face.”
Li Xingchen turned to him for a while and his eyes started to water.
He asked himself why Chu Kuangren was a man with world-class looks, yet he was leagues below him.
No wonder both the White Lotus Maiden Sage and Princess Linglong treated him differently.
When he thought of this, Li Xingchen felt a wave of sadness overcoming him.
Chu Kuangren smiled and stopped messing around with Li Xingchen. He took Lan Yu and flew towards the direction of Elder Ruyan to greet her.
“Greetings, Elder Ruyan.”
Elder Ruyan’s eyes lit up. “Ah, you’ve come as well, Kuangren.”
