Long Chen clenched his fists tightly, creating audible cracks of his knuckles as they turned white. Those black eyes of his revealed a sinister light filled with murderous intentions that could scare a child silly, unbeknownst to himself. The sight of Wei Wuyin and Qing Qiumu, likely their position together, had evoked this sinister reaction.
After his 'failure' to protect Na Xinyi, he had lost the trust of his companions that had been cultivated for decades. While he realized his fault after some time of reflection, he still felt great animosity towards the one he felt was responsible for it all—Wei Wuyin.
However, despite his acceptance of his fault and admissions of his own wrongdoing, the others had still formed an invisible wall of distance against him. As for Qing Qiumu, she had almost entirely severed their long cultivated relationship. But after that, after all she said on that day, this is what she's doing?
His teeth grinded together betraying his festering rage boiling to the brink. Just as he felt as if his mind was about to erupt in hellish fury brought about by the myriad of negative emotions in his heart, a gentle and warm touch brought him back.
Taken aback, he turned to see the smile of a beautiful woman, Lian Yu—the one woman that hadn't abandoned him. And what a beautiful woman she was, especially in his darkest state, she became his brightest light, his angelic guardian that protected his heart without reserve. Seeing that gentle, calming smile on her face that seemed to say: "I'm here, everything's okay."
He felt like an angry child comforted by his mother, and his raging emotions fizzled into nothing. He turned away his focus, retaining a neutrally indifferent expression after returning the smile to this delicate beauty that had no one but him in her heart and mind.
Lian Yu relaxed after seeing Long Chen calm himself, feeling elation at his control. As for that slut, Qing Qiumu? She wasn't worth his time. In her heart, she knew there would come a time where they all see the true difference between Wei Wuyin and Long Chen. She gave Qing Qiumu a fleeting look of pity, thinking about how unfortunate she was.
Wei Wuyin and Qing Qiumu were completely ignorant of their thoughts, merely existing in their own space. Whenever they were together, like two kindred spirits, they relaxed in each other's presence revealing their original hearts.
Wei Wuyin laughed at her look of grievance, throwing his hands up in surrender. Seeing this, Qing Qiumu's nerves had calmed down as she smiled. She was truly caught by surprise by Xiao Bai's incredible flying speed.
When Wei Wuyin had been flying down from his Sky Palace, he had spotted her similarly flying towards the Myriad Monarch Sect's Everworth Lake Gathering. She was already running late after cultivating an intensive art that caused her to lose track of time. A few minutes prior, she had just been reminded of the gathering, and hurried to depart. She was certainly going to be late, so she was quite panicked.
Fortunately, Wei Wuyin was similarly 'late'. She was picked up as he descended, unsure if they'll make the event on time at a slow flying speed, so the conversation went like this:
"Are we going to make it at this rate?"
"Oh? We can go faster, but I don't know if you're going to lose your lunch or not."
"Lose my lunch? I'm a cultivator! I can handle any speed!"
"…Are you sure?"
"I can handle it!"
She even felt that Wei Wuyin was playfully joking about the stereotypes of her gender, thinking she was the fairer sex and considered her as less resilient. As a cultivator, she was quite competitive innately and valiantly sought her limits and things out just like everyone else. Or else, why cultivate?
But oh boy was she wrong!
When Xiao Bai cranked his speed to ten, she lost the air out of her lungs and nearly lost consciousness along the way. She immediately regretted it. She had almost fallen off Xiao Bai, having to hold onto Wei Wuyin's robes tightly, fearing for dear life. What should've taken a fully day's worth of flying had been completed in a few minutes.
Now, she could only blame her blind confidence. Therefore, she wasn't actually mad at Wei Wuyin, merely realizing that everyone has limits and there were things even cultivators might find hard to bear.
She clutched Wei Wuyin's robes a little tighter, catching her breath. Her flushed appearance truly was a captivating sight to the audience, but the majority of focus was still on the man of the hour himself. There were numerous elites and elders in the crowd, both male and female, that felt envy and jealousy at Qing Qiumu's closeness to Wei Wuyin. But they didn't dare speak out anything ill of Qing Qiumu out loud, keeping their jealousy internal.
Xiao Bai started to walk on the lake, giving off an imposing presence that startled the crowd. The various high-level cultivators felt even more shocked by Xiao Bai's aura, being exceptional in all aspects.
Yao Wei turned to his father. "Great Father, that's a Sky Thunder Pegasus, right?"
Yao Zhen's violet flames swirled within his eyes as if he was contemplating a myriad of things. With his deep, darkly-rich voice, he responded: "Yes. Its Sky Thunder Bloodline is exceptionally developed." Xiao Bai's bloodline wasn't new to many, as quite a few had witnessed its existence during Qing Qiumu's execution date.
Wei Wuyin had arrived, aweing the crowd with his pegasus and presence. However, this was the first time that many had personally seen it evoke its bloodline powers in such a matter, causing their hearts to throb with shock and disbelief.
"Isn't it only a colt? How come its size and aura is so powerful?" An elder demon couldn't help but remark in uncertainty. Almost everyone knew that Wei Wuyin had been gifted a pegasus who later unlocked its innate bloodline after taking some Thunder Blood Pills, but that knew it was less than a decade old in age.
A pegasus at the size of eighty meters was usually matured to the maximum, usually at the age range of two to three hundred years old. Therefore, they were uncertain.
"There's no need to wonder. Wei Wuyin had invested numerous resources into Xiao Bai, even causing its Sky Thunder Bloodline to show signs of evolving." Da Shan proudly explained, completely unbothered by an elf clutching Wei Wuyin closely.
Yao Zhen added, "A beast's size is a reflection of its inherent physical power and lineage. In ancient times, there were beings the size of minor continents that existed on planets. It's not shocking that it's size reflects its developments thus far." As an experienced Sixth Stage expert, Yao Zhen was quite knowledgeable.
A few elders, especially Yao Wei, were taken aback by this information. They knew beasts could become large, but they can become the size of continents? They gulped at the mental image.
Over on the other side, Ji Changkong had to similarly answer this question to Shudao who was confused at Xiao Bai's size and aura.
"Ancient beasts? What type of beasts?" Shudao asked inquisitively with deep interest.
Ji Changkong wryly smiled as he looked at Xiao Bai. Beasts were different from cultivators, capable of developing at absurd speeds if given proper nourishment while contradictorily having extremely long lifespans. They had latent powers of their ancestors, capable of awakening and pursuing that power that existed in legends. If given enough time, Xiao Bai's strength would eclipse his own.
As for its speed? Just from what he saw, he was certain that he couldn't catch up without hindering its movements with Spatial Lock, a unique ability to Spatial Resonance Phase cultivators. This left him a little bitter in his aged heart.
He carelessly mentioned some information detailed in some ancient books, "Ancient beasts said to be descendants of true dragons. They ranged from all types, but their lineage was rather consistent."
However, this baffled Shudao. His sharp gaze turned to Ji Changkong, "Master, dragons? What true dragon lineage? They lived in this starfield? Where are they?" When Shudao asked this in genuine curiosity, Ji Changkong was startled.
"…" When he tried to recall the answers, for some reason, he realized that every lineage in the ancient records existed today, but the dragon lineage had seemingly vanished. There was not even a beastman that had an inkling of their bloodline. He couldn't help but ask himself, "What happened to the dragons?"
If these beings were the size of continents, how could they just vanish?
He became thoroughly lost in thought, absentminded to the point he hadn't noticed an interaction brewing.
Wei Wuyin and Qing Qiumu had left the lake, floated to the lakeside. Xiao Bai neighed, blowing a wad of air toward the crowd with a cocky 'I bet you want to punch' smile. Then, he took off as quick as he came, leaving the two here.
Qing Qiumu circulated her various energies, calming her seething blood and lungs. She had regained her normal warm, motherly elegance that was quite calming to the eyes. Wei Wuyin still held a faint teasing light within his eyes, causing her to roll her eyes.
Just as Qing Qiumu was about to greet her Ancestor and Qin Rui, a familiar figure approached alongside a female companion. When she caught sight of them, her expression changed into a frown. Long Chen and Lian Yu arrived side by side, they both had calm expressions. She didn't know how to react to them. Since the incident with Na Xinyi, her eyes to Long Chen's true nature had been revealed.
Long Chen took the lead, directing his gaze towards Wei Wuyin. As the Grand Prince, he carried himself with an important air. While Wei Wuyin might be the next King of Everlore in the starfield, that individual, in his mind, was merely a foil to the true characters of the future. Such as his master, Grand Monarch Wu Yu.
It was this consistent thought within his mind that allowed him to dismiss the overwhelmingly oppressive sensation that Wei Wuyin was spreading, believing him to just be an outrageously talented alchemist without a chance to reach the peak of the Martial Dao. Without that, he would eventually be nothing and can only be bypassed by him.
Long Chen indifferent swept his gaze across Wei Wuyin, looking at his neck that usually possessed his black ring. He asked, "Where is my master?" Long Chen felt that with this journey to the unknown, Wu Yu would certainly choose to accompany him rather than Wei Wuyin.
Wei Wuyin gave Long Chen an amused look, as if looking at a clown playing elitist. Even though their statuses were so different, so vastly apart in influence, power, and reputation, he still brazenly clashed with him. He felt in the depths of his heart that Long Chen, this man that once brought shock into his heart, was uninteresting.
He focused his gaze on Lian Yu, ignoring Long Chen. According to Xiang Ling, Lian Yu was all he had left after he nearly caused the death of Na Xinyi by not actively protecting her. While Wei Wuyin had brought the calamity cake, Long Chen had eaten the misfortune cream himself. Now, Long Chen was left with Lian Yu.
When Lian Yu felt his gaze, her delicate eyebrows furrowed. She felt naked before his silver eyes, causing her body to grow restless and uncomfortable. But when she saw the light of surprise flit across those eyes, her heart shivered for some reason.
Wei Wuyin commented lightly, turning to Long Chen. "You used your Grand Prince Request to bring her along? Are you sure that's a good idea?" He genuinely asked, startling Long Chen.
After Wei Wuyin had taken the two other requests, the third regarding Na Xinyi needed to be changed, so he asked for an exception to be made for the expedition. It wasn't originally meant for just her, but Xiao Bing, Long Tingyu, Wu Baozhai and Lian Yu. They were all asked to be given a spot, which was agreed upon.
But that had all crumbled as Xiao Bing cultivated with a reborn Hong Ru and Long Tingyu was too distraught by the past events to come. Wu Baozhai, for obvious reasons, had refused his good intentions. This left Lian Yu, the only woman that stayed in his life.
"It's none of your business what I or she does. I ask you again: Where's my master?!" Long Chen's eyes narrowed dangerously, feeling impatient.
Qing Qiumu was about to rebuke Long Chen for his attitude, as this was a public gathering and his actions were extremely disrespectful, but Wei Wuyin touched her shoulder and calmed her down instantly.
Wei Wuyin gave Lian Yu one last glance. Then, he replied: "He's occupied."
Wu Yu had decided to direct Wu Baozhai's cultivation after Wei Wuyin decided to refuse to concoct an Ever-Rebirth Pill. Instead, he said he'll let Wu Yu make up for his actions in the past and let Wu Baozhai reconstruct his body in the future, if she chooses to do so.
While a little angry at this, Wu Yu already had a guilty heart and inevitably agreed. Wu Baozhai was his bloodline descendant and the most suitable cultivator for the Imperial Heaven Qi Method, she'll make great advancements with his help. Therefore, he took her in as his disciple.
As for Long Chen?
Wei Wuyin wasn't certain if Wu Yu had just given up after Long Chen challenged him to Imperial Combat. The likely result could've left him resigned to Long Chen's eventual fate, deciding to abandon that avenue of possibility. Furthermore, with his help and Wei Wuyin concocting unique products suitable for the Imperial Heaven Qi Method, it was certain that Wu Baozhai would reach his level one day, and he might be able to exceed his previous limits once restored
Long Chen clenched his teeth, unbeknownst to him that his so-called master was teaching another to replace him. After all, Wu Baozhai was an innate ruler of the Grand Monarch Lineage unlike him, who snatched it from her.
Just as Long Chen was about to say something, a ray of brilliant silver light erupted from above, attracting everyone's attention.
A grey robed figure was revealed from the light. Tuo Bihan hovered above everyone, sweeping his stern gaze across everyone present, including Long Chen and Wei Wuyin. He announced, "We'll be leaving a day early! Everyone, get ready" His voice contained a hint of urgency.
Wei Wuyin was intrigued by his distress as he faintly smiled. 'What are you up to, little girl?'
