Won't be enough to watch

“You... Have you seen it before?” Qi Cultivator was still a little incredulous.

“Mm.” Chen Xia nodded, his eyes gradually becoming unfocused, as if reminiscing.

“That hand was huge, covered in thunder and lightning that snaked between its fingers, then pressed down with a ‘pa!’ and the vast city was gone.”

Qi Cultivator’s body trembled as he nodded, “Just as the Ancestor's books described. Exactly the same.”

What was that massive hand? Why did it come to this world to destroy cities?

They could not figure it out.

“What more is there to gain from becoming a deity?” Chen Xia changed the topic and asked.

Qi Cultivator quickly replied, “After becoming a deity, you will be the fastest cultivator in the entire world. It will also enhance your path's progress. These are all recorded in the Ancestor's books.”

“Mm.” Chen Xia nodded. He hadn't intended on killing these Qi Cultivators in the first place. Seeing their good attitude now, he no longer had the desire to kill them. The azure and green radiance in his eyes glimmered.

The entire secret chamber rose up from the ground, coming to the outside of the desolate island.

The Qi Cultivators looked towards Chen Xia with even more shocked expressions. This divine ability, to move the earth itself, was already world-shaking.

Chen Xia stood high above them, facing all the Qi Cultivators, his back to the setting sun that was about to sink into the sea. The glittering orange sunlight was reflected on Chen Xia's azure robe.

Chen Xia laughed and said,

"So then, will you all... help me become a deity?"

Year 35 of the Southern Song Dynasty.

Chen Xia statues began being constructed all over the country, with one Qi Cultivator overseeing each area's statue, responsible for polishing and offerings.

Commoners who came to make offerings would receive Chen Xia's blessings. If not for all their wishes to come true, then at least they were guaranteed to encounter something good in the next three days.

This led to more and more people coming to make offerings to Chen Xia's statues, and all of them were sincere.

Chen Xia himself sat in the imperial city, cultivating in seclusion. He had not yet felt any benefits from the offerings, but supposed it would take time to accumulate. For now there was no rush.

However, he remained wary, ready to immediately kill all the Qi Cultivators at the first sign of betrayal.

If one betrays, all shall die.

They were all meant to die in the first place. Chen Xia had shown them mercy by letting them live. If they caused any more trouble now, his heart would harden again.

Aside from that, Chen Xia's daily cultivation was extremely arduous, focused on refining Xuanhun Qi in order to be able to write the Netherworld Duel inscription.

But that was still a long way off. Chen Xia estimated based on his current progress, it would take about a hundred years to gather enough Xuanhun Qi to write it.

There was also that palm which destroyed the city with a single strike. It was a nagging concern in Chen Xia's mind, like a mad dog that could suddenly leap up and bite you at any moment.

You don't have the power to kill it first, so you can only wait for it to come and bite.

It was an extremely unpleasant feeling.

Chen Xia sighed. The Xuanhun Qi circulated once more as he stood up, stretching lazily, and slowly walked out the door.

Huang Qingyue was tending her peach blossoms. Seeing Chen Xia emerge from his cultivation, the corners of her lips curved up into a smile. She skipped over, hands behind her perky bottom, head tilted as she grinned and said,

“Brother Chen, don't you think my flowers are beautiful?”

Chen Xia glanced at the fully grown peach tree and nodded with a smile, “As beautiful as you.”

Huang Qingyue's pretty face flushed red, happy inside but pouting as she said, “No way!”

Looking at her, Chen Xia's expression became distracted for a moment. He was silent for a while before suddenly asking, “Qingyue, what if in the future, we have to part ways?”

“Why?” Huang Qingyue's brows furrowed, her expression becoming anxious.

Chen Xia chuckled, “I'm just saying ‘if’. It's very likely that day will come in the future. We both still have long journeys ahead.”

Huang Qingyue's brows furrowed even deeper uncomprehendingly, “Why can't we walk them together?”

“Of course I want to walk together too.” Chen Xia nodded, then paused and held out a hand, “But nothing ever goes as perfectly as we hope, right?”

Huang Qingyue nodded with knit brows, conceding Chen Xia's words were true. But in her heart she still felt reluctant. After a long pause, she said in a choked voice,

“Even if we really have to part, we'll definitely meet again in the future.”

Chen Xia nodded firmly, “Of course.”

Parting is for the sake of an even better reunion.

80 years later.

The Southern Song emperor passed away and was succeeded by the crown prince.

Chen Xia's Great Turtle Breathing technique had reached full mastery, only a step away from the Primordial Infant stage.

And his core had fully revealed one of its colors.

Bright white.

The color of time, years, and ages.

It was also his Dao.

Chen Xia could now freely control the flow of time within thirty meters of himself.

Huang Qingyue's cultivation had also progressed extremely smoothly, so smoothly that Chen Xia found it astonishing.

Unlike Chen Xia who relied on the shortcuts of Great Turtle Breathing, Huang Qingyue had steadily cultivated the Profound Scripture herself.

She had now formed her core, and possessed a thousand strands of Profound Qi, enough to start inscribing techniques.

Huang Qingyue's cultivation could be said to rely solely on her aptitude.

But existences with such high aptitudes shared a common trait.

They stood out.

Noon of the 100th year.

A rainbow spread across the sky, like a wide, majestic bridge. Under the eyes of everyone in the capital, it touched down into the imperial city.

A golden palanquin descended from the heavens, crossing the rainbow bridge to hover above the imperial city. Two strange looking children emerged, standing to either side of the palanquin with hands clasped, reciting towards the ground,

“The Upper Orthodoxy is taking in disciples!”

Chen Xia stood in the courtyard. He found the flair quite similar to when the Immortals had taken Xu Zhen as a disciple previously.

But things were different now compared to the past. Back then he was weaker than those Immortals and had less say. Now he was ranked first in the world, and could negotiate with them on equal footing.

He just didn't know who they wanted as a disciple.

Before Chen Xia could think further, the golden palanquin suddenly dropped down, landing right in front of him. Its golden glow dimmed and restrained, but intricate patterns still faintly visible, looking almost like real dragons and phoenixes.

“To think even such a minor realm could produce a cultivator nearing the Primordial Infant stage, truly impressive.”

An arrogant female voice rang out.

The two strange looking children quickly went to stand by the palanquin doors, bending at the waist as if preparing to carry something.

The doors flung wide open and a pair of fair, delicate feet stepped onto the children's backs. Looking down at Chen Xia, the voice said again,

“But it's not you I'm looking for.”

"Brother Chen, Brother Chen!" Huang Qingyue came running over, brows knitting when she saw the scene, feeling somewhat wary.

The woman's crimson eyes looked at Huang Qingyue. Her expression was obscured by her veil but she laughed and said,

“It's this little girl. Come back with me to the Sect.”

Her tone was arrogantly impossible to refuse.

“Who are you?” Chen Xia asked in puzzlement.

“The Sect Master of the Ninth Mountain in the Immortal Realm,” the woman replied, still brimming with arrogance.

“Never heard of it,” Chen Xia shook his head.

“I haven't either,” Huang Qingyue also shook her head.

The woman glanced at them disdainfully. There was a hint of helplessness in her eyes as she casually waved a hand,

“You only need to know I'm very powerful. I've come to take a disciple, not to explain things.”

Chen Xia was still frowning skeptically, “Shouldn't it be the Heavenly Ascension Immortal Sect coming to recruit disciples?”

The woman looked at Chen Xia, unsurprised he knew this much, given they were all at the Primordial Infant stage and surely had some basic knowledge of the Immortal Realm. Suppressing her impatience, she explained,

“The Heavenly Ascension Sect is indeed your Upper Realm, but for recruiting disciples, mutual willingness is all that's required. Moreover, this girl is fated with our Ninth Mountain, she should have gone to us in the first place.”

“Besides, the Heavenly Ascension Sect hasn't produced a Great Emperor in tens of thousands of years. Even with a new Saintess, she's just Emperor material, not an actual Emperor. Compared to our Ninth Mountain, they're definitely at least one level lower.”

Chen Xia still frowned, feeling it was too much of a coincidence, given Xu Zhen previously was also peerlessly talented, and now Huang Qingyue too.

The woman seemed to perceive his doubt and explained,

“The karmic luck in your minor realm is limited. Exceptionally talented existences attract each other, it's the Heavenly Dao's way of creating opportunities for you to meet and elevate your karmic luck.”

The woman glanced over the two of them again with her crimson eyes, involuntarily praising,

"For the two of you to cultivate to the Golden Core stage in this small world lacking in spiritual energy and fortune is indeed impressive," said Huang Qingyue as she suddenly stepped forward, her expression solemn, staring at the woman as she asked,

"If I agree, can you let Chen Xia and I enter the...the Ninth Mountain together?"

The woman glanced at Chen Xia, stretching out her fair, delicate fingers and lightly waving them in front of her.

"No."

"Why?!" Huang Qingyue almost shouted.

The woman looked at her and explained, "He is a person without fortune. Heaven and earth cannot comprehend him. His current cultivation level is too low, and he would more or less affect others. Our Ninth Mountain has no need for him."

"No need at all," the woman heavily emphasized.

Huang Qingyue's brows furrowed. Unwilling to hear others speak of Chen Xia like this, she shook her head and shouted, "Then I won't go!"

The woman seemed to press down harder with her feet on the backs of the two young attendants carrying her, making them huff and puff for breath. After a moment, she continued,

"If you want to stay with him forever, then you must ascend in your cultivation. You've only reached the Golden Core stage, while he is nearly at the Primordial Infant stage. When the time comes, he will ascend first while you still have to cultivate in this small world."

"And it's possible that because he took the last fortune for ascending by leaving, you'll lose your chance to ascend and just grow old and die in this small world!"

"Is that what you want?!"

Huang Qingyue looked confused, seeking help from Chen Xia with her eyes.

Chen Xia frowned and asked, "How can we trust you?"

"Trust?" The woman seemed to have heard something hilarious, letting out loud laughter. After a moment, she stopped and said to the two,

"You can only trust me, you have no other choice. Even if I descended upon this small world, I have the cultivation base of Primordial Infant."

"You cannot resist me either."

"Isn't that right?"

Her laughter was filled with arrogance, spreading through heaven and earth.

"Primordial Infant?" Chen Xia shook his head. "Primordial Infant is not enough."

He took a step forward.

The breeze suddenly stopped.