Chu Xingchen walked out of the gates of the Tianyan Hall alone. After giving a gentle nod of greeting to the Tianyan Sect disciples beside him, he leapt into the air and flew straight toward Zhuji Peak.
A brilliant rainbow light streaked from Tianyan Peak directly toward Zhuji Peak.
The gazes of the Tianyan Sect disciples followed that streak of light. Seeing it land on Zhuji Peak, the slight confusion in their eyes turned into understanding.
After all, the Tianyan Sect was currently under a strict no-fly order; even the auspicious cranes had to walk on their own two legs.
There were only a handful of people who could fly from Tianyan Hall to Zhuji Peak, and no matter which of them it was, their status was more than enough to command everyone's respect.
Chu Xingchen's figure soon landed on Zhuji Peak. With familiar steps, he walked into the small courtyard where Bai Xuanling usually stayed. Inside, Bai Xuanling was already seated on a chair, brewing tea with slow, unhurried movements, as if she had been waiting for Chu Xingchen for a long time.
Bai Xuanling looked up and teased, "Oh, I thought I'd have to wait at least a few days for you. What excuse did you use to sneak out?"
"Still recovering from severe injuries," Chu Xingchen replied with a soft sigh. He glanced around and then asked, "Is Qinghe not here? I thought Qinghe would be shamelessly lingering nearby at a time like this."
"I didn't let it know I was back. Qinghe has no patience, and I don't want to have to beat it up on the rare occasion I return. Right now, it's probably gone off to play with San Dong." Bai Xuanling answered, then pushed the freshly brewed tea toward Chu Xingchen. "Did you dump a bunch of troublesome matters on your eldest disciple again?"
Chu Xingchen spoke with righteous indignation, "What do you mean 'troublesome matters'? That's called experiential learning."
After their brief exchange, Chu Xingchen sat down opposite Bai Xuanling. He picked up the teacup and took a sip with a hint of suspicion.
To his surprise, the taste was exceptionally good.
The incredibly lingering fragrance didn't seem at all like the kind of tea Bai Xuanling was capable of brewing.
Bai Xuanling wore a languid expression and said, "Did you take a good look at the news I brought back for you?"
"I did."
"But you don't seem to be taking any action. Do you think it's fake?"
Bai Xuanling raised an eyebrow slightly.
Although the pillar of light shooting into the sky now appeared not to be a prerequisite for a cross-realm teleportation array, the investigation based on the shifting of the spirit veins was still ongoing.
Naturally, the investigation had to be kept strictly confidential. If Poluo could infiltrate the Buddhist sects, perhaps other Heavenly Demons could infiltrate other immortal sects.
For such a major matter, Chu Xingchen had no intention of gathering a group of Tribulation Transcendence experts to conduct a massive, highly publicized search.
Acting too obviously would make it easy for others to discover that he held this trump card.
Therefore, Bai Xuanling got her wish and obtained the Heavenly Dao Map, opening it every day to study which spirit veins were showing anomalies.
Bai Xuanling's cultivation was at the supreme True Immortal Realm. Her ability to conceal her aura far surpassed that of ordinary Tribulation Transcendence experts, and her true intent, which was almost one with the Dao, allowed her to hide even more seamlessly.
During these past few days, Bai Xuanling had been secretly investigating the situation.
Meanwhile, Chu Xingchen was ostensibly investigating the red pillar of light, creating the illusion that they could only investigate whatever clues were right in front of them.
This approach naturally yielded results.
Over time, Bai Xuanling discovered that several faint spirit veins had been subtly shifting toward a single location.
During her covert investigation, she discovered a ritual array completely different from the red pillar of light. It was extremely well-hidden, and the fluctuations it emitted were highly unique.
Massive amounts of spiritual energy gathered within it, ultimately emitting only a faint yet incredibly special wisp of something akin to Dao charm, which was extremely difficult to erase.
Chu Xingchen looked somewhat helpless, then said softly:
"I should have thought of this earlier. All the world's spirit veins are concentrated in the Central Province. Since the Heavenly Demons cannot utilize them, it's impossible for them to build a cross-realm teleportation array using our energy."
"All they need to do is anchor this world, and leave the rest to the other side."
Bai Xuanling clicked her tongue softly and said, "Truly troublesome. No wonder the Heavenly Dao threw a monster like you down here to resolve the situation. So, have you decided what to do? Are you going to gather forces to destroy these so-called anchors first?"
Chu Xingchen shook his head slightly. "If they are truly that well-hidden, I'm afraid they can't be destroyed. After all, how can you be sure that an immortal sect occupying a spirit vein isn't controlled by the Heavenly Demons?"
"Immortal sects are one thing; a forceful search would only breed resentment. But what about those evil cultivators who want to stir up massive trouble?"
"Their so-called trump card might just be something that forces us to passively take the hit."
"It cannot be dodged, cannot be blocked; we can only face it head-on."
Chu Xingchen lowered his eyes and said softly:
"Later, I will discuss this with Xu Jin, Yuyang, and the others. But for now, all we can do is prepare for war."
"However, there is good news. If a great war is imminent, the strength of our world right now is at its historical peak."
"The severing of the immortal path has also left behind countless favored children of heaven from unknown eras."
"If a bloody, close-quarters battle is truly inevitable, then we can only rely on our true abilities to see it through."
"This matter is of grave importance; we can only prepare for the worst."
Hearing this, Bai Xuanling nodded in understanding, then gave a bright, heroic smile:
"If it really is unavoidable, then I will finally be able to fully unleash my cultivation."
Chu Xingchen nodded in strong agreement, then suddenly changed the subject, saying:
"Of course, that is the worst-case scenario. If we manage to resolve everything while they are still preparing, wouldn't that be even better?"
"Therefore, Big Sister Bai, you cannot stop just yet. You need to go look into what needs looking into, and search for what needs searching for."
"Didn't you say you like supreme treasures? How about you keep this Heavenly Dao Map for a few more days?"
Bai Xuanling nearly spat out the tea she had just sipped. She glared at Chu Xingchen with an unkind look and said:
"Are you really trying to order me around, kid?"
"What are you saying? This is just a suggestion," Chu Xingchen said with a playful smile. "Besides, I think they are definitely planning something massive. If they could anchor it using only minor spiritual veins, they would have done it long ago. What would they be waiting for?"
"I am guessing they are still in the experimental phase right now, so we still have a time advantage."
Bai Xuanling looked at him with disdain. "How long have we even been sitting here, and you are already flip-flopping? One moment you say it is unavoidable, the next you say they haven't figured it out yet and we still have a chance. Which sentence am I supposed to believe?"
"Oh, Sect Leader Lu taught me that," Chu Xingchen said with a perfectly innocent gaze. "He said that when it comes to predictions, you must always be ambiguous. It is best to state every possible outcome."
Hearing this, Bai Xuanling retorted in annoyance: "Can you afford to be ambiguous about something as monumental as the Great Tribulation of Heaven and Earth? Isn't Lu Xuan just a blind fortune-teller? You actually listen to him?"
"Give me a break. As if I don't know you. You just want to make me do your dirty work."
"Save these tricks to use on your disciples."
Chu Xingchen showed no trace of embarrassment on his face; instead, he revealed an extremely innocent smile.
Seeing this, Bai Xuanling waved her hand lazily:
"Get lost, get lost. Just looking at your face annoys me."
"Then I will be troubling you, Big Sister Bai."
"I know."
Chu Xingchen downed the tea in his cup in one gulp, then praised:
"Delicious. It is not inferior to Bai Qing's."
"Stop kissing up," Bai Xuanling scolded with a laugh as she watched Chu Xingchen walk away.
Chu Xingchen walked out with a relaxed stride.
Once again, Bai Xuanling was the only one left in the courtyard.
She gently reached out and stroked the teacup in front of her.
In truth, perhaps Chu Xingchen was also confused and conflicted, unable to clearly discern the situation before them.
He could only take it one step at a time, probably doubting whether his own judgments were even correct.
There were countless living beings in this world, and among them, so many people that Chu Xingchen cherished.
When the Great Tribulation arose, lives would be like mere weeds, capable of being burned to ash by a single fire.
Anyone could afford to doubt themselves, but Chu Xingchen was the sole exception—at least on the surface.
This kid... he must be so tired having made it this far, right?
ine. During your journey, you save an abandoned baby girl and become her elder brother】 【You rely on each other, becoming each other's support】 【At the end of the simulation, you shield the now-grown girl with your life, sacrificing yourself to block numerous demonic cultivators. You die, and the light in the girl's eyes fades】 …… 【Second Simulation: You are transported to a world where steam and magic coexist】 【You immerse yourself in the study of magic, obsessed with its research. One day, while out, you encounter a half-blooded demon girl wandering the streets. You take her in as your student】 【You teach the demoness what it means to be human, show her the beauty of the world, and nurture her into a miracle that surpasses even the gods】 【At the end of the simulation, you die of old age in front of the nearly immortal demoness due to your mortal lifespan】 …… One simulation after another, one encounter after another. Xu Xi suddenly felt something was off: "Wait, you said you're coming to the real world to find me?"
ut it can buy an entire year of absolutely perfect training results! Su Yu stared at his empty wallet and decisively opened up various online loan platforms. “Borrow a thousand bucks! Recharge my vitality!” Boom! His vitality broke a hundred points, shattering the limits of the human body! “Borrow ten thousand bucks! Recharge my combat skills!” Boom! A basic punching technique so common it was everywhere instantly maxed out, revealing the ultimate assassination technique of Five Elements Unity—Inner Force! When a rich kid hired assassins for a midnight ambush, aiming to break both of his legs, they instead ran headfirst into a monster—a human-shaped tyrannosaur, brimming with dragon-like vitality. With just two fingers, Su Yu snapped a steel staff reinforced with alloy. Staring at the killer’s stash of stolen cash—a staggering quarter-million dollars—he showed a corporate-sincere smile: “Thanks for the pre-exam gift pack, Mr. Zhao! I’m gonna go re-invest this!” Three days later, at the National Martial Arts College Entrance Exam, while everyone else struggled just to reach the passing line, Su Yu threw a single punch—and more than a thousand vitality points literally detonated the entire arena!
lanned to earn money steadily and take life at a slower pace. But he never expected... his father's remarriage, and the stepmother bringing along a dependent, would completely disrupt his life's plans...
e bizarre and supernatural had descended. The previous emperor was a thoroughgoing tyrant; no longer satisfied with human women, he had set his sights on a stunningly beautiful supernatural entity. He met his end in his bedchamber, drained of all his vital essence. As the legitimate eldest son and crown prince, Wang Hao was thus hastily enthroned, becoming the young emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty. No sooner had he awakened the "Imperial Sign-In Intelligence System" than he was assassinated by a Son of Destiny—a classic villain's opening. The Great Zhou, ravaged by the former emperor's excesses, was in national decline. The great families within its borders harbored their own treacherous schemes, martial sects began to defy the imperial court's decrees, and border armies, their pay and provisions in arrears, grumbled incessantly against the central government. Fortunately, the central capital was still held secure by the half-million Imperial Guards and fifty thousand Imperial Forest Army who obeyed the court's orders, along with the royal family's hidden reserves of power, barely managing to suppress the realm. As the Great Zhou's finances worsened and supernatural activities grew ever more frequent, the court sat atop a volcano. Ambitious plotters everywhere dreamed of overthrowing the dynasty, and even some reclusive ancient powers emerged, attempting to sway the tides of the world. At the first grand court assembly, the civil and military officials nearly came to blows, fighting tooth and nail over the allocation of fifty million taels of silver from the summer tax revenues. The spectacle opened Wang Hao's eyes—the Great Zhou's bureaucracy was not only corrupt but also martially proficient, a cabinet of all-rounders. Some officials even had the audacity to suggest the emperor release funds from the imperial privy purse to address the emergency. Wang Hao suddenly felt weary. Let it all burn.
