While Jiang Che was pushing forward with sweeping reforms, significant turmoil also erupted within the Association of the Chosen. The emergence of Lin Fan's Scripture of Preaching and Jiang Che's Scripture of the Human Sovereign... completely disrupted the internal rhythm of the Association.
"Pavilion Master... are we really not allowed to cultivate the Scripture of Preaching or the Scripture of the Human Sovereign? Doesn’t that mean we’ll fall far behind others? After all, the era of spiritual resurgence is upon us!" Chen Hao spoke up proactively.
Not long ago, Deputy Pavilion Master Xu Rong had encountered an 'accidental' peril during a mission. If not for his bond with the near-immortal resilience of a tardigrade, he would have died beyond any hope of revival. However, Xu Rong was still left injured and recuperating, leaving the deputy position to Chen Hao.
Now, Chen Hao held considerable authority.
Pavilion Master Xu Mo cast a wary glance at Chen Hao, his eyes filled with vigilance. This jinx’s strength had now reached a level even he couldn’t fathom. As for Chen Hao... he avoided him whenever possible.
He somewhat regretted not having crushed him to death back then.
Back then, he had been greedy for the system rewards and spared him—only to end up nurturing a venomous king. Now, he couldn’t even drive him away.
"The Scripture of the Human Sovereign was founded by the Human Sovereign himself—a righteous and peerless immortal-grade technique! However, it was lost after the Human Sovereign’s fall and should no longer exist in this world... unless the one who provided it is the Human Sovereign’s successor."
"Of course, there’s also the possibility that the person possesses a system of extraordinarily high rank!"
Chen Hao’s pupils constricted at these words.
Although the scripture had been presented by Jiang Ruoxu, anyone with half a brain knew that Jiang Ruoxu’s fate and fortune could never qualify him as the Human Sovereign’s successor, let alone grant him such a powerful system.
There was only one possibility left... Jiang Ruoxu’s older brother!
Jiang Che!
Clearly, Xu Mo also suspected Jiang Che.
"Of course, this is all information I’ve gathered from discussions with higher-ups. The Scripture of the Human Sovereign is genuine, which is why those above are very interested in Jiang Che!"
"But if the Scripture of the Human Sovereign is real, why can’t we cultivate it?" one of the Chosen asked in confusion.
Xu Mo fell silent for a moment before speaking slowly.
"A high-ranking member of the Heaven Pavilion revealed that the Scripture of the Human Sovereign has a 'mother' and 'child' version. Those cultivating the mother version progress dozens of times faster than those cultivating the child version. Moreover, for every person cultivating the child version, a trace of spiritual energy is siphoned to nourish the mother version’s cultivator."
"Simply put, cultivating the Scripture of the Human Sovereign means paying a tax... and those above won’t allow us to practice it."
As he spoke, Xu Mo rubbed his nose, careful not to admit... that he himself had secretly begun cultivating the Scripture of the Human Sovereign.
After all, rules were rigid, but people were flexible!
The moment Xu Mo said this, the other Chosen exchanged knowing smiles.
The higher-ups forbade them from cultivating it... but the Pavilion Master hadn’t said anything!
What did they care about the Earth Pavilion or Heaven Pavilion?
If Pavilion Master Xu Mo gave the order, they would gladly rally behind him and proclaim him king!
"However, you must be extremely cautious—Lin Fan’s Scripture of Preaching is absolutely not to be cultivated. That scripture is no good!" Xu Mo warned.
"The higher-ups have instructed us to assist Lin Fan... to dismantle the Scripture of the Human Sovereign and spread the Scripture of Preaching far and wide..."
"Huh? Pavilion Master, didn’t you just say the Scripture of Preaching is no good? Why should we let it spread? Isn’t that harming people?"
"I never said we should help Lin Fan propagate the Scripture of Preaching. After all, the heavens and earth are currently severed—the Nine Heavens’ influence can’t easily reach our mortal realm. Moreover, Jiang Che’s abilities are far too terrifying. Provoking him with our current strength... would be no different from seeking death!"
Xu Mo was confident, but not to the point of arrogance!
It had already been confirmed that Jiang Che had a terrifyingly powerful master behind him!
And there was a high chance this master had already descended to the mortal realm!!!
Otherwise, how could that overwhelming pressure at the Nirvana stage have been unleashed earlier???
Who would dare provoke Jiang Che now?
Were they tired of living?
For a measly few thousand system points a month, was it worth risking their lives?
......
"Hahaha! The Bridal Demon Art! It’s the Bridal Demon Art again!"
Meanwhile, the Little Demon Sovereign Zhou Fan burst into laughter, though his voice carried a chilling, ruthless edge.
The elderly woman beside him nearly jumped out of her skin.
Fine, I won’t cross the road! Young man, don’t scare me like that!
Zhou Fan’s facial muscles twitched as he struggled to contain the fury boiling within him.
The Bridal Demon Art!
The moment he heard Lin Fan preaching, he recognized it—this was the Bridal Demon Art!
And he loathed this demonic technique with every fiber of his being.
In his past life, he had transmigrated to the Northwest Nether Heaven of the Nine Heavens, but unlike other newbie transmigrators, he received no system benefits. He had to claw his way up from nothing.
In the demon-infested lands of the Northwest Nether Heaven, everyone was a demonic cultivator.
But even among demonic cultivators, there were good and bad.
In one sect, he met a junior sister. Though neither of them had exceptional talent, their values aligned perfectly, and they became cultivation partners.
Then, a technique emerged—one that drastically accelerated demonic cultivation. In the demonic energy-rich Northwest Nether Heaven, progress was absurdly fast.
He shared the technique with his beloved, and their cultivation soared at an unprecedented rate.
But the Bridal Demon Art... was ultimately about making a bridal gown for others.
During a grand secret realm expedition, his junior sister stumbled upon a Divine Ascension Pill, reaching the Divine Ascension stage before him. Then, the horror began.
A mighty Divine Ascension expert—her soul was hijacked. To seize the treasures of the secret realm, she turned on him with lethal intent!
He refused to dwell on the details. All he remembered was ending up on the brink of death, while his junior sister perished completely, becoming a mere wisp within his Ten Thousand Souls Banner.
It was in that very secret realm... that he obtained the demonic sacred artifact, the Evil Bamboo of Ten Thousand Souls.
He realized then that the cultivation technique was the problem—anyone who broke through to Divine Ascension would become a puppet of the mastermind.
So he discarded his cultivation and started anew, determined to escape the chessboard!
After his junior sister’s death, he fully embraced the demonic path. Kill one, and you’re a criminal; slaughter a million, and you’re a conqueror!
His Ten Thousand Souls Banner was now packed to the brim—lively and bustling.
In the end, he succeeded. He captured the mastermind—a Nine-Revolutions Divine Ascension cultivator—and crushed them to ashes!
Yet... he knew he still hadn’t truly escaped the chessboard.
Because this Nine-Revolutions Divine Ascension expert... was merely another piece in the Bridal Demon Art scheme.
"The Bridal Demon Art..."
Zhou Fan’s expression returned to calm, but beneath that calm... raged an inferno of fury.
The creator of the Bridal Demon Art was undoubtedly a supreme powerhouse. Even with his rebirth, he stood no chance against them.
That left only one hope for vengeance—
This so-called... system!