The Sense of Belonging of the Chosen Ones, and the Pressure from the Association of the Destined

Jiang Che could spend his days indulging in pleasures, but others were far busier.

This wave of descending beings included hundreds of powerful sea clans sent through the Southern Sea Altar alone. The other transmission altars naturally didn’t need mentioning.

The Nine Heavens’ Jiang Family dispatched another large group of Divine Transformation experts—ten at the fourth tier and dozens at the third tier. The other altars were no exception.

From the depths of Kunlun, the Central Imperial Heaven alone transmitted Divine Transformation experts from various major factions. There were also countless Buddhist powerhouses descending from the Western Paradise.

The entire Blue Star instantly became lively. With hundreds of Divine Transformation martial artists, the clashes between such experts could affect vast areas.

Fortunately, Blue Star had undergone spiritual rejuvenation, expanding its territory dozens of times over—otherwise, it wouldn’t have been able to accommodate so many Divine Transformation experts.

...

"BOOM!!!"

From the depths of the Jiang Family, a razor-sharp sword light flashed, its oppressive might blanketing the heavens and earth.

At the same time, a fourth-tier Divine Transformation expert was beheaded on the spot, his soul utterly annihilated.

The crowd erupted in shock. Even the chosen ones of destiny in the Cultivator Academy were stunned.

"Let me make this clear one more time," Jiang Yunhuang said coldly, his blazing gaze fixed on the assembled Divine Transformation experts. "Our Jiang Family has its own secrets. These alchemy instruments are all ours. Anyone who dares covet them... my next sword strike will behead them!"

These self-proclaimed experts from the Central Imperial Heaven had descended with arrogance, only to quickly learn about the Alchemy Commerce established by Jiang Che. They stormed in, uncovering his earth-shattering secret—

The Alchemy Furnace!

"Hah... The Alchemy Furnace was developed by the Central Imperial Heaven’s Fateweaver Association—a high-efficiency artifact meant to replace traditional alchemists. Not even your lower realm should have it, let alone powerful immortal clans. Where did you obtain this?"

"We are backed by the Nine Heavens’ Jiang Family! What’s the big deal about having an alchemy furnace?"

"Hahaha... The Alchemy Furnace is never sold—only leased. Not even the Nine Heavens’ Jiang Family would be granted ownership..."

The group confronting Jiang Yunhuang were black-robed cultivators, the character for "Human" clearly embroidered on their backs.

The Fateweaver Association—Human Pavilion.

Unlike the timid Fateweaver Association of Blue Star, which operated in the shadows, the Nine Heavens’ version was a colossal force. Rumors said they established a Human Pavilion in every province and an Earth Pavilion in every domain.

With nearly ten million provinces in the Nine Heavens, the actual number of Human Pavilions might not reach that scale, but hundreds of thousands likely existed.

The thousands of Earth Pavilions and nine Heaven Pavilions were no joke either, producing endless variations of chosen ones.

The black-robed leader sneered. The Alchemy Furnace was a vital wealth-generating tool for the Fateweaver Association, controlled only by the Heaven Pavilion’s top brass. Mass-producing low-tier pills, it was practically a money-printing machine.

What nation would hand over its money printer to a private enterprise?

"Given your affiliation with the Nine Heavens’ Jiang Family, we’ll overlook how you obtained the Alchemy Furnace for now. But we must reclaim it!"

"You dare?!"

Jiang Yunhuang was seething. These arrogant bastards were truly detestable.

His fifth-tier Divine Transformation aura erupted, infused with the indomitable mark of a martial king—unrivaled in his tier. He had just beheaded a fourth-tier chosen one of destiny.

"Brother Yunhuang, please calm down! They’re from the Fateweaver Association—an extremely sinister organization in the Nine Heavens. You must not provoke them!"

A fourth-tier expert from the Jiang Family urged nervously.

"What? Even your Jiang Family is afraid? Doesn’t the Nine Heavens’ Jiang Family rule over a third of the Eastern Azure Heaven? How could you fear another faction?"

"Not exactly... It’s complicated. And this really is the Fateweaver Association’s Alchemy Furnace. In the entire Nine Heavens, only they possess the technology to forge it..."

Jiang Yunhuang: "..."

That was truly bizarre. Jiang Che had produced this thing when spiritual energy had just begun rejuvenating—there was no way he could have contacted the Nine Heavens’ Jiang Family back then.

Wait—Jiang Che’s master!

Jiang Yunhuang suddenly recalled Jiang Che’s mysterious, unfathomable master. Though he didn’t know the exact strength of this master, they were undoubtedly at the Great Emperor level—at least on par with the Jiang Family’s Great Emperor Jiang Hong.

"Reclaim the Alchemy Furnace? Show me you have the strength to do so!" Jiang Yunhuang refused to back down.

This was the Jiang Family’s ancestral land. How could he allow outsiders to trample over them?

His defiance ignited the passion of the chosen ones in the Cultivator Academy.

"Headmaster Jiang!!!"

"Headmaster Jiang, crush them! Screw these so-called Nine Heavens experts! To hell with them!"

Especially the chosen ones of destiny—they clenched their fists in fury.

As natives of the mortal realm, they had been given ample resources since joining the Cultivator Academy, fostering a deep sense of belonging.

Wang Teng, who had failed a hundred times before ascending, gritted his teeth. "The Nine Heavens? Hah... So arrogant."

Yu Chengkong, the innate sword physique, tightened his grip on his blade. He hated his own weakness—having entered the cultivation world too late, he was only at the early Shattering Heaven stage, no match for these Divine Transformation experts. But the Cultivator Academy’s honor was not to be insulted. He would remember this grudge.

"System, can I recklessly charge in? I know a few newly opened secret realms—deadly forbidden lands filled with curses. If I lure them in and manipulate the terrain’s power, I can definitely wipe them out."

Chu Yuan, lurking in the shadows, began scheming.

An orphan who had survived on scraps and social aid, he had never known the warmth of family—until the Cultivator Academy took him in.

With his prodigious talent, he was showered with resources and even received personal guidance from the headmaster. The academy had become his home.

These black-robed bastards with the "Human" character on their backs—Chu Yuan would remember them!

In the future, he would annihilate this organization, leaving no trace behind!

...

Unbeknownst to the Fateweaver Association’s lackeys, their arrogance had provoked the wrath of many chosen ones of destiny.

"Patriarch Jiang, we will reclaim the Alchemy Furnace. It is the property of the Fateweaver Association!"

"Bullshit! My grandson’s master gave it to us!"

Jiang Yunhuang was truly enraged. A rough and hot-tempered man by nature, once provoked, he cared not for status or background in the Nine Heavens.

There was only one word for it—fight!

PS: I've stockpiled three days' worth of drafts, with plenty of time to face destiny head-on. No more breaks from now on—hehe!