Chapter 257: The Guardians

"Haven't you heard the secret of the Dragon clan?"

"What?"

"The reason the new Dragon emperor Ye Xue could ascend is that she has an unparalleled great being behind her, propelling her rise."

"Is it that one?"

Saying that, the eyes of several Guardians landed on Yuanhui, the Great Master Guardian of Golden Spirit Mountain.

The one the Guardians referred to, of course, is the mysterious great being who a short while ago waged a cataclysmic battle with Golden Spirit Mountain.

That mysterious great being ultimately, by incomprehensible means, forcibly extracted the fortune that Pure World White Lotus had carried for years from Golden Spirit Mountain.

As the Fo Men sacred site, Golden Spirit Mountain's fortune was damaged, and even the two patriarch‑level great beings, Great Sun Fozu and Burning Lamp Fozu, suffered severe injuries, their lives uncertain.

At the same time, great events unfolded consecutively in the world.

It is hard for them not to link all these together.

"Could it be…"

"Is this Lin Chuan a descendant of that mysterious great being?"

"Did the new Dragon emperor Ye Xue, to unify the Dragon clan and the Spirit Clan, sacrifice herself and humbly marry this kid?"

"Eh! Don't say it! You really shouldn't say it!"

Guardians are lofty before juniors, yet in private they are a different sort of people.

Their faces brim with yearning for mysterious gossip.

"How can that be considered humbling?"

One Guardian laughed, "With Lin Chuan's talent, stepping into the True God Realm is a sure thing; perhaps he could even ascend to the Wangxian Realm."

"That's right."

Another Guardian nodded, "Hope he can go even farther."

"How far he can go is uncertain."

Someone sighed, "Among those present, who wasn't once a peerless genius? And now aren't we all stalled?"

To sit on the throne of Genius Battle Guardian, one must harbor benevolence, have once sought blessings for all under heaven, and have never bullied the weak or slaughtered indiscriminately.

They sincerely hope all cultivators in the world can ascend to Immortal.

But they also know that is merely a wish, an extravagance.

In the past, they all stood at the pinnacle of the contemporary Heavenly Pride.

"Back then we were so proud, thinking realms were merely shackles, and a step forward could break one."

"Who could know that what blocked us might be a chaotic haze incomprehensible for a lifetime?"

The ignorant are fearless.

It is the best interpretation for young cultivators.

"From ancient times to now, those who in a hundred years can break through Mortal Dust into legend are as numerous as cattle hair, countless."

"But those who in ten thousand years can go from True God Realm to Wangxian Realm are few, countable on the fingers."

"Geniuses think that entering legend means they've traversed half of life, unaware that it's only the first step."

The Guardians of Frost Pavilion let out a long sigh and short lament.

"Fine."

"Stop nagging."

"My ears are about to form calluses; why so much fuss?"

"True genius! Just do it!"

The Guardian of the Wu Clan is a rough brute, unable to stand those convoluted arguments.

While the Guardians debated heatedly, time passed.

After a 77‑day contest, the final Cage Mixed Battle concluded, producing the ten‑thousandth winner.

These ten thousand cultivators, in a sense, represent the strongest geniuses of the younger generation.

But the truly brutal elimination only now truly begins.

The more arrogant the genius, when facing a Dimensional Reduction Strike from a supposedly equal‑level genius, can they still steady their Dao heart?

Over the years, many have gone mad because of this.

Likewise, some have risen against the tide, bravely pursuing.

Mindset is also an essential factor to become a peerless strong one.

……

On the Yun Tai.

Lin Chuan's wives wore very calm expressions.

In their eyes, securing first place is nothing to be shocked about; it would be strange if their own husband couldn't cut through challenges all the way.

"Congratulations, Lin Chuan, the wandering cultivator of Qingyun Prefecture."

The voice of the Sphere Spirit of All Beings rang out again.

"Congratulations on attaining the first rank in the Cage Mixed Battle ranking."

"The Yun Tai you occupy is about to ascend."

"You will enter the highest Yun Tai."

As the words fell, the power of Spatial Law covered the entire Yun Tai.

In the next instant, the whole Yun Tai began to change.

The positions of each layer of the Yun Tai kept shifting.

Lin Chuan and his wives were sent to the highest layer of the Yun Tai space.

There are ten other forces also on the First Realm.

Among them, seven are super forces, and three are top‑tier first‑rate forces.

The moment the Yun Tai Kong Jian transformation completed, almost every gaze turned toward the Yun Tai where Lin Chuan stood.

Lin Chuan's eyes swept across, imprinting the image of the "potential opponent" in his mind.

Especially Bai Li Ming of the Purple Star Emperor Sect, the Three‑Burial Fozhi of Golden Spirit Mountain, Meng Ziyin of the Haoran Wuji Sect, and Nan Gong Ya of Biluoyuan.

These four are, according to legend, in the Second Realm Dao Diagram Realm.

The others are, by legend, at the pinnacle of the First Realm, on the verge of breakthrough.

"It's still a bit difficult."

Lin Chuan has never sparred with a true super‑genius, so he lacks absolute confidence to fight beyond his rank.

…

"This person truly is not beneath me."

Bai Li Ming of the Purple Star Emperor Sect stared at Lin Chuan with blazing eyes, feeling for the first time the threat from a contemporary genius.

"My Fozu is merciful."

The Three‑Burial Fozhi clasped his hands together and said, "His merit is too great; it seems he has liberated many Daoist Friends, and cannot be overpowered."

…

"Dog man!"

"I, the lady, thought he was a worthy opponent, but I didn't expect him to be so disgusting."

Nan Gong Ya of Biluoyuan, her eyes filled with disgust, said, "There are so many Dao Companions; don't let me meet them, or I will have to eliminate you!"

What cultivators of Biluoyuan despise most is a woman becoming a man's subordinate.

They also despise women whose skirts hide countless…

"This body looks wonderful."

Fang Ling of Fengshuang Pavilion flashed a keen light in his eyes and said, "If I could forge him into my puppet, it would be the greatest masterpiece of my life."

The geniuses sized up Lin Chuan, each harboring different thoughts.

They all failed to notice that the elder seated behind them wore a grave expression now, no longer the relaxed look of earlier.

"New Dragon Clan Emperor? Ye Xue?"

"Why is she here? Is she Lin Chuan's Dao Companion?"

The Dragon Clan's influence is not what it once was, but it still ranks among first‑rate forces, far beyond what ordinary forces can contend with.

Moreover, the Dragon Clan's foundation remains, and with its fusion with the Spirit Clan, there is hope of returning to the super‑force ranks in the future.

It is not a life‑or‑death feud; no one wishes to provoke the Dragon Clan.

Therefore, every Dragon Emperor in the Nine‑phase World still enjoys great prestige.

At this moment, Ye Xue's presence shrouds Lin Chuan in a layer of mystery, increasing the others' apprehension.

All are admonishing their own juniors.

"If you encounter Lin Chuan in the second round of the competition, remember to be careful."