Chapter 335: Trouble for the Master Jianzu?

Yue Ling stared curiously at the palm-sized exquisite Ascension Platform.

Xu Xing also gazed at it resting in his palm, sensing the faint, elusive vibration growing steadily clearer.

This was one of the Ascension Platforms he had taken from Ning Ruo back at Ling Yin Fang.

Previously, he had cast these Ascension Platforms into numerous worlds, accompanying them with his Sword Intent spiritual form to guard and guide suitable Ascenders.

But before he could deploy them all, an incident occurred—he was betrayed by Xuan and cast out of the Tai Xuan Realm.

"Xu… brother… can you… hear…"

The voice came in fragmented bursts, as if severely disrupted.

After lingering like this for a while, the fragmented words from the Ascension Platform finally formed a complete sentence.

"Xu Dage, can you hear me?"

Yue Ling widened her eyes: "Is it Elder Lingzu my lord?!"

She recognized that voice instantly!

Elder Lingzu my lord had actually sent a message!

No wonder she was startled—as Bie Xuening's sentient sword, she had personally felt the rejection force emanating from the Tai Xuan Realm.

Whether energy, matter, or even the most abstract "conceptual" connections, none could cross the terrifying force that barred nearly everything from entering.

She and her master could only remain beyond the boundary of that rejection force, unable to send even a speck of power across.

Even Xiang Yuanjun, after merely attempting to reach out, had shrunk into a tiny little…

"The interference is weaker on the other side," Xu Xing explained.

Then, following the vibration emitted by the Ascension Platform, he sent a reply.

But the voice emerging from the Ascension Platform remained unchanged—it repeated the same phrase, unaffected by Xu Xing's response.

"…"

It seemed the Tai Xuan Realm's rejection force still had an effect; true real-time communication would require more time.

Perhaps Xiang Yuanjun's intervention… could accelerate the process.

Xu Xing shook his head slightly, clasped his hands, and stowed the Ascension Platform away.

"Aren't you replying to Elder Lingzu my lord's message?"

"Of course not—it's just that contact isn't possible yet. We'll have to wait patiently."

Stowing it away didn't mean he'd stop replying; multitasking was effortless for him.

"Oh." Yue Ling scratched her head.

"Go on with your work."

After saying that, Xu Xing turned and walked into the house.

Yue Ling watched his back for a long while before crouching down to pick more Tai Ping Dan fruits and toss them into the pond below.

But this time, after tossing only a few, she lost interest.

Behind her,

Xu Xing had already reached the front of the small house and pushed the door open without hesitation.

A quick glance revealed the interior layout—the two qi signatures showed little concealment.

Sister was positioned deeper inside.

Xiang Yuanjun, on the other side…

After rounding two corners, Xu Xing arrived outside the quiet room where Xiang Yuanjun sat.

The door wasn't closed; inside stood only a simple wooden table, utterly plain. Xiang Yuanjun sat beside it, her form restored nearly to its normal state.

She was gazing out the window, at the snow-covered Dashan, seemingly lost in thought.

Only when Xu Xing entered did she seem to notice, turning to look at him:

"Brother Dao, why are you here? Aren't you traveling with your elder brother?"

"I've seen all the places worth visiting. The rest can be left to Hong Zun's friend."

He walked to the opposite side and sat down, opening his palm—tiny specks of light rose, swelling into a palm-sized golden-white Ascension Platform.

"Just now, this Ascension Platform suddenly stirred—Ning Ruo appears to be attempting contact."

He cut straight to the point.

Xiang Yuanjun had been about to speak, but upon hearing this, she slightly furrowed her brow.

Elder Lingzu…?

"I've replied many times, but she doesn't seem to have received them."

"Brother Dao, let me examine it," Xiang Yuanjun took the Ascension Platform from Xu Xing's hand.

After studying it carefully, she opened her slender palm.

Instantly, strands of karmic threads extended from the void, piercing directly into the Ascension Platform, weaving through its interior.

The threads multiplied, eventually enveloping the entire platform—seen from afar, it resembled a constantly writhing ball of yarn.

After a long while, the karmic threads that had wrapped the Ascension Platform vanished.

"..." Xiang Yuanjun placed the Ascension Platform on the table. "It is indeed Elder Lingzu attempting contact. I can accelerate the process somewhat, but due to the Tai Xuan Realm's rejection force, it will still take some time."

How long exactly… she could not calculate.

"No matter. As long as contact is possible, there's no need to rush."

"Mm." Xiang Yuanjun nodded lightly, then flipped her hand and produced a translucent pill.

It was the Tai Ping Dan fruit.

"Brother Dao, did you brew this pill in connection with the young disciple who received your elder brother's inheritance?"

While waiting for the message to transmit, she wouldn't sit idle—she was quite curious about what Brother Dao and her elder brother had been doing during this time.

"Sort of. A young disciple with decent character—I'll lend him a hand."

"I thought Brother Dao would have chosen a young disciple to bestow an opportunity during your travels with your elder brother," Yuanjun chuckled.

"I didn't meet anyone suitable, and each Immortal Path seed in this world has its own fate—no need for me to interfere."

Rebirth, falling off a cliff and gaining a miracle, a simulation device…

All sorts of golden hands, at this juncture of Immortal and Divine succession, were being handed out like bulk goods, free of charge. "True enough," Yuanjun smiled faintly. "It's precisely because the difficulty of this age's Immortal and Divine succession is so great that so many lucky ones receive all manner of opportunities."

Aside from that Heavenly Sovereign, who was a Cultivator of the Tongxuan Realm from the previous age, most Divine Emperors' true identities were in fact Tongxuan Cultivators from various Grotto-Heavens.

Though they understood the great tide, each one still wished to delay its arrival.

"By the way, Brother Dao, during these days of traveling with your elder brother, where did you go?"

Where did I go…

Various places in the mortal realm, the Nine Heavens' Palaces, and several Grotto-Heavens.

The two exchanged words, recounting all they had seen during this time, occasionally touching upon the great tide of Immortal and Divine succession in this world.

…

…

Outside the small hut, a beam of lunar light descended, taking the form of the Lady of the Taiyin Star.

!. Read

On her slender arms hung a bamboo basket, inside which rested six peculiar fruits, each the size of a baby's fist, emitting a faint white glow—Moon Cassia Divine Fruits.

These were fruits unique to the Taiyin Star, carefully cultivated by her.

They could be called among the supreme heavenly treasures of this world.

"Hey, you're here again!"

Yue Ling was bored.

Seeing the Lady of the Taiyin Star arrive, her eyes lit up.

"I pay my respects to the Elder."

The Lady of the Taiyin Star's demeanor was deeply respectful; she dared not neglect her merely because Yue Ling appeared as a child.

After bowing, she quickly took two Moon Cassia Divine Fruits from the basket.

"These are fruits from a tree I cultivated. Please, Elder, taste them."

Fruits?

Hmm…

They look quite nice—visually, they even resemble the fruits Qiu Jiuyu brought back from Ling Yin Fang.

"Under the guidance of that my lord, I have nothing to offer in return. Please, Elder, accept them—I would be deeply grateful," the Lady of the Taiyin Star added.

"By the way, I have another matter to report."

"When that Master Jianzu my lord was refining the Tai Ping Dan, he involved the world's primordial Qi—the very authority of Emperor Sui Zu. Thus, the Emperor instructed me to inform him once I uncovered any clues…"

With his authority touched, Emperor Sui Zu would certainly not let it pass.

But the method used by the one who refined the Tai Ping Dan was too exquisite; the way primordial Qi was extracted left not the slightest trace—even Emperor Sui Zu himself could detect nothing amiss, so he remained cautious.

Upon hearing she was investigating the Tai Ping Dan, Emperor Sui Zu sent a divine edict—

Should any clue arise, she must inform him.

Emperor Sui Zu, after all, was a Divine Emperor; the Lady of the Taiyin Star came to warn them, fearing the Master Jianzu Elder might be schemed against.

This act might anger Emperor Sui Zu…

But the Master Jianzu Elder's act of refining fruits for the sake of all mortals deeply moved her, so she risked coming to give this warning.

After all, on the day the Tiangong shatters and the gods sink, she too will be caught in a delicate birdcage, becoming the Moon of a Grotto-Heaven…

Might as well do something now.

"Emperor Sui Zu?"

Huh?

So someone is planning to trouble the Master Jianzu my lord because he refined the Tai Ping Dan?

Does this world really have someone so bold?

Is he tired of living too long?

"Yes, Emperor Sui Zu is still a Divine Emperor; the Master Jianzu Elder…"

"Don't worry, don't worry—I'll handle it!" Yue Ling patted her chest with solemn assurance.

She was bored out of her mind!

Just as she prepared to leave, she remembered—if she left abruptly, would her master become angry?

"Master Jianzu my lord, may I go?" she called toward the hut.

"If you want to go, go—but mind your limits."

Yue Ling grinned. Now it was fine!

With the Master Jianzu my lord's approval, her master certainly wouldn't be angry.

"The Master Jianzu my lord and Yuanjun my lord are inside. Go in yourself."

Pausing, Yue Ling turned, clasped her hands behind her back, and gazed at the sky at a forty-five-degree angle—the exact pose Qiu Jiuyu used when showing off.

"I'll be back soon!"

Hum~!

A blade of light shot upward, vanishing into the void—even the Lady of the Taiyin Star's sharp eyes caught no trace; her sword-light had already disappeared.

The Lady of the Taiyin Star stared blankly at the sky for a moment, then suddenly realized.

Handle… handle Emperor Sui Zu?!

She doubted whether she had heard correctly.

Although she knew Senior Yue Ling was undoubtedly powerful, that was Emperor Sui Zu!

Could it not be too hasty for such an Emperor-level being, who wields the Authority of Yuan Qi, saves all living beings, and rules over the Azure Womb Blue Heaven, to simply go there?

She wanted to chase after and urge him to reconsider, but had no way to begin—she could not sense Senior Yue Ling's Sword-Dashing technique at all.

As she pondered whether to rush ahead and intercept him outside the Azure Womb Blue Heaven…

"No need to worry."

A voice came from behind; she turned to see only the closed door, no figure in sight.

"Come in first. Senior Yue Ling knows his own limits."

This time she recognized it—this was the voice of that my lord! (End of Chapter)