Chapter 536: Passing Through a Sea of Flowers, Not a Single Petal Touches Me

One after another, Divine-level Strongmen appeared, and their arrival sparked waves of awe and cheers.

Everyone harbored the dream of becoming a Divine-level Strongman, yearning that one day they could stand at such heights.

However, reality is cruel. Although there are some exceptionally talented individuals present, whom their families have high hopes for, whether they can ultimately reach that step remains uncertain.

After all, the path to becoming a Divine-level Strongman is fraught with hardship, and only a few can succeed.

Jiang Chen looked up at the sky and suddenly saw two flashes of light.

He smiled faintly, recognizing that Hong Jishi had returned. Yet, to his surprise, a middle‑aged beautiful woman was accompanying Hong Jishi.

Jiang Chen stepped forward and respectfully greeted, "Master, you're back."

Hong Jishi nodded, but his expression seemed a bit awkward. The middle‑aged woman smiled at Jiang Chen and said, "You're Lao Hong's disciple, Xiao Chen, right?"

A spark of insight flashed in Jiang Chen's eyes; he quickly discerned their relationship and smiled, replying, "Pleased to meet you, Teacher's wife."

Hong Jishi's eyebrows twitched slightly, but he did not refute.

The middle‑aged woman was clearly delighted by Jiang Chen's address; she smiled, took something from her body, and handed it to him, "You're such a good child! Teacher's wife didn't have much prepared, so consider this your welcome gift."

Jiang Chen hadn't expected the Teacher's wife to be so warm, but he knew the principle of not refusing a senior's gift, so he graciously accepted it.

Hong Jishi, seeing this, could only introduce, "She's Liu Qingqing, Level 95, Divine-level Alchemist."

Jiang Chen was startled; Divine-level Alchemists are extremely rare in the Empire, and he hurriedly addressed respectfully, "Greetings, Teacher's wife."

Liu Qingqing, hearing the address, beamed even brighter and replied, "Very well," repeatedly.

Hong Jishi watched the scene from the side, shaking his head helplessly. Lin Zhenzi and several old friends came over, congratulating Hong Jishi and Liu Qingqing, "Congratulations, Lao Hong, on finding such a fine partner."

Hong Jishi waved his hand, somewhat displeased, saying, "Go, go, you old farts, don't cause trouble." Yet they seemed unfazed by his reaction, continuing to congratulate Liu Qingqing, "Congratulations, Liu Shen, finally you and Lao Hong have tied the knot."

Liu Qingqing smiled joyfully, "Thank you all for the blessings; I'll definitely invite you to the wedding feast later."

"Great, we'll be there on time," the crowd replied.

"Don't forget to bring generous gifts; otherwise it won't feel right," someone joked.

"That's natural; we won't disappoint you."

Suddenly, a towering structure materialized in the sky—the Divine Dragon Tower Illusion.

Jiang Chen whispered, "Master Li has arrived!"

Immediately after, a group of figures rose swiftly, all women, each with exquisite looks and extraordinary aura.

They must have been peerless beauties in their youth, not inferior at all to Yi Ning and the others.

Hong Jishi teased from the side, "See, these are Lao Li's red‑face confidantes."

"If Lao Li wishes, you, kid, would instantly have dozens of Teacher's wives," Hong Jishi joked, looking at Jiang Chen.

Jiang Chen laughed, "Then I'd be getting rich, wouldn't I?"

Hong Jishi's mouth twitched, "You greedy kid."

Jiang Chen mischievously smiled, "Master, you should also step up."

Hong Jishi was taken aback, "Add what oil?"

Jiang Chen winked, "Add oil and get me a junior brother or sister."

"Get lost!" Hong Jishi, both angry and amused, almost moved to discipline the mischievous disciple.

Jiang Chen took out the welcome gift from Liu Qingqing and examined it carefully.

"Divine-level Healing Potion: a potion infused with Divine-level restorative power, capable of rapidly restoring stamina and injuries in a short time."

"Good stuff!" Jiang Chen felt a surge of joy; this bottle could be lifesaving at a critical moment.

Whether severely wounded or merely weak, drinking this potion allows recovery in an extremely short span. Jiang Chen knows the difficulty of crafting a Divine-level Healing Potion; it requires a Divine-level Alchemist and a Divine-level Healer to cooperate.

Moreover, each production consumes a great deal of the maker's stamina and energy. This potion was clearly prepared by Liu Qingqing for Jiang Chen, its Divine-level energy sufficient for multiple uses.

With this potion, Jiang Chen felt as if he had gained an extra life as a safety net.

He hadn't expected Liu Qingqing to be so generous in gifting such a treasure; this Teacher's wife truly is kind‑hearted. The Divine Dragon Tower Illusion still flickered in the sky, and Li Xueru's figure had yet to appear.

Jiang Chen walked to Lin Caier'er's side, smiled, and handed her an exquisite little box, "Cai Er, this is for you."

The box contained the Divine-level Healing Potion he had previously obtained from Liu Qingqing. For Jiang Chen it wasn't essential, but for Lin Caier'er it was a lifesaving treasure at crucial moments.

Lin Caier'er took the box puzzled, opened it, and instantly widened her eyes in surprise, "Divine-level Healing Potion!" She hurried to return it to Jiang Chen, "It's too precious; I can't take it."

Jiang Chen gently pressed her hand, "This potion isn't that useful to me, but for you it's a safeguard in critical moments. Keep it, and I'll be more at ease. Be obedient and accept it."

Lin Caier'er looked at Jiang Chen's earnest eyes, felt warmth in her heart, lightly nodded, and kept the potion, "Thank you, Jiang Chen."

Jiang Chen smiled, turned away, "You keep chatting; I'll go see what's happening over there."

He looked up at the sky, where a showdown among Divine-level Strongmen was about to unfold. Jiang Chen was curious to see how the ever‑composed Li Xueru would handle the challenge.

Chu Yao whispered beside Lin Caier'er, "Junior Brother Jiang is really attentive to you."

Lin Caier'er's cheeks flushed slightly, and she lightly nodded, "I know."

Yi Ning whispered in Lin Caier'er's ear, "Cai Er, you can't hold Jiang Chen back any longer."

Lin Caier'er nodded earnestly, "I understand. I'll work hard to level up on my own, even if it's slower and more tiring, but I don't want to be his burden."

Yi Ning continued, "The enemies Jiang Chen now faces are getting stronger; if you can't level up quickly, you may meet foes you can't handle. You must push yourself to catch up with his pace soon."

Lin Caier'er nodded firmly, "I will."

Chu Yao softly reflected, "Junior Brother Jiang has his own path, indeed different from ours."

Yi Ning also softly agreed, "Everyone's path is unique."

Lin Caier'er clenched a small fist, her eyes flashing with resolve, "I have my own road too; grandpa once told me that as long as I keep walking, I can achieve greatness."

Chu Yao smiled encouragingly, "That's natural; our little Cai Er has always been outstanding."

At this moment, the Divine Dragon Tower Illusion in the sky, after prolonged condensation, finally became clear and solid.

In the instant it solidified, Li Xueru's figure, like a jade tree standing in the wind, materialized mid‑air. Behind him, the towering Shenlong Tower rose majestically, as if his guardian deity.

Li Xueru stood there; even without deliberately exuding aura, he already imposed an unprecedented sense of pressure. His breath seemed to press down on the whole world, so powerful it was suffocating.

The crowd below all inhaled sharply, shocked by Li Xueru's might.

Confucian God! This is the Confucian God!

Too strong—stronger than any Divine-level Strongman before.

I feel that Shenlong Tower has become a mere backdrop to the Confucian God.

People murmured, stunned by Li Xueru's power.

A group of Divine-level Strongmen also chatted privately. Lin Zhenzi whispered, "I never imagined this fellow would step into the upper Divine Level before us."

Sword God Feng Anzai also sighed, "Level 96, truly enviable." The Sword Qi on his body surged skyward, his battle spirit blazing, "I really want to spar with him once, to see whose Sword Dao is stronger."

Hong Jishi snorted dismissively, "Fighting him would be the most boring, you can't even locate the opponent."

Feng Anzai's battle spirit instantly faded, "You're right, his concealment ability truly gives people a headache."

When Li Xueru appeared, the beauties who had previously taken to the air swarmed around him like bees, but to everyone's surprise, a moment later they all scattered, none lingering by Li Xueru's side.

Li Xueru walked through the sea of blossoms without a single petal touching him, calmly descending to the ground; the sight left the crowd dumbfounded, all exclaiming his charm and strength.