Chapter 627: I Disagree!

Over the course of several days, Xu Que and Liu Jingning departed from the Secret Realm and rushed toward the nearest teleportation point!

According to Xu Que's plan, they would first return to the Eastern Wasteland, find Dong Genji, and demand the ancient texts from him to learn information related to the Bronze Ancient Hall; afterward, they could seek a way to rescue Jiang Hongyan!

However, during these few days, they heard countless shocking pieces of news through rumors!

The first matter was that Dong Genji had actually set out to sea!

Moreover, Dong Genji had revealed some earth-shattering information to the Ancestors of various major factions, prompting countless Ancestors to successively rush toward the Endless Sea Region beyond the Northern Sea!

Some said a Supreme Treasure from Ancient Times had appeared there; others claimed they were going to welcome some great figure; still others said some massive incident had occurred there, with a disaster imminent!

"Damn it! If I'd known earlier, I wouldn't have let him go! Now he's fled overseas, accompanied by Ancestors from various major factions; capturing him again will probably be quite troublesome!" Xu Que felt a surge of annoyance!

But at that time, there was no other choice; if they hadn't let Dong Genji go, given his personality, he would surely have fought to the death, dragging everyone down with him!

"Don't rush. Regardless, the only thing we can confirm now is that something has happened in the Endless Sea Region. To stir up so many Ancestors, it must be a major event. Perhaps our Bliss Sect is also involved. Let's return to the Eastern Wasteland first and inquire at the Bliss Sect; we might be able to clarify the situation!" Liu Jingning said calmly.

Hearing this, Xu Que nodded as well. Regardless, they still had to return to the Eastern Wasteland first; if they truly couldn't obtain the ancient texts, they would try forcibly breaking into that Bronze Ancient Hall!

The two traveled together, stepped onto the Teleportation Array, inserted Top-grade Spirit Stones, and headed directly for the Eastern Wasteland!

When such a massive Teleportation Array operated, its tearing force was extremely powerful; in the blink of an eye, they traversed the Void, while outside, a full month had passed!

One month had passed!

Xu Que and Liu Jingning emerged from the teleportation array in the Eastern Wasteland, where rumors about the whereabouts of the Ancestors from various major factions were already spreading like wildfire!

There were still many versions of the story, but they were basically all people's guesses and rumors; they all sounded plausible, yet no one could confirm which version was correct!

Xu Que did not waste time; after exiting the teleportation array, he went directly with Liu Jingning to the Bliss Sect!

As the Holy Maiden of the Bliss Sect, Liu Jingning held a transcendent status; wanting to inquire about the Ancestors' purpose in going to the Endless Sea Region would certainly pose no problem!

After a journey involving many transfers and rides on numerous small teleportation arrays, the two finally arrived outside a range of great mountains!

The Bliss Sect's sect grounds were established within this vast valley!

This place was naturally a treasured land; the surrounding terrain was precipitous, and the mountain forests around it were perennially shrouded in miasma formations, so ordinary people simply dared not approach!

Furthermore, after passing through the miasma-shrouded mountain forests, one had to cross a perilous river; cultivators could ride Dharma Artifacts to traverse it, but several ferocious beasts lived at the riverbed, capable of leaping out at any moment to swallow cultivators whole as food!

However, for the Disciples of the Bliss Sect, all these obstacles were as good as nonexistent!

When Liu Jingning produced a Token, a mountain path appeared within the mountain forest, leading directly to the summit!

Xu Que teased regarding this, "Your Bliss Sect's security measures aren't up to par; so many tricks, yet they certainly couldn't withstand a single punch from me!"

Liu Jingning shot him an annoyed glance and retorted, "That depends on whether you're willing to open your generous purse and gift our Bliss Sect a set of Spirit Stage Arrays!"

It was well known that the Bliss Sect's Mountain-Protecting Great Array had been acquired at great cost, being a High-Stage Formation!

Such a formation could at most block several hundred attacks from the Void Refining Stage, but before a Body Integration Stage expert, it was as good as nonexistent.

Moreover, back then outside Buried Immortal Valley, Xu Que had casually deployed a High-Stage Formation and even claimed to possess even higher-tier Spirit Stage Arrays, leaving a deep impression on Liu Jingning that remained to this day.

If Xu Que were willing to gift the Bliss Sect a set of Spirit Stage Arrays, the Bliss Sect would at least remain safe and worry-free for a thousand years!

"Gifting you a Spirit Stage Array is certainly no problem; the issue is that I never give things away for free—that's a principle!" Xu Que said with a smile.

A Spirit Stage Array sold for only one or two thousand Acting Cool Points in the System Mall, which was quite cheap; however, what Xu Que lacked most right now was Acting Cool Points, so how could he possibly gift a set to the Bliss Sect for nothing!

After all, the one on good terms with him was only Liu Jingning, not the Bliss Sect; something like loving the house and extending that love to the crow on its roof was impossible in Xu Que's case!

"Tsk, stingy ghost!"

Liu Jingning rolled her eyes at Xu Que, scolding him playfully, though in her heart she didn't truly mind.

After all, she was just teasing casually, not expecting Xu Que to actually produce a Spirit Stage Array; even High-Stage Formations were incomparably precious, let alone Spirit Stage Arrays!

The two swept toward the mountain summit and soon arrived outside the Gate of the Sect of the Bliss Sect.

Guarding the Gate of the Sect were several Nascent Soul Stage Disciples; upon seeing Liu Jingning, they immediately dropped to one knee, bowing their heads respectfully and saying, "Disciples greet the Holy Maiden!"

"Mn!" Liu Jingning nodded faintly, looking down on everyone, and directly led Xu Que forward.

In front of Xu Que, she might display a charming and enchanting side, but before the Bliss Sect and the world at large, she was much like other Holy Maidens—an existence of aloofness and indifference.

Only thus could she inspire greater awe and possess more deterrent power!

If a Holy Son or Holy Maiden acted too gently, they would instead lose authority and affect their power to mobilize others!

Xu Que was accustomed to this and paid it no mind; moreover, he imitated her behavior, adopting a cold and haughty demeanor, walking shoulder to shoulder with Liu Jingning, head held high and chest out!

This detail astonished many Bliss Sect Disciples!

Some passing Disciples, after paying respects to Liu Jingning, were filled with horror and confusion in their hearts and began discussing in hushed tones!

"Who is that youth? How can he walk shoulder to shoulder with the Holy Maiden?"

"Could he be from some major sect or Clan? Otherwise, how would he have such qualifications?"

"Exactly, look at the way he walks, his nose practically pointing to the sky; clearly, he is a person of noble status!"

"But that can't be right; even with the most noble status, it's impossible to get this close to the Holy Maiden, is it?"

"Eh, you're right; in the past, even when the Holy Son of the Gong Family visited, the Holy Maiden kept her distance from him, but today she's walking so close to this youth; could it be..."

"Damn, no way? That youth hasn't used any age-preserving techniques; he's at most around twenty years old. Could the Holy Maiden be an old cow eating tender grass?"

"Hell, watch your mouth! If the Holy Maiden hears you, you probably won't live until tomorrow!"

"Wait, do you think the Holy Maiden received news in advance and specially brought this youth back?"

"That can't be such a coincidence, can it? The person who left home has only just arrived; how could the Holy Maiden have received news so quickly?"

"Hiss, it seems trouble is about to arise!"

As the numerous Disciples finished their discussion, they all looked at each other, inhaling sharply in shock!

Meanwhile, Xu Que and Liu Jingning had already arrived before the Great Hall of the Bliss Sect!

Before they even approached, several powerful divine senses probed out from within the Great Hall; immediately afterward, a hearty laugh rang out from inside:

"Haha, it seems today is truly a good day, coinciding with the return of my niece Jingning! Little Jingning, do you still remember your Uncle Li?"

"Uncle Li?" Liu Jingning was instantly stunned, a trace of confusion flashing across her eyes.

The next moment, a voice full of vigor rang out: "Holy Maiden, come quickly and greet your elders!"

"Yes, Sect Master!"

Liu Jingning frowned slightly, but still responded, taking steps toward the Great Hall.

Xu Que's figure paused briefly; his eyes narrowed as he swept his gaze into the Great Hall!

There sat a middle-aged man in a purple robe upon a high seat in the center of the Great Hall, handsome and dignified, exuding an air of imposing authority without anger, his cultivation reaching the peak of the Void Refining Stage!

Such a peak was far beyond what any Holy Son or Holy Maiden could compare to; the gap between the Void Refining Stage and the Body Integration Stage lay in the Dao Rhyme!

For experts at this realm, cultivation could no longer be advanced merely by relying on Spiritual Energy or Spirit Medicine; most of it depended on Dao Rhyme to ascend!

The Void Refining Stage meant that one's Dao Rhyme had just taken initial form!

Throughout the entire Void Refining Stage, one settled and refined their Dao Rhyme; even upon reaching the peak of the Void Refining Stage, if the Dao Rhyme had not achieved Great Completion, one could not step into the Body Integration Stage!

And this middle-aged man was an existence whose Dao Rhyme came closest to Great Completion, standing only one step away from the Body Integration Stage!

Others might find it difficult to perceive, but Xu Que sensed it with ease!

Why was that?

Because this fellow Xu Que was different from those flashy frauds outside!

For others to achieve Great Completion of their Dao Rhyme, they needed at least countless years of settling and sudden enlightenment before finally stepping into the Body Integration Stage!

Xu Que, after merely two years of closed-door cultivation contemplating the Dao, started from zero and stepped into the Void Refining Stage; moreover, his Dao Rhyme directly achieved Great Completion. In other words, although his realm remained at Layer One of the Soul Refining Stage, his Dao Rhyme was comparable to Layer One of the Integration Realm, even stronger than that middle-aged man!

"Interesting; this Sect Master of Extreme Joy Sect seems quite extraordinary!" Xu Que glanced briefly and smiled faintly in his heart.

Immediately afterward, his gaze also swept toward the others in the Great Hall!

Besides some Elder-level figures of the Extreme Joy Sect wearing pale purple robes, several old and young individuals in red robes caught Xu Que's attention!

The old man in the red robes who had previously ingratiated himself with Liu Jingning, claiming to be Uncle Li, was one of them!

Beside the old man stood two young people, one male and one female!

The man was handsome and elegant, the woman beautiful and cold; their features bore some resemblance, looking like a pair of siblings!

As Liu Jingning stepped into the Great Hall, everyone's gaze converged upon her, especially that young man; his eyes, previously somewhat listless, now became fully spirited, watching Liu Jingning with deep appreciation, seemingly filled with delight!

"Damn!"

Xu Que silently cursed in his heart at once!

According to this situation, the usual clichéd plot would be these people coming to propose marriage to Liu Jingning, or perhaps some childhood betrothal arranged before birth, now ready to take her back!

"Niece Jingning, I am an old friend of your late father, Li Tangshan!" At this moment, the old man in the red robe spoke again, saying with a smile.

Standing outside the Great Hall, Xu Que immediately narrowed his eyes, snorting coldly in his heart; just as expected!

"So you are the Uncle Li my father often mentioned?" Upon hearing this name, Liu Jingning was instantly stunned.

Her late father had indeed mentioned this name many times, because Li Tangshan had once lent a Dharma Artifact to their family; later, when her father met with an accident, on his deathbed he had instructed her that if one day Li Tangshan came to demand the return of the Dharma Artifact, she must return it!

Liu Jingning had always kept this matter in mind, so the moment Li Tangshan announced his name, she immediately realized who he was!

"Indeed, it is this old man!" The old man in the red robe nodded at once with a hearty laugh.

Just as he stroked his beard and opened his mouth to continue speaking, a heavy, muffled sound suddenly erupted from outside the Great Hall!

"Thud!"

Xu Que stomped heavily onto the floor of the Great Hall, his gaze sweeping coldly over everyone, and he shouted with forceful clarity: "I do not agree to this marriage!"