Chapter 822

The evil dragon, having just been scolded, immediately came forward to declare its stance,

"In my opinion, why bother sending any young talents? Just pick one of the four of us at random to go.

Our strength is considered quite decent even in the Nine Provinces.

I refuse to believe we can't become Lin Tiannan's ideal son-in-law.

As for age and such, we demons naturally have lifespans vastly different from ordinary people.

How could that old man Lin Tiannan possibly tell the difference!"

"Haha! Big brother's words make sense. How about letting little brother go marry this beautiful maiden!"

Shura stretched out his tongue to lick his lips, looking utterly enchanted.

"Sort it out among yourselves!"

Empress Dowager Yinyue did not object either; in her eyes, although Lin Tiannan was strong,

with the Four Sages of the Demon Palace and Jing Wuyuan personally taking action, it would surely be a cinch.

Therefore she did not care how they went about it, only saying,

"This palace does not care which of you marries Lin Tiannan's daughter; this palace only cares about Nie Xiaoqian!

On this trip, Nie Xiaoqian must be brought back to this palace!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Jing Wuyuan and the Four Sages of the Demon Palace saw Empress Dowager Yinyue's resolve and immediately accepted the order.

"Very well, then this palace shall take her leave."

Empress Dowager Yinyue nodded in satisfaction, then looked toward Lord Qiye and said,

"Qiye, don't think too much about it. This Xiaoqian is not that Xiaoqian. As the Holy Lord, you need to consider the Demon Palace and the demon masses even more."

Lord Qiye heard this and gave a bitter smile, then nodded with difficulty,

"Mother, your child understands."

"That's good, I'm leaving."

Empress Dowager Yinyue affectionately patted Lord Qiye, then her figure gradually faded away.

Jing Wuyuan looked at Lord Qiye, seeming to want to say something but holding back, then let out a long sigh.

He immediately took the Four Sages of the Demon Palace and bade farewell to Lord Qiye.

After withdrawing, he discussed matters with the Four Sages of the Demon Palace once more, then had the best-looking among them, the Hungry Ghost, set out.

You Dongying, within the imperial palace of the capital.

Since the last scheme to replace Emperor Wuchang and draw the attention of the Wu Lin figures of the Nine Provinces, in order to sever the Yunzhou imperial clan's dragon vein, had failed at the last step.

After Seeing Lian Chengzhi's loyal subordinate, the Xuanwu Lord, had died a wretched death beneath heavenly thunder.

Lian Chengzhi's will had become quite despondent; aside from one trip to the Great Song's Xiaoyao Den, he had been holed up on You Dongying's main island.

Watching the countless heroes and beauties on the Heavenly Dao Gold List and the Heavenly Dao Hundred Flowers List.

Upon the Nine Provinces' great earth, the Great Yuan and Great Tang were in constant strife everywhere.

Moreover, top-tier powerhouses like Wu Wudi and Pudu Cihang had appeared to stir up the winds and clouds.

Lian Chengzhi increasingly realized that although he had gained Song Ben Gang's aid and by luck become You Dongying's Emperor,

and had Chi Xue's full assistance in mastering ultimate arts like the Scarlet Fire Divine Art of the Wutian Purgatory, joining the ranks of Heavenly Dao Gold List-level experts,

he had once thought that You Dongying and himself could enter and rule the Nine Provinces, unifying all under heaven.

Now looking at it, he feared he couldn't even break into Yunzhou, let alone the Nine Provinces!

With his will despondent, he holed up within the imperial palace, drinking and practicing martial arts, keeping Chi Xue company.

Seeing this, Chi Xue was deeply worried, yet knew she was powerless to help.

Although Chi Xue could bring out the Wutian Purgatory's ultimate divine art, the Scarlet Fire Divine Art, Chi Xue was ultimately not the master of the Wutian Purgatory.

The Wutian Purgatory could not possibly help Lian Chengzhi wholeheartedly just because of her.

Every day, Chi Xue watched Lian Chengzhi's despondent will, pondering how she might help him.

On this day, with the appearance of this installment of the Heavenly Dao Gold List,

Chi Xue saw the name of the Ten Thousand Realms' great Longshouxi Sect Ximen Wudi, and suddenly trembled all over.

She recalled the battle at Bai Longxi, where Lian Chengzhi had borrowed the Senra Liugou and, after a fierce clash with that strange old man, forcibly opened the incomprehensibly mysterious Sword Realm.

Bearing Lian Chengzhi's great hopes, she had gone to the Sword Realm to seek the legendary Thousand Autumn Sword.

Who could have imagined that the so-called Sword Realm was utterly unrecognizable.

Everything that had happened there, and that heaven-spanning, earth-traversing figure like a god or demon, had left Chi Xue utterly shocked.

Afterwards, the Qinglong Society's Winter Snow Protector Lu Xueqi had appeared, using sword arts to command the Nine Heavens Divine Thunder, obliterating the Xuanwu Lord in a single strike.

Everything that had happened that day, especially what was seen in the Sword Realm, seemed vividly before her eyes.

Chi Xue felt a sudden inexplicable palpitation and cried out in terror.

Although Lian Chengzhi's will was despondent, Chi Xue was devoted to him and helped him without reservation, making her extremely important in his heart.

Hearing Chi Xue's startled cry, Lian Chengzhi snapped out of his reverie.

He glanced at Chi Xue and found her trembling with fear,

"Xue'er, what's wrong with you?"

Lian Chengzhi was startled and immediately embraced Chi Xue.

"Chengzhi, I-I-I..."

What she had witnessed in the Sword Realm made Chi Xue realize how utterly insignificant she was. Hearing Lian Chengzhi's call, she was still trembling with fright, unable to collect herself for a long while.

These past days, Chi Xue had occasionally shown such a state.

Lian Chengzhi also knew that Chi Xue's condition stemmed from glimpsing the Sword Realm during the battle at Bai Longxi.

Only, Chixue had never made clear what exactly she had seen inside the Sword Realm.

He did not feel it proper to press her with too many questions either; he could only hold Chixue tightly and soothe her in a gentle voice,

"Xue'er, don't panic! Even if the heavens were to fall, so what—at the very least, I will stand in front of you and bear it."

And so, under repeated gentle-voiced comfort,

although Chixue was still terribly frightened, under Lian Chengzhi's boundless tenderness she gradually calmed down.

After she had calmed, her face flushed a deep red, her eyes like a pool of autumn water, and she gently stroked Lian Chengzhi's face with deep affection,

"Chengzhi, you're so good to me!"

"Xue'er is the one who's truly good!"

Lian Chengzhi was half trying to please her, half speaking the truth.

He had been able to obtain the Heavenly Locust identity because Song Ben Gang had carved the Emperor's Bones for him, letting him take the place under a false name.

But his being able to enter the Heavenly Dao Golden List had relied entirely on Chixue's efforts.

"Xue'er, can you tell me what exactly you saw at Bai Long Creek?"

These past days, Lian Chengzhi had constantly wanted to find out what exactly Chixue had seen back then.

It was just a pity that every time it was brought up, Chixue did not dare to speak of it in depth.

This time Chixue's outburst was clearly different from before, and Lian Chengzhi could no longer hold back his curiosity, so he asked.

"Mm! Chengzhi, could you not ask?"

Chixue was actually not entirely hiding it on purpose; more than that, she simply did not want to strike too heavy a blow to Lian Chengzhi.

Nowadays, the top-tier powerhouses of the Nine Provinces emerge one after another in endless succession.

The Yin Moon Imperial Court, the Xuanxinzheng Sect, and other ancient, transcendent powers have likewise appeared on the stage one after another.

As the Heavenly Dao Golden List and the Heavenly Dao Hundred Flowers List are continually revealed, Lian Chengzhi's wild ambitions have become ever harder to realize.

With his wild ambitions hard to realize, Lian Chengzhi would only grow more despondent.

The Nine Provinces were already so fraught with hardship—how could Chixue dare to describe to Lian Chengzhi the scene she had seen!

Would that not plunge Lian Chengzhi into despair?

"Alright then! If Xue'er doesn't want me to ask, then I won't ask.

Just don't let yourself be troubled and frightened by this any longer."

Seeing that Chixue would not speak, Lian Chengzhi tenderly soothed her for a while, then sighed, picked up another cup of wine, and poured it down his throat in one swallow.

"Chengzhi, don't drink any more."

Watching him drink, Chixue's heart ached as well, and she promptly tried to stop him.