Chapter 389: Sisters Reunite, Disadvantages of 5,000 Times Flow Rate (Two-in-One)
"Is that Snow Millennium, the Thousand Years of Frost and Snow? The famous sword cultivation genius of the Three Thousand Dao Domains?!"
Lin Ziyi covered her mouth, her round eyes wide.
As a fellow cultivator of ice spiritual power, she had heard of Snow Millennium's name as soon as she returned to the Three Thousand Dao Domains.
She had even considered her a role model before.
But she never expected that one day, this legendary existence would appear before her in such a way—His Highness's new…sister?!
Fang Qingyan also couldn't hide her shock, her beautiful eyes sweeping over Snow Millennium.
At the same time, her gaze darted between Gu Yun and Shangguan Zhiyue, wondering what was going on?!
"This servant greets all the mistresses!"
Snow Millennium bowed slightly, her clear, cold voice breaking the suffocating silence.
She lowered her posture extremely, with a reverence almost etched into her bones, gracefully bowing to Fang Qingyan and Lin Ziyi, her movements elegant and fluid, without the slightest reluctance.
She knew that in these noble households, the most taboo thing was overstepping one's bounds, and she couldn't leave a bad impression on them during their first meeting.
"Mis…Mistress?!"
Lin Ziyi's mouth slightly parted again, startled by the address. She looked at Snow Millennium's breathtaking figure and clear, stunning face, then at Gu Yun, whose expression was calm, as if he wasn't surprised by the title at all, taking it completely for granted.
"Sister Xue, are you really…that Snow Millennium of the Thousand Years of Frost and Snow?!"
"Your Frost and Snow Sword Domain is so powerful; I even observed it when I first returned to the Three Thousand Dao Domains. I…I didn't expect…"
Just like seeing an idol for the first time, Lin Ziyi became a little incoherent.
Snow Millennium raised her head, a hint of faint surprise and an almost imperceptible…softness flashed in her clear fox eyes.
She hadn't expected that this mistress, who appeared quite young, would have such a connection with her.
She nodded slightly and smiled gently, "Mistress overpraises me. These are but minor sword techniques, not worth mentioning."
"If Mistress wishes to learn, Thousand Years will certainly impart everything without reservation."
"This servant is now merely the Master's sword, the Master's shield."
"The Mistress's matters are the Master's matters, and the Master's matters are Thousand Years's matters!"
Her tone was calm but carried an unwavering resolve, as if stating an unchangeable belief.
"Alright, if you want to practice your sword, you can do it later. Thousand Years can even teach you for a hundred years."
Gu Yun's voice carried a hint of lazy amusement, interrupting Lin Ziyi's almost starry-eyed gaze of adoration.
He embraced the girl from behind, lowering his head slightly, his warm breath brushing against Lin Ziyi's sensitive earlobe.
"Now that we've finally reunited after so long, don't you want to…catch up properly?"
Their intimacy was unreserved, their interactions uninhibited.
Such a harmonious scene, however, pierced someone's heart.
Shangguan Zhiyue watched this scene, her clenched fists tightening slightly, only to release them powerlessly.
She forced a slightly mocking, playful smile onto her lips: "Oh my, catching up? Don't let this pervert carry you on his shoulder to catch up!"
She tried hard to act normal, so Fang Qingyan wouldn't continue to suspect anything.
"Sister Zhiyue!!"
As expected, Shangguan Zhiyue's plan worked.
Fang Qingyan's pretty face flushed, not expecting such suggestive words to come from Shangguan Zhiyue's mouth.
"Even if it is, what of it?"
Facing Shangguan Zhiyue's teasing, Gu Yun merely chuckled, then embraced Fang Qingyan as well, and in a flash, they vanished from their original spot.
In the blink of an eye, they returned to the Great Luo Dao Pagoda, leaving Lin Ziyi and Fang Qingyan somewhat bewildered.
"This…"
The surrounding scenery had undergone a dramatic transformation. As far as the eye could see, there was a vast, deep, and distant ocean.
The sea was not calm; tides surged, and the air was filled with an incredibly dense, almost tangible aura of laws. Time itself felt unusually viscous and active here.
And the three of them were currently suspended above an extremely tiny flat boat.
The small boat was entirely made of green jade, drifting with the waves, emitting a warm, resilient luster. Each surge of energy tide caused the small boat to violently sway, as if it would be completely swallowed by the giant waves, which contained the very essence of the universe, in the next second!
Yet, despite all this, the small boat remained stably afloat, never sinking.
"Ah!!"
Lin Ziyi instinctively let out a cry of surprise, her delicate body going soft, and she subconsciously hugged Gu Yun's waist tightly, her small face pale.
Even though she was already at the Small Saint Realm cultivation, in this space, she still felt as if a thousand catties were weighing her down.
Even if she gathered all her spiritual power to her small, agile feet, she couldn't maintain her suspension in the void.
Fang Qingyan was equally shaken. Even though she was usually calm, she couldn't hide the shock in her eyes at this moment.
Clutching Gu Yun's chest tightly, she stammered, "This is…the Great Luo Dao Pagoda?!"
The familiar temporal fluctuations quickly allowed Fang Qingyan to identify the location. Gu Yun had brought her here to cultivate before, but the scene at that time was clearly not like this, and she hadn't expected this spatial-temporal treasure to be usable within the Ancient Continent. The depth of Gu Yun's resources was simply unimaginable.
"That's right, but where you are now—is the fifth level, the Da Luo Dao Sea!"
Gu Yun said with a smile.
He steadily held Fang Qingyan's slender waist with one hand, and supported Lin Ziyi's soft buttocks with the other, holding her somewhat limp body, keeping the two women steadily suspended in mid-air.
"Da Luo Dao Sea?!"
Lin Ziyi looked up from Gu Yun's embrace, her large eyes filled with curiosity: "Husband, what's the difference between here and the previous levels?"
"I feel like the flow of time is different, and the spiritual energy concentration is many times stronger!"
How could the spiritual energy not be high?
Gu Yun inwardly grumbled, not even considering how many villain points he had recharged.
Then he said, "There are naturally differences. The Dao Sea, as the name suggests, is related to the Dao."
"After reaching the Quasi-Emperor Realm, the accumulation of spiritual power becomes secondary. The key lies in the constant comprehension of the Great Dao laws. What is truly precious here are these omnipresent Dao Rhyme tides."
"This place might not mean much to those below the Quasi-Emperor Realm, but for Quasi-Emperors, it is an excellent cultivation treasure land!"
Just then, a dark, ink-colored tide, imbued with an even richer aura of Dao principles, surged up like a mountain, engulfing the small green jade boat that bobbed on its crest, seemingly on the verge of capsizing at any moment, and slammed violently towards the location where the three of them were suspended!
The small boat swayed and rocked in the giant waves, appearing tiny and fragile.
"There seems to be…someone in that small boat! The aura…is very familiar!"
Lin Ziyi's beautiful eyes lit up, instantly forgetting her fear, and she pointed downwards.
But the terrifying ink-colored tide was already upon them, blotting out the sky and sun, and the pressure of the laws made Lin Ziyi and Fang Qingyan's breathing catch.
In her urgency, Lin Ziyi could only cling tightly to Gu Yun, her soft, delicate body rubbing against him.
Gu Yun's face darkened, but he still casually waved his hand, and a thin layer of Ten Thousand Transformations Spiritual Power blocked it: "Be careful, don't let the seawater here touch you. It will be very troublesome if you don't have Quasi-Emperor cultivation."
According to Gu Yun's estimation, unless it was a Heavenly Destiny Daughter, it was best not to let other women take this risk.
Most of these fated female protagonists rely on the male protagonist to carry them, and they themselves may not necessarily have the ability to transcend this world.
As long as they follow the male protagonist well, it's not unheard of for them to wake up after a nap and directly become the second strongest in the world.
As the saying goes, choice is greater than effort, and perhaps this is what it refers to.
"Boom!"
The tidal wave crashed violently against the barrier, emitting a dull, thunderous sound. Countless dark water droplets containing shattered laws splattered in all directions, but they were restrained by an invisible force, unable to truly infringe upon the three people behind the barrier in the slightest.
"Let's go, let's meet an old friend."
Without further hesitation, Gu Yun led the two women downwards.
"Old friend…"
Fang Qingyan was still muttering when she had already arrived on the green jade boat with Gu Yun.
As soon as they stepped on board, Lin Ziyi and Fang Qingyan felt the pressure around them suddenly lighten—the small boat had a unique charm of its own, as if all the commotion from the outside world had nothing to do with this place. Instead, there was warm, soft light, fresh and pleasant floral fragrance, and a peculiar Dao rhyme that calmed the mind.
"What a quiet place, very suitable for arduous cultivation."
Fang Qingyan looked around, nodding slightly. Although the small boat wasn't large, it was perfectly equipped. She just didn't know what grade of treasure it was, but surely any treasure taken out by Gu Yun would be of excellent quality.
Gu Yun didn't directly answer Fang Qingyan's question, but instead walked forward and pushed open a door.
"Who dares to trespass into this King's room!!"
Before even seeing the women inside, a delicate shout, wrapped in a scorching aura, exploded from within the room!
Immediately after, with a "bang," the wooden door was violently pushed open, and a fiery red figure rushed out like lightning!
It was Flame Princess!
She seemed to have just finished cultivating, her long hair still disheveled over her shoulders, and her vibrant red dress fluttered like fire with her movements.
Her graceful eyebrows were raised, her phoenix eyes glinted with killing intent, and her jade foot was raised high, kicking fiercely towards Gu Yun's face without a word!
The stance was as if she intended to kick the intruder flying!
A fleeting smile flashed in Gu Yun's eyes. He didn't even retreat, just slightly tilted his head.
Whoosh!
The jade foot, carrying a scorching hot air current, grazed past his cheek, the strong wind stirring a few strands of hair on his forehead.
With the kick missing, Flame Princess's center of gravity instantly became unstable, and her snow-white long leg landed on Gu Yun's shoulder.
Flame Princess's expression changed slightly, and she hastily tried to stop, but her ankle had already been easily held by Gu Yun.
Her long, straight, dazzlingly fair long leg was now exposed in the air, and under the force of gravity, her originally knee-length dress slid down completely.
"You, you let go!"
Flame Princess was both shy and annoyed. The domineering force from her ankle made her unable to move. She tried to exert force to break free, but found that the other party's hand was like divine iron, unmoving.
His other hand naturally covered that crystal-clear, jade-like snow-white thigh. Gu Yun simply couldn't let go. Flame Princess might not be the absolute top in other aspects, but her snow-white long legs could absolutely be played with for ten thousand years. Whether it was her feet or her long tail, Gu Yun couldn't get enough of them.
"So much time has passed, and you're still not settled?"
"Hmph! Outside, it's probably only been a day or two!"
Flame Princess turned her face away, muttering with forced composure.
Flame Princess mumbled, she was counting the days on her fingers, one for each day, and she didn't know how many times it had reset.
The last time she recalculated until now, it seemed to have been over six hundred times.
With a time flow rate of five thousand times, if one immersed themselves in arduous cultivation, it would be like a fish in water, a mere flick of the finger.
But if one couldn't enter that state, it would be a bitter wait, an unbearable longing. Countless repetitions, each time a finger was bent, was a sour disappointment of hope and an increasingly intense craving.
"It's thirteen thousand two hundred and seventy-eight days."
A clear and certain voice came from behind her.
Ji Yaojun's figure emerged from the inner room. She was dressed in an elegant moon-white palace dress, with a gentle and refined demeanor, truly the perfect model of a cultured young lady in Gu Yun's heart. The Great Luo Dao Pagoda merely extended time, without causing any damage to the women's bodily functions. No matter how many years passed, those within it remained as radiant and charming as when first seen.
She slowly stepped forward, her gaze towards Gu Yun filled with unspoken longing and affection: "Husband, Yaojun has also waited for you for a long time."
Gu Yun's eyes flickered, meeting Ji Yaojun's clear yet deeply affectionate gaze. A trace of guilt flashed in his heart, and the hand gripping Flame Princess's jade leg loosened slightly. He said gently, "It was my oversight."
"Where are Xiaowu and Huer, and Shuir?"
He looked behind Ji Yaojun.
"The sisters are cultivating inside. Should I wake them up?"
"No need…"
Gu Yun shook his head, his gaze sweeping over Flame Princess and Ji Yaojun before him, as well as Fang Qingyan and Lin Ziyi, who had just recovered from the heavy pressure of the Dao Sea beside him. He said solemnly, "Let them cultivate in peace."
"It was my lack of consideration before, forcing you all to stay here."
"It won't happen again. If you don't wish to experience such long and lonely waits again, just let me know, and I will make proper arrangements."
"I can leave you on the third level; the environment there is more elegant and also very suitable for you to live in. If you have a need for secluded cultivation, I will then let you enter a higher level."
His words carried a serious promise.
All these women were his, and even if he had a heart of stone, he felt he couldn't remain indifferent.
"If that is the case, then Yaojun will thank husband here on behalf of my sisters."
Ji Yaojun smiled charmingly, her beautiful eyes captivating Gu Yun's heart.
"Now, put me down!!"
"Doesn't this King have any dignity?!"
Flame Princess pouted playfully. She had been standing on one foot for a very long time, and it was now very sore.
"What's the big deal? I saw Sister Flame Princess stand for three days and three nights before without getting tired…"
Lin Ziyi said with a light chuckle.
"Wh-what are you talking about!!"
"Lin Ziyi, you just got back and you're already spouting nonsense!!"
Flame Princess was extremely ashamed and annoyed, while also glaring fiercely at Gu Yun. It was all this guy's fault, otherwise how would her awkwardness be known to everyone!
She should be the Queen, a Queen high above, unmatched by anyone!
"Don't worry, today you'll break your record."
Gu Yun chuckled softly, pushing Flame Princess towards the inner room.
...
Outside, Shangguan Zhiyue and Snow Millennium, who were left behind, looked at each other in disbelief, their eyes filled with shock.
"What kind of method is this?!"
"Aren't spatial abilities forbidden in the Ancient Continent?"
"Could it be…"
Just as the two were astonished and disbelieving, Gu Yun's figure quickly reappeared.
"You…you're done already? How could it be so fast?!"
Shangguan Zhiyue said in surprise.
//390///
Chapter 390 Misunderstanding
When Gu Yun suddenly disappeared with Lin Ziyi and Fang Qingyan, deliberately avoiding the two of them, Shangguan Zhiyue naturally guessed what he wanted to do.
It was nothing more than some trivial games.
But she had played such games before. Thinking of little Gu Yun's ferocious and wild appearance back then, that power always carried a ruthless dominance that threatened to tear her whole being apart.
The fear at that time, mixed with an unspeakable excitement, would make her tremble and go weak all over.
How could it be? It ended so quickly?
Was she really that much worse than Qingyan and Lin Ziyi?
No wonder Gu Yun discarded her like a worn-out shoe; she couldn't blame him for that...
Shangguan Zhiyue was momentarily flustered. She thought it might be because she was taller than Lin Ziyi and Qingyan, and there should be some slight difference in that regard.
"Quick?"
Gu Yun raised an eyebrow, glancing indifferently at Shangguan Zhiyue: "Don't you know whether it was quick or not?"
"You..."
Shangguan Zhiyue's pretty face flushed slightly, then she put on a nonchalant expression: "This is quite normal, I've heard that..."
She forced herself to calmly shrug her seemingly elegant but stiff shoulders, her gaze wandering, as if she were also very unconcerned: "For men, fluctuating states are quite normal. Don't worry, I won't mock you because of this."
After speaking, she even slightly raised her chin, looking at Gu Yun.
The air instantly solidified.
The gurgling sound of water outside the curtain became exceptionally distant. Inside the cave, only the buzzing of blood rushing to her eardrums remained, and Shangguan Zhiyue's own rapid heartbeat, which she couldn't suppress despite her forced composure.
From beginning to end, Gu Yun said nothing.
He didn't even move.
Only those eyes, deep like a starry black hole, quietly locked onto her face.
That gaze was terrifyingly profound, without the slightest hint of anger, nor the expected embarrassment of being exposed. There was only a calm, almost pitying serenity that saw through everything.
He watched her quietly for a few breaths, yet it made Shangguan Zhiyue feel as if she had fallen into an impossibly long epoch. She could almost hear the faint creaking sound of her knuckles from clenching them too tightly. Just when she thought this suffocating silence would completely engulf her—
Gu Yun suddenly let out an extremely soft, faint laugh.
It wasn't a sneer, nor did it contain mockery. The smile was too shallow, only slightly tugging at the corners of his lips, like a distant shooting star that suddenly lit up in the night sky and immediately vanished, so fast that Shangguan Zhiyue wondered if it was an illusion before she completely broke down.
Gu Yun's steps did not stop at all; he passed Shangguan Zhiyue and walked towards Snow Millennium.
"Thousand Years, let's go."
With that, he very naturally reached out and took Snow Millennium's cool, small hand.
Shangguan Zhiyue's words would be unbearable for any man; it would be difficult to release the frustration without a fight.
But Gu Yun had just smoked a calming cigarette, so now he was the calmest sigma male in the world, without any desires. Even if Shangguan Zhiyue were stripped naked and sent to his bed, he would be able to remain unmoved.
Of course, if she actually stripped, that would be another matter.
On the other side, Snow Millennium, whose soft hand was held by Gu Yun, stiffened imperceptibly for a moment, and she couldn't help but murmur.
"Master ~"
She didn't expect to be able to enjoy such tenderness; she was still just a maid, and Gu Yun hadn't officially changed her status yet.
At the same time, she glanced at Shangguan Zhiyue beside her. Her eyes held guilt, but in Shangguan Zhiyue's heart, it turned into provocation.
"What are you showing off for!!!"
Watching Snow Millennium follow Gu Yun's retreating figure, Shangguan Zhiyue felt a sour pang in her heart.
But then she suppressed the grievance in her heart. The current situation was all chosen by her personally; if she had to blame anyone, she could only blame herself for being utterly foolish.
However, words once spoken could not be changed.
She, Shangguan Zhiyue, would never regret it!!
"Wait!!"
Despite her distress, she still hurried to catch up and asked, "Where are Qingyan and Lin Ziyi? Where did you take them?"
Gu Yun's steps didn't stop, and he didn't look back, only leaving a flat but undeniable statement: "Don't worry, they are very safe now. It's just that they just performed such a terrifying combined ultimate skill, which I greatly enjoyed. Now, of course, they need a good recovery."
His voice rose slightly: "You don't need to worry about them so much. From now on, you are people of two different worlds, so why bother so much?"
As his words fell, his and Snow Millennium's figures had already transformed into two streaks of white light, rushing out of the water curtain.
Only Shangguan Zhiyue was left alone in the spacious cave, her expression dazed.
"Two worlds..."
"Two... worlds..."
She muttered to herself, repeatedly chewing on these four words, and finally gritted her teeth and chased after him.
"Two worlds it is, you bastard! Qingyan is my best friend, how could she abandon me just because of a few words from you!"
"I'll see what you, this bastard, can do. Just wait and see how I expose all those things behind your back!"
...
"Why are you following again?"
The blade of the Zhan Tian Divine Sword drew a dazzling silver light through the flowing clouds, and the cold gale howled, tearing at their robes.
Gu Yun lay lazily on his back, his head resting on a cool yet delicate pillow—Snow Millennium's straight, slender, snow-white thighs.
He didn't even lift an eyelid, his voice sounding somewhat distant in the wind: "We have already cut ties, Miss Shangguan. This Ancient Continent is vast and boundless; you should go find your own opportunities. Why bother continuing to follow me?"
"Bastard, who wants to follow you? I'm here for Qingyan and Lin Ziyi! Where did you hide them? Give them back to me!!"
"I've already said, they are very safe, they just need rest..."
He tilted his head slightly, his chin brushing against Snow Millennium's thigh skin through her gauze skirt, causing a subtle ripple.
A sweet fragrance wafted from the cluster of flowers, making Gu Yun unable to resist sniffing again.
"As an outsider, you don't need to worry too much."
"Then I don't care. Anyway, Qingyan is my only acquaintance here in the Ancient Continent. If she's not here, I'm too lazy to go anywhere else."
Shangguan Zhiyue also became unreasonable, as if she wouldn't give up until she saw Fang Qingyan.
Gu Yun's eyes slightly opened, and a faint smile touched the corner of his lips: "You really want to see them?"
A strange bad feeling inexplicably surged in Shangguan Zhiyue's heart.
"You, what did you do to them?!"
PS: Just one chapter for today. I'll make up for it with three chapters tomorrow.
///391//
Chapter 391 Running in Both Directions
"Do what?"
Gu Yun chuckled, "They are all my people. What could I do to them?"
"But if you want to see them, it's not impossible."
As he spoke, Gu Yun vanished from his spot once more. He had been doing this frequently these past few days, and the two women were already accustomed to it, no longer showing the initial shock and surprise.
Snow Millennium wiped away the few ice shards that had appeared beneath her skirt, a faint blush spreading across her face. Shangguan Zhiyue witnessed this entire scene and scoffed disdainfully, "I wonder how you earned your reputation before; you've surrendered so easily."
Her words were extremely sharp, pouring out all the resentment from being ignored by Gu Yun and "provoked" by Snow Millennium, along with the unvented anger, in an attempt to tear open Snow Millennium's cool and arrogant facade with the most vicious language, seeking a shred of pathetic balance.
Snow Millennium slowly rose, the blush on her cheeks having faded, restoring her usual millennia-old icy coolness.
Her beautiful eyes glanced at Shangguan Zhiyue: "Miss Shangguan, if you wish to see, Thousand Years will certainly not hesitate to demonstrate."
"I just wonder if you... can bear it."
"You..."
Shangguan Zhiyue was furious but could not lay hands on Snow Millennium.
She turned away, sulking alone.
Snow Millennium watched all of this silently, her mind calm.
She had witnessed Gu Yun's attitude towards Shangguan Zhiyue, and now she needed to complete the details. Snow Millennium was very clever; she knew she couldn't ruin Gu Yun's good fortune. She now intended to win Gu Yun's favor in this manner to achieve her own goals.
She squeezed her conscience, looked up, and her mind was filled with that person's figure: "So soft, no wonder Master loves it so much."
...
At this moment, inside the green jade boat on the Dao Sea, on the fifth floor of the Great Luo Dao Pagoda.
Time here was stretched and distorted.
Outside, it was but a fleeting moment; inside the boat, the sudden rain had just ceased, and spring was in full bloom.
Within the warm chamber, an ambiguous atmosphere, enough to make one blush and their heart race, permeated the air.
The spring colors lingered, and the lingering charm wafted gracefully.
On the huge white jade soft bed, several jade bodies lay scattered. Gu Yun naturally intended to fully enjoy the five-thousand-fold time difference between inside and outside.
Flame Princess, like a completely conquered fire phoenix, lay languidly and weakly on the soft cloud brocade couch. Her vibrant red dress had long since vanished, leaving only large expanses of snow-white skin exposed to the air, glowing with an enchanting pink luster.
Her slender, straight jade legs, which had once tried to kick Gu Yun away, now lay softly on the edge of the couch, with a few faint red finger marks still lingering on her delicate ankles.
She closed her eyes, her red lips slightly parted, emitting faint, satisfied hums, as if she no longer had the strength to move even a single finger.
Ji Yaojun nestled in Gu Yun's arms, her elegant, moon-white palace dress loosely draped, revealing her rounded shoulders and delicate collarbones.
The blush on her intellectual face had not faded, and her clear eyes were brimming with moisture, carrying an intense, unyielding affection and a hint of languor after being thoroughly pampered.
On Gu Yun's other side, Lin Ziyi, like a warmth-seeking cat, curled up entirely in his embrace, covered by a thin blanket, with only her snow-white shoulders exposed.
Her pretty face was flushed, and she slept soundly, her red lips slightly pouted, as if still savoring something in her dream.
One of Gu Yun's arms was held tightly by her, as if it were the safest harbor in the world.
And on him, sat Fang Qingyan, her pretty face slightly flushed. For the usually quiet Fang Qingyan to make such a wild move, it showed just how much effort Gu Yun must have put in.
"Little Martial Brother, you're such a scoundrel, to treat Miss Shangguan like that."
A hand rested on Fang Qingyan's slender waist, helping her complete the final step. Afterward, her delicate body softly collapsed onto Gu Yun's, like lotus roots with lingering ties.
"What, is Qingyan Jie Jie heartbroken?"
Gu Yun admired the beautiful body, reaching out to gently wipe away the fine beads of sweat on it, and chuckled as he asked.
"It's not heartbreak, but I just feel that since Little Martial Brother has already taken Miss Shangguan's body, you at least shouldn't be like this..."
Fang Qingyan hesitated for a moment but still spoke. As Shangguan Zhiyue's best friend, she couldn't bear to see her in such a state.
Gu Yun had just told her everything, so Fang Qingyan also knew the whole story.
Although she had some understanding of Gu Yun's lecherous nature, she still felt helpless about the unpredictability of life.
"Aren't you angry with her?"
Gu Yun gently caressed Fang Qingyan's smooth, delicate waistline, his fingertips tracing the slightly concave spinal groove, sending a subtle shiver through her.
Fang Qingyan's body instinctively tensed for a moment at his touch, then softly leaned against his firm chest from exhaustion.
She slightly turned her face away, avoiding Gu Yun's eyes, which seemed to penetrate everything.
"Angry?" she repeated softly, her voice carrying a hint of imperceptible fatigue and bewilderment, "Perhaps... a little."
She paused, seemingly organizing her chaotic thoughts, her long eyelashes lowered, casting a small shadow beneath her eyes.
"Angry that she clearly... clearly with you... yet still pretended nothing was wrong in front of me, and even... even said such harsh words."
Fang Qingyan's voice was very soft, with a hint of pained bitterness, "Being kept in the dark by the closest person... it's not a good feeling."
"But,"
"This is Shangguan Zhiyue, the proud yet fragile Shangguan Zhiyue."
Her gaze pierced through Gu Yun: "She doesn't want to admit she's fallen for you, and even less wants to face my gaze. She just wants to hide all these things, so she can pretend nothing ever happened and continue living her old life."
"But... love arises without knowing why, and deepens without knowing when. Her actions are only hurting herself in vain."
"So," Fang Qingyan's gaze refocused on Gu Yun's face, with a hint of plea: "Little Martial Brother, don't treat her like that anymore. Don't look at her with that kind of... treating her like dust, as if she's nothing. She can't bear it."
The air in the warm chamber seemed to solidify.
Gu Yun listened quietly, the playful smile on his face gradually fading. This might be the first time Fang Qingyan had made a request of him.
And what she asked for was not for herself, but for another woman.
After a moment of silence, he suddenly chuckled softly.
"Little Martial Uncle Qingyan, you are truly generous..."
His long fingers pinched Fang Qingyan's delicate chin, forcing her to meet his gaze.
Fang Qingyan had seen that aggressive look countless times, but this time she didn't avert her eyes as she had before.
She would also try her best for Miss Shangguan this time.
"Little Martial Brother, I've never asked you for anything, but this one thing..."
Before she could finish her sentence, Gu Yun interrupted her, a playful smile on his face: "I just wonder if that fellow knew your thoughts, would he be touched, or would he think you're meddling?"
"What do you mean by that?"
Fang Qingyan was somewhat puzzled, feeling that Gu Yun was acting strangely.
///392//
Chapter 392 Conspiracy
Gu Yun's hand, which had been pinching her chin, suddenly slid down her slender neck, his fingertips lightly pressing the sensitive hollow of her collarbone.
Fang Qingyan was caught off guard, letting out a short, soft hum, still tinged with lingering charm.
During this time, she had truly exhausted all her means, trying everything she had ever tried and never tried, all to win Gu Yun's approval and make him spare Shangguan Zhiyue.
But now, she was almost at her limit, left only with bitter pleas, hoping this man would show some tenderness.
"Little Qingyan, although you have a very good relationship with Shangguan Zhiyue, perhaps you don't really understand your good best friend."
"What she seeks is not the sweet love like you and me."
"It's that sense of loss from loving but not having, seeking but not gaining."
"Impossible, how could anyone think that way?!"
Fang Qingyan's eyes widened, looking at Gu Yun with disbelief; she simply couldn't imagine anyone finding joy in such a process.
"Although it's absurd, that's how it is, Qingyan… do you want to help your Miss Shangguan solve this problem?"
"Me?"
Fang Qingyan pointed to herself, a little confused, unsure of what she could do.
Just then, Lin Ziyi beside her also let out a soft moan.
"Gu Lang, Gu Lang~~~"
Her small hand blindly searched, wanting to grasp that firm support.
On the other side, Ji Yaojun gradually recovered, her gaze towards Gu Yun filled with gentle affection.
"Yaojun, I will open the first three floors of the Great Luo Dao Pagoda to you, and you can also communicate with me proactively.
After this, if anyone breaks through and wants to enter the fifth floor for cultivation, you can notify me, and I will arrange the time."
Saying this, Gu Yun kissed Ji Yaojun heavily on her forehead.
Ji Yaojun was flustered, then thought that perhaps Gu Yun was concerned because of her previous words, and she couldn't help but feel touched: "Thank you, Your Highness!"
"Mm, then you can take Flame Princess and the others down."
Gu Yun gave his final instruction, then wrapped his arms around Lin Ziyi and Fang Qingyan, and with a flash of divine light, the three reappeared outside.
"Qingyan?!"
Shangguan Zhiyue, who had been idly looking into the distance, saw her good best friend finally reappear, and her joy was uncontrollable; she quickly stood up and looked at her.
Fang Qingyan trembled all over; this Gu Yun was truly reckless.
Although they were sisters and might even be good sisters for life, it wasn't a big problem, but she still felt very shy.
However, Shangguan Zhiyue seemed not to care at all and gave Fang Qingyan a big bear hug.
The expected strange sensation of skin touching clothes did not appear; Fang Qingyan looked down and found that she had already changed into an elegant, emerald-green long dress.
Gu Yun walked over and pulled Shangguan Zhiyue away: "Stay away from our Qingyan."
Shangguan Zhiyue: "?????"
She looked at Gu Yun with a bewildered expression.
"You, what are you doing?!!!"
Gu Yun leisurely pulled the slightly weak Fang Qingyan behind him.
"Miss Shangguan, the past is the past, and now is now.
Now Qingyan is my woman, and I think I have the right to ask her to keep her distance from certain ordinary friends."
"Gu Yun, what do you mean? I'm a girl!"
Gu Yun scrutinized Shangguan Zhiyue from head to toe, then lightly smiled: "That's not necessarily true…"
That indifferent and disdainful gaze deeply stung Shangguan Zhiyue's heart; she looked at Fang Qingyan, hoping for her best friend's approval: "Qingyan, come with me, ignore this smelly man!!"
Fang Qingyan gently shook her head and said, "Zhiyue Jie Jie, I am now Little Junior Brother's Imperial Consort.
Everything must be centered on Little Junior Brother!"
"No…"
Shangguan Zhiyue was bewildered.
Had Fang Qingyan stayed with Gu Yun for a while and been brainwashed?
But the two had completely ignored her; no matter how crazy she acted, it was just her solo performance.
Gu Yun's gaze finally began to turn to the distance.
The Burial Dragon Valley was an ancient battlefield, guarding the very center of the Ancient Continent.
It was where Longhua Sword Immortal and others fought the Ancestor Dragon.
Gu Yun was not clear about how strong the Ancestor Dragon's power was; currently, the script he had obtained had not yet reached the part about the Immortal Realm.
But he could guess that to be able to unleash such terrifying combat power, it should at least be comparable to an Immortal King, or even an Immortal Emperor-level existence.
And for such a terrifying Ancestor Dragon Heritage, Gu Yun actually found that at least four people's scripts mentioned its ownership: Qin Qing霜, Zhang Chen, Yao Qingli, and Shi Yue.
These were also the most terrifyingly talented Children of Destiny Gu Yun had encountered so far.
It was just unknown, in such a chaotic situation, who would ultimately emerge victorious.
If he hadn't interfered, what would the outcome have been?
Would it be a destiny-nurturing-gu, where only one person could laugh last, devouring the luck of all others, or would the Ancestor Dragon Heritage be divided into four, each controlled by one of the four Children of Destiny?
However, no matter the situation, that despicable Qin Xiang should not be coming here.
He should currently be trapped in some spatial rift.
This guy's threat level among all the Children of Destiny was relatively the lowest, because he basically wouldn't actively attack people.
Although the Gu Family stood in the way of his path to enlightenment, and the two sides would eventually be irreconcilable, he would definitely avoid conflict with the Gu Family before then.
As for Shi Qingwu… this woman probably only thought about how to conquer him.
As for this so-called Ancestor Dragon Heritage, even if she obtained it, she would probably hand it over to him immediately.
She was a relatively stable ally.
"If it's according to the timeline in the script, my little fiancée should be approaching that location by now, right?"
Gu Yun smiled lightly, his gaze directed towards the distant direction.
Just then, a brilliant divine light illuminated the surroundings, instantly waking up the previously drowsy Lin Ziyi.
"What happened?!"
The women's hearts also tightened, their thoughts all drawn to it.
A dark golden light shot up from the core abyss of the Burial Dragon Valley.
The light was not dazzling, but it carried an extremely heavy majesty, as if the weight of billions of stars was condensed within it!
Wherever it passed, space groaned under the immense pressure, shattering and twisting like a mirror!
The dense blood mist that permeated the entire Burial Dragon Valley rapidly receded under the illumination of this dark golden divine light, like melting ice and snow, revealing the ancient land below, covered in massive scars and stark white dragon bones, hidden for countless years!
"Roar—!!!"
Accompanying the rising divine light, a dragon's roar, seemingly originating from primordial antiquity, filled with endless majesty, dominance, pain, and indomitable spirit, struck everyone's souls like a tangible sonic hammer!
"Pfft!"
"Ugh!"
Lin Ziyi and Fang Qingyan both groaned simultaneously, their faces instantly turning ashen, their delicate bodies trembling violently, almost unable to stand!
Shangguan Zhiyue was also suffering, but the two women had Gu Yun as support, while she could only bite her lip and endure.
Even Snow Millennium's cold face showed a trace of solemnity; her Sword Qi instinctively circulated around her, protecting her and isolating the terrifying dragon's roar and its pressure.
The terrifying will and pressure contained within that dragon's roar were incredibly formidable, as if an ancient emperor who had slept for ten thousand years was awakening.
Even its unconsciously emitted aura was enough to crush the souls of all living beings below the Great Power Realm!
Of course, this did not include Gu Yun, that abnormal person.
He was not affected in the slightest; instead, his eyes gleamed.
Little fiancée, you've done really well.
The Ancestor Dragon Heritage activating early—only Qin Qing霜 could change the timeline to such a great extent.
These days, he had been continuously receiving villain value feedback from his little fiancée, and Gu Yun couldn't wait to meet this familiar stranger.
PS: I'll make up for one more chapter at dawn.
I've seen many readers' comments, and first of all, thank you for your support!
I have indeed been quite busy recently, and my condition hasn't been very good.
I will adjust the pace going forward.
//393///
Chapter 393: Dragon Ladder
A thunderous roar echoed throughout the entire Burial Dragon Valley.
The gazes of countless people began to converge on the very center of it all.
Qin Qing霜 was repelled by a terrifying pressure, and as she looked at the scene within, her expression turned extremely solemn: "How is this possible? The Dragon Ascension Ladder shouldn't have caused such a huge commotion when it opened!"
"How did it become like this now?"
"Its power has at least tripled..."
As more and more things spiraled out of control, a sense of unease welled up in Qin Qing霜's heart.
The image of that person in her mind flickered, making her mind restless and unable to calm down.
"Why are you always so obsessed with him? He is a demon. If you continue, you will only walk towards eternal damnation."
She murmured in her heart, trying to persuade the other party.
But that voice remained unmoved: "Liar! You're just a liar. Why should I believe a wild girl like you, who came from who knows where?!"
"How could Brother Gu Yun treat me like this? He's the best to me."
Qin Qing霜 was speechless; sure enough, she couldn't reason with a love-struck fool.
Her soul suffered a slight impact, coupled with the oppressive might brought by the opening of the Dragon Ascension Ladder, causing her body to sway involuntarily.
A Qin Family maid at her side quickly stepped forward and supported Qin Qing霜: "Miss, are you alright?!"
"I'm fine. The Dragon Qi pressure here is extremely strong; there might be a great opportunity inside!"
"All of you, follow me in. Remember, you must release all your spiritual power to envelop yourselves."
Qin Qing霜 forcibly suppressed her churning blood and the interference of that stubborn voice in her sea of consciousness. Her cold eyes, like a deep pool, swept over the ready Qin Family elites behind her.
To contend against Gu Yun, her efforts alone were naturally not enough. What she needed to do was to lead the entire Qin Family to ascend!
The disciples currently following her father were almost all elites cultivated with great effort by the family.
"Did you all hear that?"
Her voice was not loud, yet it clearly pierced through the rumbling thunder, carrying an unquestionable authority.
"Yes! We obey the Imperial Daughter's command!!"
The Qin Family disciples responded in unison, their expressions solemn.
Instantly, various spiritual lights shone, some as heavy as earth, some as sharp as metal, some as soft as water, all transforming into protective spiritual shields, firmly enveloping themselves.
They formed a strict battle formation, like a moving fortress, guarding Qin Qing霜 from behind.
As one of the Immortal Ancient Family, the Qin Family's foundation was not to be underestimated. These disciples were almost all strong cultivators in the Xiantai Realm, and even seven or eight of them were already cultivators in the Saint Ruler Realm.
These individuals, who appeared to outsiders as world-renowned prodigies, were only considered ordinary prodigies within the Immortal Ancient Qin Family.
Many cultivators of suitable age were unable to participate in this journey to the Ancient Continent because their strength had already reached the Quasi-Emperor Realm.
"Where is Qin Wu殇?"
Qin Qing霜 frowned slightly as her gaze swept over everyone present.
After all, as a direct descendant of the Qin Family, his Saint Realm late-stage strength was quite good among this group of clan members participating in the Ancient Continent. Qin Qing霜 naturally had some impression of him.
"Reporting, Wushang said he wanted to search for the Dragon Emperor Inheritance in the outer perimeter earlier, so he separated from us."
One person spoke.
"Hmph, a Saint Realm late-stage cultivation, searching for some Dragon Emperor Inheritance in the outer perimeter?!"
"This Qin Wu殇, I'm afraid he's fallen back into his old habits..."
"The Imperial Daughter's admonition is correct!"
Although Qin Qing霜's combat power was not the highest present, no one dared to question her authority.
Simply because the words 'Imperial Daughter' carried too much weight!
Even more so.
After saying this, Qin Qing霜 inexplicably felt a bit annoyed. More and more unforeseen variables were appearing. She hoped no more accidents would occur later.
"Deserting his post, what nonsense!"
Qin Qing霜's voice, like an ice-tempered blade, scraped across the hearts of every Qin Family disciple present.
"Forget him, and you! Qin Wu殇 acted recklessly, and you, as the accompanying deacon, actually allowed him to do such things!!"
"Upon returning to the clan, you will personally go to the Hall of Punishment to receive the 'Frigid Prison Devouring Heart' punishment!"
As the four words "Frigid Prison Devouring Heart" were uttered, the burly, steady Saint Ruler Realm disciple's face instantly turned ashen, and his body trembled slightly uncontrollably.
Yet, he dared not show any defiance, simply because the person before him was the Imperial Daughter, the true supreme existence among the younger generation of the Qin Family.
The Saint Ruler Realm Qin Family disciple trembled, lowering his head with difficulty, his voice hoarse: "Yes! Qin Lie... accepts the punishment!"
Qin Qing霜 no longer looked at him and took the lead towards the location of the Dragon Ascension Ladder.
Such a grand display would naturally alert everyone. What she needed to do... was to gain the initiative!
After the mighty Qin Family army entered, a group of Thunderclap Immortal Palace disciples, dressed in purple lightning robes, followed closely behind.
"Qingshuang, this time I will let you know how good I am."
Lei Qianjue clenched his hand, a confident smile spreading across his lips.
Subsequently, various forces also converged on this location, one after another.
"Kid, you're blocking the way, aren't you going to move aside quickly? Do you know what this giant axe in my hand is for?"
Yao Qingli stood in the middle of the road, gazing into the distance, her deep eyes betraying unknown thoughts, when a sharp shout suddenly came from behind her.
She turned slightly to look, her gaze icy and devoid of emotion.
"Oh, it's a little girl."
That crude voice carried undisguised frivolity and greed, grating like sandpaper, harsh and unpleasant.
"Then, I'll trouble you to move aside..."
"Have you... seen Yun Valley?"
Yao Qingli turned completely around, revealing a friendly smile.
///394//
Chapter 394 The Wildly Growing Daughter of Destiny
Yun Valley?
The bald, burly man with the huge axe and a face full of scars was clearly stunned, his voice filled with doubt, a hint of confusion flashing in his bell-like eyes, but it was immediately replaced by a thicker sneer and greed.
Just a fleeting side profile—the smooth line of the neck, the delicate, rounded curve of the jaw, and the vague outline obscured by a few strands of dark hair stirred by the breeze—had already ignited a fervent heat in the heart of this ruffian, accustomed to living by the sword, leading him to conclude she was a rare beauty.
Now, her entire face was revealed to him without reservation: long brows like distant, smoke-veiled mountains, a delicate and straight nose, lips the color of tender petals blooming in late spring, beautiful and wild, like a little wildcat lost in the open.
It involuntarily aroused a desire for conquest!
The bald, burly man licked his thick lips, his gaze shamelessly sweeping over Yao Qingli's exquisite curves, lingering especially on her chest and waist.
Although her development seemed to have a slight flaw, it was precisely this delicate and petite feeling that was most captivating; he couldn't even imagine how pleasurable it would be!!!
"Heh heh, little beauty, what Yun Valley or Yu Gu, this old man hasn't heard of it!"
He bared his wide mouth, revealing a set of uneven, yellow teeth, and a foul, fishy odor wafted over: "This old man only knows Beauty Valley! Seeing you alone in this chaotic place, you must be lost? Why don't you come with this old man? I guarantee you'll live a life of luxury, and you'll also… heh heh heh!"
His companions behind him also let out lewd snickers, their eyes equally malicious.
These people had mixed auras, and their cultivation was all at the Small Saint Realm.
And the leader of this burly man was extraordinary, exuding the aura of the Saint Realm.
Some people deliberately avoided them, their eyes showing apprehension: "Are they the Laoshan Seven Ghosts? How could they also enter this Ancient Continent?"
"Exactly, how did such people get into a place where Heavenly Destiny Daughters gather? Are they really not yet two hundred years old?"
A woman in a flowing dress showed a look of disdain.
"Perhaps they robbed some minor factions of their participation slots. You know, the Laoshan Seven Ghosts are notorious in many Dao Domains, and even some powerful forces with Quasi-Emperors guarding them still can't do anything about them. Their backing is really not ordinary."
"Isn't that true? Although these guys have a terrible reputation, their strength is by no means weak, especially that bald burly man who leads them, he is a ruthless person known as 'Bloodbath'. It is said that when the seven brothers join forces, even cultivators of the Saint Ruler Realm have suffered losses at their hands!"
"They act ruthlessly, hold grudges, and are also fond of women, using extremely cruel methods… This girl, I'm afraid she's in danger…"
He hadn't finished speaking, his face already filled with sympathy and regret.
Other rogue cultivators around also shook their heads, looking at Yao Qingli as if they were looking at a dead person.
On paper, Yao Qingli was only at the early stage of the Small Saint Realm, not even comparable to any of these seven people.
To be so beautiful yet lack the strength to match it, was truly a tragedy.
"No, don't you think this little girl looks familiar?"
Someone noticed something amiss and whispered.
"Never seen her. She just looks like an ordinary little girl who's been scared silly."
The others all shook their heads, wanting to turn and leave, not daring to imagine what would happen next.
Putting aside everything else, what would happen when a burly man like an iron tower met a delicate, tender-skinned little girl was already unimaginable.
But the smile on Yao Qingli's face in the center of the arena showed no change; she remained benevolent to an eerie degree.
Ignoring the vulgar words, she simply tilted her head slightly.
"Is that so…" She sighed softly, her voice ethereal and distant, "That's truly… too bad."
"If you don't even know Yun Valley, then what use are you to me?!!!"
The understated sigh, at the moment the last word fell, suddenly transformed into a biting gale from the abyssal depths!
The benevolent smile on Yao Qingli's face peeled away inch by inch like a cheap oil-paint mask, replaced by a coldness that was almost inhuman, a complete disregard for all life!
Her voice was like a knife, incredibly sharp.
The lewd smile on Bloodbath's face instantly froze, and a terrifying, bone-chilling coldness from the deepest part of his soul seized him without warning!
It was the wild beast's intuition, honed through countless struggles on the brink of death, screaming frantically—Danger!
Extreme, irresistible danger!
He wanted to roar, wanted to raise the great axe that had drunk countless amounts of blood, wanted to warn his brothers… but everything happened in a flash, and it was too late.
Yao Qingli just stood there quietly, not moving at all.
There was no earth-shattering energy burst, no world-destroying spiritual pressure diffusion.
Time seemed to stretch and solidify at this moment.
The massive bald, burly man was like an insect pinned in amber, unable even to move his eyeballs!
Hiss! Hiss! Hiss! Hiss—!
There was no gushing sound of blood, only a dense, crisp sound that made one's scalp tingle, like countless pieces of tough cowhide paper being torn simultaneously!
On Bloodbath's body surface, countless extremely fine, crisscrossing bright lines instantly appeared!
The next second!
Poof!!!
Like an over-inflated balloon suddenly bursting!
Bloodbath's massive body, right before everyone's eyes, in less than a thousandth of a breath, was instantly cut and disintegrated into thousands of uniformly sized, mirror-smooth geometric fragments by the invisible, countless sound blades contained in her words!
There was no expected splattering of flesh and blood; all the wounds instantly lost their vital activity, like meticulously dissected specimens, briefly and horrifyingly exposed to the air, emitting a strong smell of blood and a nauseating burnt odor!
Time seemed to freeze for a moment at this point.
It clattered to the ground.
The heavy great axe lost its support, falling with a "clang" into the pool of blood and chunks of flesh, splashing thick crimson.
Dead silence!
Absolute, suffocating dead silence!
The air, which had just been filled with laughter, chatter, and sympathy, now only held countless gasps of cold air and the frantic chattering of teeth!
The expressions on the faces of the remaining six of the Laoshan Seven Ghosts completely twisted!
Horror, confusion, disbelief, finally turning into boundless, bone-deep fear!
They looked at where their eldest brother had just stood, now only a steaming, nauseating pile of fragmented corpses, their minds blank!
"B-Brother?!"
A lanky man holding a poisoned dagger was the first to react, letting out a shrill howl.
He sharply looked up at Yao Qingli, who was still standing quietly, her face unperturbed.
"Demoness!! What kind of sorcery did you use?!!!"
"Tear her apart! Avenge our brother!!!"
Fear bred madness!
The remaining six men were like hyenas driven to a dead end, their eyes bloodshot, erupting in bestial roars!
They desperately urged all their spiritual power, wanting to kill Yao Qingli here.
In an instant, countless attacks, like venomous dragons from hell, charged towards Yao Qingli with a mad will to destroy everything. The full eruption of six peak Small Saint Realm experts was terrifying and unfathomable.
However, they ultimately lacked a backbone; after Bloodbath was easily ambushed and killed by Yao Qingli, the remaining six ghosts could only be described as a disorganized mob.
A barrier composed of sound waves in front of her blocked all those attacks.
"Since none of you know where Yun Valley is, then… don't block my path!!!"
"Pfft—!"
"Ugh ah—!"
Before her words even fell, countless shrill screams rang out in succession.
A dense, scalp-numbing cutting sound erupted like a downpour!
Six dazzling blood mists, like blooming crimson fireworks, fully unfurled before all the stunned gazes.
"W-What kind of method is this?!"
Everyone watching from the sidelines was also shocked by Yao Qingli's miraculous methods, trembling like sieves, filled with terror. The gruesome death of the bald, burly man known as Bloodbath was enough to chill everyone to the bone.
"I, I think I remember who she is!"
//395//
Chapter 395: All parties gather together, heroes gather
"What, you know who she is?!!!"
The other cultivators beside him all looked at the speaker with shock.
"It's her, it's the Heavenly Melody Demoness!"
The person's voice trembled, then he turned and headed straight up the Dragon Ascension Ladder without looking back, not daring to linger for a moment.
"Heavenly Melody Demoness? When did such a terrifying demonic cultivator appear in our Three Thousand Dao Domains?"
"I observe this woman's methods; although somewhat cruel, she is a proper sound cultivator, with no demonic energy whatsoever. Why is she given the name 'Demoness'?"
Someone asked, confused, but was pulled by a companion beside him to leave quickly: "You really are ill-informed! Who cares if she's a demonic cultivator or not?! It's been spreading like wildfire lately that there's a Demoness who asks everyone she meets about Yun Valley's whereabouts, but none of the cultivators who entered this place have ever heard of him."
"Some cultivators tried to deceive her, and they all ended up like that 'Bloodbath'. With such cruel and terrifying methods, how many people still care if she truly cultivates the demonic path?!"
"Let's go quickly, don't stay here, be careful she turns her attention to us!!"
Seeing that Yao Qingli seemed about to turn around, the cultivator shivered, hurriedly pulled his companion, and also headed in the direction of the Dragon Ascension Ladder.
Madmen are not scary.
But powerful madmen are very scary!
Originally, there were no demons in the world, but when many people went mad, they all became demons!!!
It's just that Yao Qingli didn't seem to notice any of this right now; she just murmured to herself, "How could this be?"
"Why does no one know where Yun Valley is? I've already asked a thousand people, ten thousand people, how can no one know? Where did you go? Where on earth did you go?"
The young man's appearance flashed in her mind again and again. Yao Qingli was now extremely distressed. She didn't know what she was thinking, but she knew she really wanted to see him again, even if it was just a corpse.
No, it won't happen.
His talent was so powerful, how could he die?
Her gaze turned to the distant Dragon Ascension Ladder: "This is the last chance, Yun Valley. If you're not in here, then you're deliberately hiding from me. Hehe, hahaha!!!"
A strange and cruel smile appeared on Yao Qingli's lips, and then her figure, like a sound wave, vanished in an instant.
The surrounding cultivators finally breathed a sigh of relief.
In the distant clouds.
Fang Qingyan and Lin Ziyi nestled in Gu Yun's embrace, looking at the scene with lingering fear. They both considered themselves Heavenly Daughters, and with Gu Yun's help, their resources and cultivation conditions were no weaker than those of the Holy Sons and Holy Daughters of major powers. They originally thought they were dragons among men.
First, there was Shi Yue, whom they could barely contend with even with the combined strength of two people.
And now, Yao Qingli made fear rise in their hearts. Compared to her, they were like fireflies to the bright moon.
Little did they know that Yao Qingli possessed the dual destinies of a Heavenly Destiny Daughter and a Destiny Heroine, ranking among the top five in the xuan qing treasure mirror. Her talent and strength were naturally beyond what ordinary people could compare to, and he had not taken any suppressive measures against her; in fact, he had even cultivated the growth of her killing intent.
It could be said that Gu Yun was 98% responsible for Yao Qingli becoming like this.
This was still before the main conflict had erupted. Once she knew his true identity, Gu Yun was very much looking forward to what kind of terrifying impact that would have on Yao Qingli. He was sure he would gain a large sum of Villain Points then.
However, Shangguan Zhiyue's focus was slightly different: "Yun Valley? That name is so unfamiliar. Why is she looking for him?"
"Snow Millennium, do you know this person?"
Snow Millennium shook her head slightly: "Perhaps he is an inheritor of some reclusive power. The Three Thousand Dao Domains are vast and prosperous. At the end of the Chaotic Ancient Era, after being massacred by the Devouring Heaven Demon Emperor, countless once-flourishing families declined. I've heard that there was an ancient Yun family, which once produced immortals, but there has been no news of them for nearly a hundred million years now. No one knows if they are still alive."
Speaking of some past events also caused the cultivators present to fall silent. How glorious the Three Thousand Dao Domains once were.
Immortal energy was ethereal, and immortals emerged in droves.
But after experiencing the Immortal Ancient and Chaotic Ancient eras, it completely fell into decline.
In the current Three Thousand Dao Domains, even Emperors at the end of their path have to self-sever to maintain their lives, and peerless Heavenly Talents have to bow their heads to immortal locks. How tragic is that?
"Alright, no need to concern yourselves with others' affairs. The Dragon Ascension Ladder before us is one of the most important opportunities in the Burial Dragon Valley. Get ready, don't miss it."
Gu Yun interrupted the girls. His gaze looked into the distance, and as he expected, several familiar auras were already circling there.
Shi Yue, Zhang Chen, and... Shi Qingwu?!
She was actually with them?
Slightly surprised, Gu Yun still led the four girls into the Dragon Ascension Ladder first.
Shi Qingwu was a Heavenly Destiny Daughter, and Wu Ling and Luola were also Destiny Heroines, with Vermillion Bird protecting them from the side, so he naturally didn't need to worry too much.
Since she wanted to chase, then let her catch up.
Gu Yun's lips curled up, then he slightly revealed some of the aura concealed by his deceiving heaven mask. He controlled the extent of it very well.
Shi Qingwu and he had a special connection with the system as a medium. Even Luola, who had that kind of relationship with him, didn't detect his location, but Shi Qingwu could keenly sense it.
Yu Jie's eyebrows arched slightly, and a look of joy appeared in her eyes as she looked at the distant sky.
"What are you doing?!"
Wu Ling saw Shi Qingwu stop and asked, puzzled. The Dragon Ascension Ladder was now open, and the situation was urgent. If they didn't enter quickly, the opportunity might not be theirs.
"I seem to have sensed... a familiar aura..."
PS: This chapter is to make up for yesterday's; there will be two more chapters later.
//396//
Chapter 396 Entering the Dragon Ladder (Two in One)
"Over there, it should be… Gu Yun…"
Shi Qingwu's expression subtly shifted.
"What?! Gu Yun?! Where is he?!"
Wu Ling was overly excited, firing off a rapid-fire triple question, while her small head uncontrollably spun around, frantically searching for even a trace of the man.
Unfortunately, all her efforts were in vain.
"Sister Lulv, did you sense him?"
A faint blush colored Lulv's pretty face. When Wu Ling mentioned him, her face flushed slightly, and that handsome, charming, yet somewhat wicked face reappeared in her mind, making her tremble and feel a little unsteady on her feet.
She remembered hiding behind the boulder at the time, clearly still able to see Wu Ling, yet…
"N-no…"
To avoid Wu Ling detecting anything amiss, Lulv still tried her best to control herself.
But all of this was seen by Shi Qingwu, who was full of suspicion, always feeling that there was something strange about it.
"Alright," Wu Ling didn't get an answer and was a bit disappointed, but she still looked at Shi Qingwu and began to question her: "Where is the Gu Yun you mentioned? Why haven't Sister Lulv and I found him? Are you playing a trick on me?"
"You can't find him?"
Shi Qingwu chuckled. The three of them had formed a bond because of a Dragon Emperor Inheritance. It was a fire-attributed Dragon Emperor Inheritance, and if not for her help, Wu Ling would not have obtained the treasures within.
Because of this, the other party's attitude towards her was not as bad as it was initially, but she was still somewhat wary of her.
This made Shi Qingwu very displeased. As a reincarnated immortal, to be humiliated by a mere cultivator from the Three Thousand Dao Domains was simply a great disgrace.
Whenever she had a chance, she would not let Wu Ling off easy.
"Of course! It's empty there, there's nothing."
Wu Ling said decisively, looking at Shi Qingwu with increasing suspicion.
"Then it seems your relationship with him isn't close enough. He hasn't even taught you special sensing methods. You keep talking about 'ten dragons pulling a carriage' all day; I think he probably says that to any woman he meets."
"You!"
"Pfft…"
The little Vermilion Bird perched on Lulv's shoulder couldn't help but let out a laugh.
This drew a glare from Wu Ling.
"Ladies, the Dragon Ascension Ladder is ahead. How about we proceed together? We can look out for each other!"
"As fellow cultivators from the Ten Immortal Palaces, we should work together with one heart, overcome difficulties together, and then we can gain more, can't we?"
The voice was gentle and clear, carrying just the right amount of warmth, breaking the delicate standoff between Wu Ling and Shi Qingwu.
A man dressed in luxurious brocade robes and wearing a purple-gold crown approached with a smile, followed by four or five cultivators whose auras were not weak.
His face was like jade, and as he walked, his gaze shone, naturally exuding the demeanor of a noble young master from a prominent family. At his waist hung a jade pendant flowing with immortal light, on which was engraved an ancient character: "Jiang."
"Jiang Ziyun."
The playful expression on Shi Qingwu's face instantly vanished, replaced by her usual coldness mixed with a hint of distant politeness.
The newcomer was none other than Jiang Ziyun, one of the Divine Sons of Gengjin Immortal Palace and the son of Gengjin Immortal Palace's Great Elder.
After a long period of silence, he had now truly showcased his strength in the Ancient Continent, rising to prominence. With the current rankings almost solidified, he had entered the top twenty, and his true strength had definitely reached the Saint Ruler Realm level.
The Ancient Continent was truly absurd; outside, it might take decades or centuries to break through, but after entering, everyone's cultivation level increased as rapidly as a rocket.
"I didn't expect Divine Maiden Shi to know of me."
Jiang Ziyun cupped his hands slightly towards Shi Qingwu, his smile genial, his gaze unconsciously lingering for a moment on the Divine Phoenix Immortal Body's exquisitely beautiful face and graceful figure before moving away, appearing very polite: "But I wonder where Brother Feng went? Why did he not appear with Miss Shi?"
Shi Qingwu's voice turned cold: "That matter seems to have nothing to do with you."
The atmosphere in the field suddenly became a bit awkward.
"Exactly, what do you have to do with us? Why should we travel with you?"
Wu Ling had a fiery temper. Although she had just been arguing with Shi Qingwu, she actually half-believed the news that the other party had sensed Gu Yun. Deep down, she was already eager to rush over and find Gu Yun, but on the surface, she still had to pretend to be nonchalant.
Hmph, who cares about that philandering scoundrel!!
Without ten dragons pulling a carriage, I won't let him see me next time. I'll make him realize that I have a temper too.
Now, seeing this Jiang Ziyun, who suddenly appeared, spoke in a refined manner, and whose eyes darted around, she found him particularly displeasing. She rolled her eyes directly at him, her tone quite impolite.
Facing Wu Ling's rudeness, the few people behind Jiang Ziyun's expressions darkened slightly, but he himself remained unperturbed: "The Dragon Ascension Ladder is extremely dangerous, with layers of escalating pressure and even fierce individuals like the Heavenly Sound Demonic Maiden present within. One truly cannot be too careful. Now that Brother Feng is not here, perhaps we can travel together. With more people, we can support each other, and our safety will be guaranteed."
He paused slightly, his voice growing even gentler, like a spring breeze: "Moreover, the three Divine Maidens are so radiant; be careful that some evildoers in this Ancient Continent might wish you harm…"
His words were impeccable, his posture extremely humble, and he pointed out the risks while not stinting on praise.
If it were an ordinary female cultivator, she would probably have been swayed and found it difficult to refuse.
"No need."
Shi Qingwu's voice remained indifferent, her gaze growing even colder, even carrying a hint of undisguised disgust.
What a joke, with her progress with Gu Yun, how could she still think about getting involved with other male cultivators?
No one knew if that man was watching her, and Shi Qingwu was extremely cautious about this, not daring to gamble at all.
What if her progress dropped to a negative number, and she didn't know what terrible consequences there would be? She wouldn't even have a place to cry.
Her cultivation would regress instead of advancing, and in a few years, she would transform from a graceful immortal into an old hag whose beauty had faded.
She absolutely did not want that to happen!!!
Moreover, she no longer had the opportunity to bind, so this Jiang Ziyun was clearly a useless piece of trash, and she didn't want to waste any more time on him.
Of course, while she thought so internally, she still had to maintain appearances.
"The few of us are enough to handle the risks here. Thank you for your kindness, Brother Jiang."
Her words were crisp and decisive, refusing without any room for negotiation. She didn't even bother to look at Jiang Ziyun again, turning and walking towards the beginning of the Dragon Ascension Ladder, her steps resolute, her green robes fluttering with an aloofness that kept people at a distance.
"Hey! Wait for me!"
"Tell me where Gu Yun went!!"
Wu Ling pulled the still hesitant Lulv and chased after Shi Qingwu's retreating figure.
The figures of the three women quickly disappeared into the ancient mist swirling at the starting point of the Dragon Ascension Ladder.
"Young Master, aren't we going to chase them?"
The smile on Jiang Ziyun's face completely froze the moment Shi Qingwu turned away.
A disciple from the Gengjin Immortal Palace beside him asked tentatively.
"Chase? Chase what?"
"Are you chasing Shi Qingwu?"
"Yes, that woman is now separated from Feng Wuhen, it's the best opportunity!!"
This person said.
"Good opportunity?"
Jiang Ziyun sneered: "You and I both know Feng Wuhen's strength. It is said that the Divine Son and Divine Maiden of Xuanfeng Immortal Palace are a pair, an enviable virtuous couple, inseparable. But now, only Shi Qingwu is here."
"What kind of inside story do you think there is?"
"Young Master, are you implying…?"
The disciple's brow furrowed slightly, realizing his thoughts were too simple and reckless.
"I just probed a bit; this woman is not simple. She's at least in the Saint Ruler Realm, and not just a beginner. She has clearly been immersed for some time. Even if I go all out, I definitely can't keep her!"
"Instead, it might alert the enemy and be counterproductive."
"Young Master has great insight. This subordinate was foolish."
"But they are both disciples of Xuanfeng Immortal Palace, why would they kill each other? Is Shi Qingwu not afraid of the Immortal Palace's punishment?"
No matter which of the Ten Immortal Palaces it was, they all strongly rejected infighting. In fact, apart from Shadow Immortal Palace and Sacred Radiance Immortal Palace, these two factions that were always at odds, the other major Immortal Palaces all appeared to be harmonious. Only in this way could they truly stand at the pinnacle of the Three Thousand Dao Domains and compensate for the lack of strength of their individual families.
There were many such methods in the Three Thousand Dao Domains, such as the Ancient Clan Alliance, the Four Great Sword Sects, the Three Great Buddhist Temples, and so on.
Even Emperor-level forces could not avoid banding together for warmth.
In such an environment, Shi Qingwu dared to strike so heavily.
She was truly insane.
"Don't forget who that Wu Ling just mentioned at the very last moment!"
"Gu… Yun!!"
"Gu… Yun…" The person mumbled to himself, his heart shaking.
"Could it be…?"
"Who wouldn't want to replicate the old path of Holy Water Immortal Palace?"
"It's only been hundreds of thousands of years, and the development speed is simply unimaginable!"
"Now that the great trend is about to begin, even Immortal Palace-level forces might be annihilated. Only the Three Immortal Ancient Families can claim to survive in such turbulent times!"
"And coincidentally, the Qin Family only has one Empress, and that person from the Shen Family is a love-struck fool. Only the direct descendant of the Immortal Ancient Gu Family has extraordinary talent, yet he is also notoriously lecherous."
"If Shi Qingwu, Wu Ling, and Lulv go back and tell their respective Immortal Palaces that they have climbed onto a big ship like the Immortal Ancient Gu Family, do you think the high-ranking officials of the major Immortal Palaces can still say no?"
"This…"
When the Immortal Ancient Gu Family was mentioned, the disciple's voice trembled slightly, and he was somewhat speechless.
These words were as heavy as a thousand pounds; any force with some foundation in the Three Thousand Dao Domains knew the profound meaning behind them.
"But didn't that Gu Family Emperor Child fancy Miss Jiang Qing? How could he still…?"
Another disciple suddenly spoke.
"He is the Gu Family Emperor Child, it's only natural for him to fancy anyone he wants!"
Jiang Ziyun clenched his fists, his eyes filled with unwillingness. Perhaps in the eyes of outsiders, he was already a lofty existence, but only when he reached his position could he truly understand how enormous the gap between him and the clouds was.
"No matter, let's proceed first. The Dragon Ascension Ladder is no small matter."
Soon after the Jiang family group entered, Zhang Chen's figure also appeared. Since Qin Xiang had already activated his 'run away' mode, many resources in the Ancient Continent had accumulated on him. However, unfortunately, Jiang Ziyun was not a purely brainless villain, and with Shi Qingwu's Mandate clashing, this heroic rescue event, which should have happened, fizzled out.
"Ding! The host indirectly caused the Child of Destiny, Zhang Chen, to lose an opportunity for a heroic rescue. Zhang Chen's Destiny Value decreased by 2000 points. Great Luo Dao Pagoda Sixth Layer activation progress (29300 / 200000)."
However, Zhang Chen was unaware of this. Although he felt as if something had left him, seeing the ancient steps shimmering with golden light before him, he still felt his heart surge!
"Brother Luo, I feel like this place was prepared just for me!"
After several life-and-death encounters, he had grown quite trusting of Luo Tiange. It was no joke; this was someone willing to die for him at a crucial moment. If Zhang Chen still doubted him, wouldn't he be worse than a beast?!
Luo Tiange was already used to Zhang Chen's self-centered attitude. His mouth twitched, then he said, "Brother Zhang, we are already late. We cannot delay any longer."
Ahead, the ancient steps, reaching straight into the clouds, exuded a vast Dragon Might, boundless and boundless.
Cultivators poured into it like carps crossing a river, their figures quickly swallowed by the pervasive golden mist.
As time passed, they gradually became scattered.
"Don't worry, I will definitely suppress all enemies!"
"Brother Luo, you just need to follow me closely!"
Zhang Chen was full of arrogance. He could sense that the Dragon Might here targeted both the soul and the physical body. He possessed the soul of a Half-Step Great Emperor from his previous life, and in this life, he had the terrifying physique of the Innate Supreme Body. The mere Dragon Ascension Ladder was simply a piece of cake, effortless!
Luo Tiange was truly speechless, but he still flattered him, "Then I shall rely on Brother Zhang."
He knew Zhang Chen's temperament, and every word he said flattered him into complete submission.
Zhang Chen felt incredibly pleased, a smile plastered on his face that was harder to suppress than an AK's recoil. He turned and rushed into the Dragon Ascension Ladder.
The moment he stepped onto the stairs, an invisible, immense pressure descended, like hundreds of millions of pounds of mercury pouring into his body.
This was not simple physical gravity, but more like the oppressive might from the remnants of an ancient True Dragon's will, heavily crushing the cultivator's body, sea of consciousness, and even their Dao Heart.
"Oh my, holy…!"
If Zhang Chen had maintained reverence and proceeded steadily, he might have easily passed the first few steps. However, now his opportunities had been snatched, his destiny diminished, and he was overly eager. Caught off guard, his legs went soft, his knees uncontrollably bent sharply, and his entire body stumbled forward in an extremely disheveled posture, falling face down!
Like a frog flattened by immense pressure.
"Brother Zhang!"
Luo Tiange exclaimed, but it was already too late. Zhang Chen had rushed up seven steps at once, and in an instant, the combined pressure of seven layers converged upon him.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, the Child of Destiny directly fell face-first onto the cold stone steps.