NOVEL WEB Chapter 245: The Peak Showdown of the Younger Generation
Chapter 245: The Peak Showdown of the Younger Generation
The words of the Goddess of Time had a profound impact on Xu Lian, essentially charting the course for his future.
High-level cultivation resources were almost entirely controlled by the top-tier great powers, with very little leaking out to the outside world. As a “big eater”, if Xu Lian wanted to grow strong, he would have to snatch resources from the pots of these major powers. This would inevitably clash with their interests, making his path forward fraught with thorns.
The road ahead would not be easy.
[Name: Xu Lian]
[Realm: Sixth Stage of the Return to Void Realm]
[Skills: Nine Elements Escape Technique, Four Symbols Battle Tactics, Great Desolate Dragon Grasping Technique, Sacred Spirit Record (Immortal Law Supplement), Breaking Wind Sword Technique (Volumes 1-23)…]
[Artifacts: Skull (Immortal Bone), Sword of Destruction (Not Equipped)]
[Note: You currently have 46 progression points available for use.]
Looking at the 46 progression points in his account, along with the approximately 25 more he would gain in the next ten months, Xu Lian felt a surge of excitement and joy, but it quickly faded, replaced by a calm determination.
From now on, the progression points would no longer be a concern. The real bottleneck would be the resources needed for his advancement.
“Cut through mountains to build roads, bridge rivers when you meet them, and slay tigers when you face them. If I meet a dragon, I’ll pick up my sharp blade and bathe in its blood,” Xu Lian murmured to himself. No matter how difficult the path was, he would not stop moving forward.
In this world filled with strange phenomena, sacred lands, and countless races vying for supremacy, he did not want to spend his life at the bottom, struggling like an insignificant ant buried in the mud.
He wanted to soar into the sky, breathe the air of the heights, and experience what it felt like to be a supreme powerhouse.
He wanted to create a pure land for those he loved, where Sister Xiya, Pei Zhaoxi and the others could play and laugh freely with their children… Of course, it would only be perfect if the Goddess of Time were there too.
On top of that, if he could achieve immortality and bring Sister Xiya and the others along with him, that would be even better.
Of course, he knew that this would be incredibly difficult. The ten thousand mile journey had just begun, and the road ahead was long and arduous.
“With my goals and theories in place, it’s time to put them into practice. Defeat the strongest genius of the Divine Thunder Sect, obtain the 411 Return to Void Pills from the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands, max out my Return to Void Realm, and then advance to the Return to Truth Realm, becoming a great power…”
Xu Lian’s eyes brightened and shone like stars.
A childish voice interrupted his grand plans. A little girl wobbled over, clutching his leg, “Daddy, I’m hungry. I want milk.”
Xu Lian’s face darkened, “I don’t have any here. Go find your mother.”
The little girl looked up at him with a confused expression, “I don’t know which one is my mother.”
“…” Xu Lian’s heart ached as he picked up the little girl and shouted, “Whose child is this? Come get her!”
The little girl looked at him suspiciously. Did he not know either?
Huo Xin’er ran over and picked up the child, “Sorry for disturbing you, Master.”
Xu Lian opened his mouth to speak, but stopped himself. What did she mean by “disturbing”? It seemed that she still held onto her hopes from the Sword Pavilion, wishing for Xu Lian to focus on his cultivation and become the new Sword Emperor.
Half a month later.
Like a hammering insect, Xu Lian crashed through the void, traversing space to arrive at the Heavenly Mystic Sacred Land.
The moment he stepped into the first layer of the Heavenly Mystic Sacred Land’s small world, the world spun around, and he found himself in the Elder Hall.
Besides the elders, there were two young people, a man and a woman.
The man was dressed in white, handsome and elegant, with a glint of extraordinary light in his eyes.
The woman had phoenix eyes, fiery red lips, a hot figure, and a rather seductive style.
As Xu Lian observed them, they also scrutinized him, their eyes filled with envy as they took in the divine light surrounding him-the laws of the Divine Kingdom.
Xu Lian only hid the laws of the Divine Kingdom when he ventured out to search for cultivation resources, to avoid trouble and exposure. Within the Heavenly Mystic Sacred Land, he did not hide them, lest others discover that he could hide them.
The Great Elder introduced the two young people: “Xu Lian, bearer of the laws of the Divine Kingdom, the current Nine Heavenly Holy Son of our Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands.”
Xu Lian could hear a hint of pride in the Great Elder’s voice as he made the introduction.
Then the Great Elder introduced the young man and woman to Xu Lian, “This is Chi Xulin, the current Holy Son of the Blazing Flame Sect. The other is Five-Colored Red Lotus, the top flower of the younger generation of the Divine Flower Palace. The Blazing Flame Sect and the Divine Flower Palace are top-tier powers closely allied with our Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands. We have invited these two top geniuses of the younger generation to help us in two battles.”
Xu Lian’s expression became curious. The top flower of the younger generation of the Divine Flower Palace, Five-Colored Red Lotus, such a strange title. Was she a demon? Was the entire Divine Flower Palace made up of flower demons?
Xu Lian asked, “Why two battles? Isn’t it supposed to be decided in one match?”
The Great Elder explained, “The ownership of an ancient ruin cannot be decided in a single battle. A one-battle decision would rely too much on luck, and neither the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands nor the Divine Thunder Sect would agree to that. Of course, we must invite the strongest geniuses from our allied powers to join the battle. This is also a test of our relationship.”
Xu Lian understood. “Look, I have allies. If you want to fight me, you’d better consider the consequences!” or “I also have allies, I’m not afraid of you. Go ahead, try me!” It was basically that kind of psychological game.
It sounded amusing, but it was also a form of game of strategy among the top-tier powers.
“I report to the elders that everyone has arrived.”
The Elder looked up and bowed respectfully.
Xu Lian instinctively looked up as well, but all he saw was the roof of the Elder Hall… There were no Elders to be seen. It was clearly a formality.
In an instant, the scene blurred and the world spun around.
When Xu Lian reappeared, he found himself standing on a barren plain surrounded by towering mountains. He had no idea where he was.
Suddenly, he sensed something and turned around. His whole body shivered. Good heavens, this was something else!
Behind him were four towering figures, each so massive that they seemed to block out half the sky!
An overwhelming pressure filled the entire space, emanating from these figures.
Unfortunately, they were all shrouded in a chaotic mist, making it impossible to see them clearly. Only their general outlines could be seen.
One of them was an elderly figure with a large, tail-like spine trailing behind him… undoubtedly the old Supreme Elder of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands.
To the left of the Old Supreme Elder was a woman sitting on a nine-colored lotus platform, probably the Supreme Elder of the Divine Flower Palace.
To the right of the old Supreme Elder, a figure engulfed in flames stood, probably the Supreme Elder of the Blazing Flame Sect.
The last one was someone Xu Lian was more familiar with – a figure in a white robe, with a graceful and ethereal presence, standing in the air. It was the Goddess of Time.
“You came too,” the old Supreme Elder said with a faint smile, obviously pleased.
The female Elder of the Divine Flower Palace and the Elder of the Blazing Flame Sect glanced at the Goddess of Time and nodded slightly, clearly acknowledging her as an equal.
The Goddess of Time said nothing, only returning the gesture.
With four Supreme Elders present, it was clear how much importance the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands placed on this competition. This put immense pressure on Xu Lian, the Nine Heavenly Holy Son, Chi Xulin of the Blazing Flame Sect, and Five-Colored Red Lotus of the Divine Flower Palace. They could only win, there was no room for defeat.
After all, an ancient ruin was of immense significance. No amount of caution was too much.
After a moment, three young figures silently appeared in front of Xu Lian, Chi Xulin, and Five-Colored Red Lotus. These were clearly the top geniuses of the younger generation invited by the Divine Thunder Sect.
At the same time, behind the three young geniuses, three huge figures appeared – one grotesque, one indescribable, and one unimaginable.
“…” Xu Lian remembered the words of the old Supreme Elder. In this era of strangeness, the Supreme Elders of the major powers had all encountered problems to some extent. Very few were normal.
Seeing that the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands had brought four Supreme Elders, the Divine Thunder Sect’s side couldn’t help but feel slightly overshadowed.
The indescribable Supreme Elder snorted, “Four of you, what a grand display. But among the four of you, one of you is about to die, and another one hasn’t really become a Supreme Elder yet. Four against three makes no difference.”
The grotesque Supreme Elder chuckled coldly, “Exactly. Even among the Supreme Elders, there are differences. It’s never about numbers.”
The unimaginable Supreme Elder also spoke, “If you think that bringing more Supreme Elders will make us back down, you’re wrong.”
Are you all performing a comedy routine? Xu Lian thought to himself. It seemed that even Supreme Elders had their emotions and were not as detached as lower-level cultivators imagined.
The Supreme Elder of the Blazing Flame Sect, who was known for his fiery temper, immediately retorted, “Three cowards, how old are you to still be bickering like this? When the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands was at its peak, it had five or six supreme elders, and even ten at one point. Why didn’t you dare to show your faces then? Only now, when the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands are in a weakened state, do you dare to show your strength? Do you think that makes you impressive?”
Xu Lian secretly gave a thumbs up. The Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands was equivalent to nine top-tier powers. Having five or six Supreme Elders was normal, and there had even been times when ten Supreme Elders ruled the world. It was not something that could be challenged by just three top-tier powers. Even now, in its weakened state, the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands had two Supreme Elders and about ten Quasi-Supreme Elders. If a few of those Quasi-Supreme Elders broke through, the Sacred Land would quickly recover from its weakened state.
The indescribable Supreme Elder said, “So what? Every top-tier power has had its golden age. The Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands are in decline, and that’s an undeniable fact. Are we not allowed to point this out?”
The old Supreme Elder of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands calmly said, “Enough, fellow Daoists. We are gathered here today to decide who owns this ancient ruin. These useless arguments are meaningless.”
The supreme elder of the Blazing Flame Sect said, “Exactly. This nonsense is useless. Since we’ve already decided on a competition among the younger generation, let’s leave it up to them.”
The indescribable Supreme Elder said firmly, “The rules are as follows: host versus host, guest versus guest, male versus male, and female versus female.
The Divine Thunder Holy Son of the Divine Thunder Sect will face the Nine Heavenly Holy Son of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands – host against host.
The Fuyao Holy Son of the Fuyao Sect will face the Blazing Flame Holy Son of the Blazing Flame Sect-guest against guest, male against male.
Dark Moon Holy Maiden of the Dark Moon Sect will face Five-Colored Red Lotus of the Divine Flower Palace – guest against guest, female against female.
In the duels, only real strength may be used. Forbidden artifacts or techniques beyond one’s cultivation level are prohibited.
Best of three.
The winner takes ownership of the Ancient Ruins. In addition, the losing side must not reveal the existence of the Ancient Ruins to anyone outside.
All present must swear the Great Dao Oath. Violators will have their cultivation halted, turn into malevolent spirits upon death, and their sect will suffer divine punishment and be condemned to hell forever.”
The old Supreme Elder of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands said, “We have no objections.”
Thus, the rules of the competition were set, and both sides swore the Great Dao Oath.
The Great Dao Oath was similar to the Blood Soul Oath that Xu Lian had used before, but while the Blood Soul Oath bound individuals, the Great Dao Oath bound entire sects and holy lands.
The Great Dao was formless, and the oath was ethereal. No one could say for sure if it was effective or not.
However, as cultivators, they had to believe in it to some extent, so it served as a form of restraint.
“I will go first,” said the alluring woman from the Divine Flower Palace, Five-Colored Red Lotus. She stepped forward to the center of the barren land and waved at the Dark Moon Holy Maiden, “Come here, little beauty. Let big sister teach you a lesson.”
Xu Lian’s eyes widened. Her words made it seem as if his side were the villains and the opposing side were the righteous ones.
The Dark Moon Holy Maiden was indeed young, around twenty years old, with delicate features. She wore a moon-white robe, and a dark moon floated above her head, emitting a faint glow.
Without saying a word, she walked to the center of the field and immediately engaged in a fierce battle with the alluring woman from the Divine Flower Palace.
“Boom!”
“Boom!”
“Boom!”…
The two of them clashed with various combat techniques, their attacks like exploding suns. The once flat, barren land was instantly riddled with craters, turning it into a wasteland.
As the battle progressed, the two of them rose into the air.
They had moved from the ground to the sky.
Flight was a hallmark of the Return to Void Realm.
Both of them were at the third level of the Return to Void Realm, making them evenly matched. They had truly met their match.
The Dark Moon Holy Maiden appeared delicate, but her combat style was fierce and precise, with every move aimed at vital points. There were no feints; it was a battle to the death!
“Ah, is the little beauty angry? So fierce,” teased Five-Colored Red Lotus, the alluring woman from the Divine Flower Palace. Her combat style was different – she liked to mix verbal taunts with her attacks.
Xu Lian found it amusing. This senior sister of the Divine Flower Palace was quite interesting. Maybe he should get to know her better?
“Boom! Boom! Boom!”…
After a hundred moves, two hundred moves, three hundred moves… over four hundred moves later, the battle between the Dark Moon Holy Maiden and Five-Colored Red Lotus reached its climax. Both of them unleashed their ultimate techniques!
The Dark Moon Holy Maiden was in a frenzy, her hair disheveled and her robes stained with blood. She grabbed the Dark Moon above her head, holding it like a massive boulder, and slammed it down with terrifying force. The space cracked and the earth crumbled.
Five-Colored Red Lotus stopped her taunts and revealed her true form – a vibrant, multicolored lotus, predominantly red, resembling red coral or agate. At times, it charged like a blazing meteor; at others, it expanded to the size of a mountain, exerting overwhelming pressure.
“Boom!!!”…
The battle ended with a final, earth-shattering explosion.
The Dark Moon Holy Maiden was sent flying and smashed through several mountains. The force of the impact caused the mountains to explode, sending debris flying. She was buried under the debris, motionless.
Five-Colored Red Lotus’s true form was also severely damaged. She reverted to her human form, pale and coughing blood, barely able to stand. Yet, she managed a victorious smile, “Little beauty, you were quite fierce, but big sister still came out on top. A narrow victory.”
Xu Lian was speechless. To an outsider, it might seem like she had just harassed an innocent girl.
“Senior sister, you’ve worked hard,” Xu Lian said as he helped her to the side to rest, handing her a bottle of healing pills.
Regardless, as the Nine Heavenly Holy Son, Xu Lian was the “host” and had a duty to take care of his guests. He couldn’t leave such matters to the old Supreme Elder or the Goddess of Time.
Five-Colored Red Lotus didn’t care about ceremony. She took the pills, swallowed one, and looked at Xu Lian’s handsome face. She teased, “In this best of three, I’ve already secured a victory for the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands. You and the Blazing Flame Holy Son only need to win one of the remaining two matches. Don’t lose both and waste all my efforts.”
Xu Lian nodded, “Don’t worry, Senior Sister. We’ll take care of the rest.”
On the other side, the Divine Thunder Holy Son and the Fuyao Holy Son dug out the unconscious Dark Moon Holy Maiden. Seeing her in such a state, their expressions turned grim, and they shot cold glances at Xu Lian and the Blazing Flame Holy Son.
The unimaginable Supreme Elder sighed, “Our Dark Moon Holy Maiden is still young and inexperienced. If she had a few more years of cultivation, she wouldn’t have lost to a flower demon from the Divine Flower Palace. Losing the first match is unfortunate, but we apologize to the Divine Thunder Sect.”
The indescribable Supreme Elder said, “It’s okay. There are still two games left. We’ll win the next two. The Dark Moon Holy Maiden is only at the second level of the Return to the Void Realm at such a young age. Given time, she will surely become a great power, possibly even a new Supreme Elder for the Dark Moon Sect. A small setback is not necessarily a bad thing.”
The unimaginable Supreme Elder smiled, “I really appreciate this girl. I’ve been training her like my own disciple, often guiding her personally.”
Losing the first match didn’t seem to affect the Divine Thunder Sect, the Dark Moon Sect, or the Fuyao Sect. Obviously, they had great confidence in the strength of the Divine Thunder Holy Son and the Fuyao Holy Son.
Not one to back down, the supreme elder of the Blazing Flame Sect issued a stern command, “Blazing Flame Holy Son, listen well. You are to fight next. You must win; defeat is not an option!
The Divine Flower Palace, as guests invited by the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands, has already secured a victory for us.
The Blazing Flame Sect is also a guest invited by the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands. You must secure a victory for us as well.
With two victories out of three, the ancient ruins will belong to the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands, and the Nine Heavenly Holy Son won’t even have to fight.”
The Blazing Flame Holy Son’s eyes burned with fighting spirit. He replied, “I will obey the Supreme Elder’s command. I will not fail!”