Section 21: Grasping the Big Picture
2014-06-18 Author: Gu Zhenren
Chu Yun nodded with satisfaction.
The Blissful Joy Ship had now been restored to its complete form as the Blissful Joy Palace, its efficacy even more incredible, truly worthy of being a Soldier Saint’s creation.
However, the Blissful Joy Palace was merely one small hall within the Yin Yang Grand Harem.
According to the Soldier Saint’s original design, the Yin Yang Grand Harem was to contain twelve halls, with the Blissful Joy Palace being just one of them. Above the halls were even larger palaces.
One could imagine the might of the Yin Yang Grand Harem, which would undoubtedly surpass that of the Blissful Joy Palace.
The Jade Slip also mentioned that once the Yin Yang Grand Harem was completed, its power would rival that of Saint Artifacts, capable of obscuring heavenly secrets!
Furthermore, it possessed the terrifying ability to generate immense faith and empower its owner.
The Soldier Saint had poured all his efforts and thoughts into designing this palace. He had performed beyond his usual level, his mind spurred by the constant pursuit of the Ancient Saint.
The design concept of the Yin Yang Grand Harem was the character “reversal.” It was about reversing the post-natal to the pre-natal, and about swimming against the current of destiny, forging ahead. It was a desperate counterattack, like a carp leaping a dragon gate, swimming against a waterfall.
Either one would plummet into an abyss, or they would transform into a dragon, ushering in a new life pattern.
Putting oneself in a desperate situation to find a way out.
This was the unyielding spirit and the will to resist misfortune that the Soldier Saint had imbued within it!
“Do not underestimate any Saint. Underestimating them is an irresponsible act towards one’s own life. The Ten Great Saints are indeed not simple individuals,” Chu Yun thought, a mix of admiration and melancholy washing over him.
The Star Saint’s machinations had reversed the fate of Xingzhou for twenty-three years, leading to Chu Yun’s opportunity.
When the Soldier Saint was chased by the Ancient Saint and fell into Xingzhou, he used the alias Bai Xiao Sheng, his cultivation reduced to the Phenomenon level. Yet, he still caused great upheaval, borrowing strength from various sources, and managed to refine the Blissful Joy Ship.
And then there was that Ancient Saint.
Truly terrifying.
He had laid his plans countless years ago, ambushed the Soldier Saint, and impersonated him without revealing any clues. The Sea Eye Abyss was likely his trap; what a grand scheme.
Now, Saints were trapped there, and with the Innate Divine Demon calamity befalling the Nine Provinces without a leader, this must all be the Ancient Saint’s doing!
Every time Chu Yun thought of this, he felt a chill run down his spine.
The Soldier Saint’s Jade Slip not only brought the design blueprints for the Yin Yang Grand Harem but also brought about a seismic shift in Chu Yun’s understanding of the situation.
Previously scattered and seemingly chaotic clues, after being supplemented by this Jade Slip, suddenly underwent a qualitative change. These clues connected tightly, forming a colossal conspiracy that encompassed the Nine Provinces.
And the only one who understood this conspiracy, besides the Nine Saints, was perhaps only Chu Yun.
“The continent follows the Saints. The Ancient Saint’s true target is actually the Nine Saints. However, the Nine Provinces are the source of the Nine Saints’ power, so he secretly initiated the Innate Divine Demon calamity, bloodied the Nine Provinces, and slaughtered living beings. His goal was to weaken the other Saints.”
“The Ancient Saint is unfathomable, possessing the means to plunder the power of other Saints. The Soldier Saint was harmed by him, forced to wander through many parts of the Nine Provinces. But looking at the current situation, the other Saints must have joined forces to resist him, leading to a stalemate at the Sea Eye Abyss.”
“If the other Saints had truly been defeated, the Ancient Saint would have appeared long ago and openly taken control of the Nine Provinces. This is bad. Since the Ancient Saint is the true mastermind, this Innate Divine Demon calamity is even more complex! It seems the true wave of attack has yet to arrive.”
Because of this Soldier Saint Jade Slip, Chu Yun had gained a new and unique understanding of the situation in the Nine Provinces.
This understanding instantly propelled his vision and perspective beyond all other Emperors, reaching the position of the foremost individual in the Nine Provinces today.
Most Emperors now believed that they had weathered the most difficult period and were in a stalemate with the Innate Divine Demons.
As long as the chosen ones of destiny grew rapidly and shouldered a crucial part of the pressure for the Emperors, they would have the remaining strength to counterattack and ultimately destroy these Innate Divine Demons.
But now, Chu Yun understood that his previous assumptions were entirely wrong.
These Innate Divine Demons were truly brewing a tremendously fierce offensive. The Ancient Saint’s inaction was one thing; his actions, when they came, would surely be earth-shattering, world-destroying, and devastating to all life.
Once the Nine Provinces were weakened, the faith power they provided to the Nine Great Saints would be greatly reduced. At that time, the scales of victory would tip towards the Ancient Saint, allowing him to secure his triumph.
“It seems my plan needs to change as well,” Chu Yun pondered.
Originally, he intended to support several more chosen ones of destiny, setting up a situation to vie for future benefits. But now, the prospects for the Nine Provinces seemed dire. Investing further effort in nurturing chosen ones of destiny would clearly be a loss.
Taking in Pan Shi and Xiao Yan as his disciples was sufficient. When the true great tribulation arrived, how could he rely on these newcomers?
It would be better to pool all these resources to refine the Yin Yang Grand Harem.
With the Yin Yang Grand Harem, it would be equivalent to possessing a minor Saint Artifact, allowing Chu Yun to unleash pseudo-Saint power at the Emperor level.
This was the most effective means of dealing with the impending tribulation.
A little over a month later, in Ghost Continent.
“Ghostly Octopus, use your Ghost Tentacles to wrap it up!” Xiao Yan’s clear voice rang out on the Xiao family’s arena stage.
The Ghostly Octopus, suspended in mid-air, emanated a translucent green glow, resembling a vibrant green lantern.
Under Xiao Yan’s command, it extended eight tentacles, tightly ensnaring the Nightmare Horse opposite it.
The Nightmare Horse was a skeleton horse, but its entire body was engulfed in black-red flames.
Entangled by the Ghost Tentacles, the Nightmare Horse let out a mournful cry and collapsed on the ground. It lasted less than half a minute.
“She won! Xiao Yan has truly won!”
“Unbelievable! Just a few months ago at the clan competition, she was still at the bottom. Now she’s actually taken first place!”
“Xiao Yan was always a genius. It seems she has recovered from the trauma of losing her parents, and her talent has returned.”
For a moment, the members of the Xiao family buzzed with conversation. Countless gazes focused on Xiao Yan on the stage.
Under their scrutiny, Xiao Yan stood with grace and composure, her beautiful face unmarred by any hint of arrogance.
She looked down from her elevated position, scanning the crowd, observing the myriad of expressions: surprise, fear, jealousy, envy, hatred… Those who had mocked and belittled her in the past mostly dared not meet her gaze.
At this moment, the young girl was in the limelight!
Yet, within her heart, there was only a sigh.
She had fantasized more than once about the scene of her return to the pinnacle. But when that day truly arrived, her heart felt no excitement, no sense of vindication.
Her gaze involuntarily drifted back to the Star Ghost Spirit Ring on her finger.
Gratitude, admiration, and reverence surged within the young girl’s heart. She knew that her current success was largely due to her master, Chu Yun, who had played a decisive role and provided immense help.
“Xiao Yan, you are excellent. You did not lose heart but instead pushed forward, demonstrating the unyielding fighting spirit of our Xiao family,” the Xiao family patriarch, Xiao Qian, forced a smile and spoke a few words to appease the situation.
But inwardly, he cursed: “What’s going on with this Xiao Yan? I clearly plotted against her, gave her the Mediocrity Pill, and erased her exceptional talent. Yet, she actually managed to rise again! Her parents were the previous Xiao family patriarchs; with this performance, is she preparing to reclaim the position of patriarch?”
As he thought of this, a sliver of ruthlessness flickered in the Xiao family patriarch’s eyes.
“Xiao Yan, since you have won first place in the clan competition, you will enjoy the privileges and benefits of first place for the next two months. I hope you will continue to strive and work even harder in the future.” While calculating his schemes, Xiao Qian appeared to be extremely fair and amiable.
“Yes, Patriarch,” Xiao Yan replied, her heart seething with killing intent.
After the clan competition concluded, Xiao Yan rejected everyone who tried to curry favor with her and walked home alone.
“Master, you were right to tell me to place the Heart Ghost in Xiao Qian’s heart. Just now, the Heart Ghost overheard his inner schemes. It turns out my sudden loss of talent was also his doing back then!” Xiao Yan exclaimed, filled with indignation.
“Hm, that’s understandable. Xiao Qian usurped the position of patriarch from your parents, so he would fear you reclaiming it in the future. Within the entire Xiao family, his conflict of interest with you is the most intense. If I hadn’t spent so much time with you and discovered a slight abnormality in your body, I might have been deceived by him.” Chu Yun chuckled.
If his main body were present, he would have immediately detected Xiao Qian’s interference within the young girl.
However, what was currently within the Star Ghost Spirit Ring was merely a portion of Chu Yun’s soul.
Furthermore, he was not familiar with the prescriptions of Ghost Continent.
“The Mediocrity Pill is an Upper grade medicinal pill, incredibly rare and expensive. Master, you were still able to detect it; you are truly amazing!” Xiao Yan’s admiration for Chu Yun grew.
Every piece of advice from Chu Yun was perfectly timed. These instructions included not only the cultivation of a Beast Tamer but also aspects of life and conduct.
Especially the latter, which brought about a tremendous improvement in Xiao Yan. Her horizons broadened immensely, and she handled matters with a grand perspective while starting with small details, becoming increasingly mature and seasoned, earning astonishment and admiration.
“It would be too disadvantageous for us if we remain in Fanggu Fortress, as Xiao Qian is the patriarch and holds significant power here. It is his home ground. Why don’t we temporarily leave Fanggu Fortress and cultivate in the wilderness?” Chu Yun suggested.
Xiao Qian was a Hegemon-level powerhouse, commanding six Spirit Monsters, making him quite strong. He also possessed a hundred-thousand-year Tribulation Demon, the Blizzard Female Demon, which countered soul bodies like Chu Yun’s.
Even more crucially, this Fanggu Fortress was personally built by an ancestor of the Xiao family, a creation of the Soldier Saint. No one knew if the Soldier Saint had left any arrangements to look after his descendants.
Chu Yun did not want to take that risk.
However, by stepping back and voluntarily leaving Fanggu Fortress, it would truly be an open expanse, allowing dragons to leap and fish to swim.
“Alright, with Master here, what do I have to fear? We’ll leave Fanggu Fortress tonight,” Xiao Yan declared decisively, without hesitation.
(To be continued)
