"How long will this Xuantian Apparatus remain in our sect?" Su Chen inquired.
Qing Cang pondered for a mont before replying, "According to the original plan, they were supposed to head to the Royal Court once the few people here finished using it."
"But with this recent incident, Lu Huai and the others likely won't be traveling to the Royal Court anyti soon. I doubt they'll return to the Xuantian Sect either, so they'll probably be staying for quite a while longer."
"Do you have sothing in mind?"
"Nothing in particular, just asking," Su Chen deflected, secretly breathing a sigh of relief.
Once the Xuantian Apparatus left, he would have to travel all the way to the Xuantian Sect if he wanted to borrow it again.
'This kid...' Qing Cang thought, glancing at Su Chen's perfectly composed expression.
When they first t, he hadn't noticed anything unusual. But ever since the boy had beco a Chosen...
He could faintly sense an ethereal mist shrouding him. As they interacted more, this obscure veil didn't fade; instead, it only grew thicker and more impenetrable.
To the vast majority of the sect, the manifestation of Su Chen's Star-Amber talent seemingly pierced through so of that mystery.
Yet, to Qing Cang, who had known Su Chen from the very beginning, the enigma surrounding him had only deepened.
"Never mind," Qing Cang suddenly muttered, shaking his head. "I'm leaving."
Without giving Su Chen a chance to respond, Qing Cang turned away, his body instantly dissolving into a fleeting green breeze.
"Old Qing is under a lot of pressure," Su Chen mumbled, popping a pastry into his mouth and chewing absentmindedly. "The Royal Court has always wanted to fuse the flas, and only the Bronze Sect's fla has issues, making us the path of least resistance. Throw this recent incident into the mix, and a storm is truly brewing..."
Su Chen genuinely hadn't expected an Emperor's birthday banquet to spiral to this extent.
He could only hope the situation wouldn't continue to escalate.
After mulling it over and finishing his snack, Su Chen headed to the training room to continue improving himself.
The manifestation of Su Chen's talent had sparked intense discussion within the sect for a few days, but the prevailing sentint was relief. The veil of mystery surrounding him had thinned considerably, as if his extraordinary traits finally had a logical explanation.
What truly baffled everyone, however, was the anomaly with the Ancient King Stele. Ever since the Ancient King took the monunt away, it hadn't been returned, causing a quiet undercurrent of anxiety to ripple through the disciples.
On Floating Island No. 1447, Lu Huai surveyed the room as it gradually returned to normal, scooping up the slightly shrunken Nether Domain Child Stone from the floor.
His expression was incredibly grim, his crimson hair fluttering slightly as his arms trembled. "Venerable Lu Yanzhe... actually fell."
The matter had already been confird. Just yesterday, his Morning Star spirituality had let out a mournful wail, trembling ceaselessly—an undeniable sign of perishing.
"Two survived. King Zhenyu is in a coma, yet Qin Yun is sohow still awake..."
Lu Huai murmured under his breath, his expression fluctuating rapidly. King Zhenyu's strength easily ranked in the top three among all current Morning Star experts in the world.
In such a perilous environnt, his chances of survival were undoubtedly the highest. Yet, Qin Yun was hardly considered a powerhouse among the Morning Star ranks.
Not only had he survived, but his condition also appeared to be far better than King Zhenyu's.
'Qin Yun is probably already on his way back...' Lu Huai felt a burning urge to march up to him and demand exactly how his sect's Morning Star expert had died, and how Qin Yun had managed to survive.
But upon further reflection, considering he was currently residing in the Bronze Sect, he took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, suppressing his emotions. 'If our sect wants an explanation, the higher-ups will naturally take action. With the Xuantian Apparatus in my possession, it's best to feign absolute ignorance for now.'
Just as he was deep in thought, Lu Huai's eyes flickered. In a flash, he appeared in an open area of the floating island just as Qing Cang approached from a distance.
"Senior Brother Lu Huai," Qing Cang greeted.
"Junior Brother... you're here early," Lu Huai replied with a warm smile, not betraying the slightest hint of his turbulent thoughts.
Qing Cang spoke in a gentle tone, "Our people are ready. When will it be convenient for you?"
"Anyti is fine. The enhancent process with the Xuantian Apparatus takes about three to five days," Lu Huai explained, before firmly adding, "Although this isn't your first ti, I must remind you again: the Xuantian Apparatus is not entirely without risks."
"Understood," Qing Cang nodded. "If anything goes wrong, it will have nothing to do with you or the Xuantian Sect."
O
"I say that purely out of caution. There is a ninety-nine percent chance nothing will go wrong."
With that, Lu Huai handed over a thin sheet of paper. "Listed here are the paraters required for the Creation Bronze Core's simulation."
"
...Planetary-level environnt...
"
"
...A population of no less than one billion...
3
...Divided into three factions, locked in endless warfare...
Qing Cang reached out and took the paper, glancing down at it. These requirents were far from simple; fulfilling them would incur a significant cost.
However, this was a transaction they had agreed upon long ago. Qing Cang tucked the paper away. "Then, please follow , you two."
Lu Huai called for Tang Xiuqi, and the two followed Qing Cang away.
anwhile, over at the Bronze Core, quite a few people had gathered inside the Challenge Center. Instead of honing their skills as usual, they were huddled together in quiet anticipation.
Wang Ye was among them, his gaze locked onto a specific room.
Outside that room stood Chen Hong and Xie Yufeng, both sporting rather unsightly expressions.
Click!
Soon, the door swung open, and Liao Yunfan stumbled out. There was barely a single intact scrap of fabric left on his body.
A hideous laceration stretched from his left shoulder down to his abdon. The flesh was torn open, exposing bone, with dark blood and scorched marks mingling gruesoly along the wound.
His breathing was ragged and heavy, his face deathly pale.
"How did it go?" Chen Hong asked imdiately.
Wang Ye and the others gathered to the side also shot them intensely focused looks.
"A narrow victory," Liao Yunfan spat out the words, yet his tone held not a shred of joy.
The other two n's expressions shifted, tensing before relaxing, looking incredibly conflicted.
"A narrow victory?" Wang Ye couldn't help but exclaim in astonishnt. "He actually beat His Excellency Su Chen?"
The people around him also looked shocked, but the expressions of Liao Yunfan and his two companions only grew uglier.
They were Tier 5 professionals! Yet the training projection inside was a remnant of Su Chen when he was rely at Tier 4—it hadn't been updated at all.
They had co today specifically to test the waters and see what this newly promoted Star Seed was really capable of.
They certainly hadn't expected Chen Hong and Xie Yufeng to barely fight the projection to a draw. Only Liao Yunfan managed to eke out a win, and even then, he was left in a miserable, battered state.
A Tier 5 fighting a Tier 4 and only achieving this result was absolutely nothing to celebrate or be excited about.
And the fact that the Bronze Sect disciples looked so genuinely surprised was nothing short of humiliating for them.
Liao Yunfan waved off the deacon who approached to heal his wounds. Instead, he simply downed a potion and staggered out of the Challenge Center with his two companions.
Watching them leave, Wang Ye and the others finally let out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness His Excellency Su Chen held the line. Otherwise, who knows how arrogant those three would have been."
"Su Chen is truly far from simple."
On the main path, Liao Yunfan's grievous injuries drew plenty of stares, though the wounds were visibly and steadily healing.
After a long silence, Chen Hong finally spoke.
"His strength is too bizarre. The intensity of his ntal deterrence was sothing I could only barely withstand using my ntal resilience and defensive abilities."
"Furthermore, his defense, speed, raw power, and even his explosive bursts are completely flawless."
Xie Yufeng's words carried unavoidable awe. "Just how many special classes has he taken on to reach this level? It's no wonder he beca a Chosen on a barren planet. He truly is extraordinary."
After this battle, the two n had developed a grudging respect for Su Chen. Only Liao Yunfan remained utterly silent.
"Grandfather is unhard? And he's already on his way back?"
Qin Tianlin looked at Wen Jing standing before him, a look of joy washing over his face. Deep down, however, for so inexplicable reason, he felt a twinge of disappointnt.
"That's wonderful, that's wonderful," he repeated rapidly.
Wen Jing's expression, however, was far from pleasant. He gazed out the window into the distance. "Venerable Qin Yun is currently the only person who knows what happened inside the Lost Fla. The other sects and the Royal Court have already contacted us, hoping to learn what transpired."
"Then as long as Grandfather explains it clearly, won't it be fine?" Qin Tianlin couldn't help but ask. Wen Jing fell silent before replying, "That implies it's sothing that can be clearly explained."
Up until now, he hadn't heard a single word about what Qin Yun had actually said.
"Master is a Venerable, after all. As long as he returns, the Ancient King will naturally ensure his safety." Fan Zhao paced restlessly around the room. The Divine Son Heituo was scheduled to arrive in a few days, but with Qin Yun's sudden return, the resolve he had solidified long ago inevitably began to waver.
Within a bizarre and kaleidoscopic warp channel, a sleek, pitch-black shuttlecraft advanced steadily.
Inside the cabin, Chu Lingyuan sat with a cold, indifferent expression. Qin Yun lay flat inside an egg-shaped healing pod, pale green restorative fluid subrging him up to his collarbones. Over eighty percent of his skin was charred to a deep, dark brown.
"This is no longer just about you. If you can't clearly explain what exactly happened inside the Lost Fla, do you have any idea how much trouble this will bring to the sect?"
"I've already told you. I exhausted everything just to escape alive. Everyone else burned to death," Qin Yun stated, his expression deathly still.
"Is it really that simple?" Chu Lingyuan snapped unforgivingly. "I might believe you, and the Ancient King might believe you, but will the other sects believe you? Will the Royal Court believe you?"
"Are you completely oblivious to the sheer scale of the disaster this will unleash upon our sect?"
"So, what do you want to do? Kill myself?" Qin Yun glared at him coldly.
Chu Lingyuan crossed his arms and replied flatly, "It's not about what I want you to do. It's about what you plan to do."
"However, if I were in your shoes and things truly reached the point of no return, I would ensure I gave them a proper explanation."
"If you were in my shoes?" Qin Yun's tone was laced with distinct mockery, though he didn't elaborate further.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The rhythmic sound of forging iron rang out incessantly across the floating island, accompanied by wisps of smoke from the quenching process curling endlessly into the air.
Su Chen held up a broad-handled tal battle saber. It bore a dull, grayish-black hue and was covered in fine, flowing water-like forging patterns.
The blade was nearly a palm's width, tapering from the handguard into a vicious, lethal curve toward the tip.
"This saber has a thick spine and a razor-thin edge. The timing for both the forging and the quenching was handled to absolute perfection. It's truly extraordinary," Song Yang praised from the side.
Su Chen flicked the blade with a finger. The tal vibrated, emitting a continuous, sharp hum. He sighed helplessly. "If you guys are going to kiss up to , at least put so effort into it. You keep repeating the sa few lines."
" "
"Haha..." Song Yang and the others chuckled sheepishly. After interacting with Su Chen for a while, they realized this Star Lord didn't put on airs. There was no need to be overly formal when talking with him.
"By the way, none of you need to co by tomorrow," Su Chen added. "Actually, don't bother coming for the next week."
"No problem." Song Yang and the other two nodded in agreent before departing the floating island.
Glancing at the ti, Su Chen tidied up a bit before making his way to Wei Zhenghong's floating island.
These days, he never missed a single one of Old Wei's banquets.
"Star Seed Su..."
"Your Excellency..."
"Old Su..."
The mont he arrived at the banquet, everyone imdiately chid in to greet him. This was Su Chen's third ti attending, and he had already grown quite familiar with the vast majority of the guests.
During their conversations, quite a few people subtly probed for information about the Ancient King Stele, but Su Chen deflected them all with vague, noncommittal answers.
A full week had passed since the incident with the Ancient King Stele, making this his first public appearance since then.
"Old Su, did you hear? Those guys from the Xuantian Sect went to challenge your training projection. Two of them managed a draw, and one eked out a narrow victory," Chu Ran said, leaning in closely.
"Is that right?" Su Chen asked, mildly surprised. "A narrow victory? Who was it?"
Chu Ran answered, "A guy nad Liao Yunfan. He's an acknowledged candidate for one of the Xuantian Sect's Morning Star-tier classes and is currently competing with a few others for the title of Chosen. However, he's a Tier 5 professional."
"Tier 5?" Su Chen paused for a mont before rembering that he hadn't updated his training projection in a very long ti. The data on it was still from back when he first arrived at the Bronze Sect.
He had almost compared their results to his current strength. Shaking his head, he promptly tossed the matter to the back of his mind.
"Eking out a victory is still pretty impressive. At the very least, those Tier 5 subordinates under His Excellency Su Chen couldn't manage a win," soone nearby chid in.
"They are from the Xuantian Sect, after all, and they have the Xuantian Apparatus. That Liao Yunfan originally had a Star-Amber talent, so naturally, he's a cut above the rest. Which of the Tier 5s under His Excellency Su Chen possesses a talent of that caliber?"
"For us to use the Creation Bronze Core, we have to reach the top one hundred in the Sanctuary. Our advantage only truly shows up then. In other words, we only start gaining an edge at Tier 6."
Chu Ran grinned mischievously. "Thank goodness we had Su Chen this ti. Otherwise, those three guys from the Xuantian Sect would definitely be strutting around, parading their might in our faces."
Chu Ran wasn't just exaggerating for effect.
Among the Tier 5 professionals in the sect, likely no one could defeat those three from the Xuantian Sect. If they had truly been suppressed by outsiders, it would have been a massive loss of face.
But now, even if Liao Yunfan claid a narrow victory, Su Chen's training projection was only Tier 4. There was absolutely nothing for them to brag about. Naturally, they had remained silent and kept their heads down recently.
"Oh, Old Zhang is here!" Chu Ran suddenly called out. He hurried over and teased, "So, how does that Star-Amber-tier talent feel?"
The man furrowed his brows slightly, pretending to ponder deeply before giving a modest, reserved answer: "It's alright, I suppose."
"Alright, my ass," Chu Ran retorted, curling his lips in disdain.
The man burst into roaring laughter. This Zhang Heng was exactly the first person to use the Xuantian Apparatus. His original talent was Dual Profound Purple, but now his ntal talent had been elevated to the Star-Amber tier. The news had caused quite a stir over the past two days, and even Su Chen had caught wind of it.
Chu Ran was also in the queue, and it wouldn't be long before he got his turn with the Xuantian Apparatus.
Shen Yi'an and the others arrived shortly after. The group gathered in a circle, exchanging the latest news and gossip.
Jiang Mufeng wore a grave expression. "The Royal Court has already invited representatives from the five great sects to see if there's any way to awaken King Zhenyu."
"That's hardly an invitation," Su Chen remarked, shaking his head.
Wei Zhenghong snorted coldly. "It's a clear demonstration that they have no solution for King Zhenyu either. I'm afraid they're going to target us."
" "
Once the other sects confird that King Zhenyu truly wouldn't be waking up anyti soon, the only way to figure out what happened inside the Lost Fla would be to interrogate Qin Yun.
The Royal Court's move was a very swift reaction.
"What did Venerable Qin Yun have to say about it?" Chu Ran couldn't help but ask.
Shen Yi'an replied evenly, "I heard that the Venerable claims to know absolutely nothing."
"Knows absolutely nothing?" Wei Zhenghong's face darkened. "Who is he trying to fool? The Royal Court? The sects? The ones who vanished weren't ordinary professionals—they were Morning Star experts!"
"Every single one of them required massive amounts of resources and ti to cultivate. Does he honestly think he can brush this all away with a simple 'I don't know'?"
The group fell into a heavy silence. The matter regarding Qin Yun was gradually spreading, and the other sects were already making discreet inquiries.
Their current attitude remained polite and mild, but everyone present knew full well that this facade of politeness wouldn't last for long.
>
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