Chapter 435 – Marriage Matters

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“Lin Ming, inform the fellow Elders of just what you experienced when you entered into the Divine Phoenix Mystic Realm.” Mu Yuhuang gently said as she played with the jade slip in her hands.

Mu Yuhuang was in an exceedingly good mood. Originally, Lin Ming’s background had been a major problem. But now, after Lin Ming took out this jade slip and gave it to her, no one could question anything about Lin Ming anymore.

If his background was questioned, one would first have to contrast just who had a greater contribution towards Divine Phoenix Island.

“Yes.” Lin Ming nodded. There was no point in hiding anything that he had experienced within the Divine Phoenix Mystic Realm. He might as well tell these fellows. After all, they could only look, and couldn’t obtain anything from it.

Lin Ming reiterated his entire experience from when he first entered all the way to the complete process of the final general level smelting trial to these Elders.

The 10 month-long experience as well as the six different smelting trials, Lin Ming told these Elders everything besides the fact that he had obtained the blood of the Ancient Phoenix.

After the Elders listened to Lin Ming’s story, they all fell into silence.

There was a general level smelting trial? As well as a king level smelting trial?

That meant that the smelting trial they had participated in before was just for little ground soldiers!

All of the Elders present were characters who could stamp their feet and cause huge waves within the entire Divine Phoenix Province. But now, if they were placed with the Ancient Phoenix Clan, they were actually just… little soldiers!

This was difficult for them to psychologically accept.

After Divine Phoenix Island had obtained the Divine Phoenix Mystic Realm, it was like obtaining a massive hidden treasure. However, they now knew that whatever they had uncovered was just an insignificant little portion. If the rewards for completing the general level smelting trial were so luxurious, then what would it be like for the king level smelting trial?

It was unimaginable!

“The six smelting trials, how difficult were they?” An Elder couldn’t help but ask. Her grandson was already 12 years old. Although he hadn’t yet been announced as a direct disciple, he was surpassingly talented. Perhaps… perhaps he might too have the chance to participate in the general level smelting trial?

Although they knew the chances were low, people always harbored a bit of hope.

Lin Ming said, “When I faced the last and final sixth smelting trial, my opponent was equal to a martial artist with an extreme Xiantian cultivation. Not just that, but a powerhouse within the extreme Xiantian realm that was not considered weak. At that time, my cultivation was at the late Houtian realm.”

“A late Houtian realm martial artist facing off against an extreme Xiantian master!”

The old woman Elder sighed, a bit depressed. To cross such a large gap in battle and succeed, she thought about it and then directly eliminated this idea.

“Lin Ming, you said that there was also a king level smelting trial?” Mu Yuhuang asked.

“Mm, yes. If one can complete the king level smelting trial, it is possible to obtain the complete ‘Vermillion Bird Forbidden Divine Chronicle’.”

“Then will you be able to enter next time?” Mu Yuhuang had a very eager expression. Every disciple was able to enter the Divine Phoenix Mystic Realm two times, but Lin Ming had only gone in once.

Lin Ming shook his head, “My chances aren’t too great.”

When he had left the Divine Phoenix Mystic Realm, he had asked the Palace Spirit about the rules for the king level smelting trial. The age limitation was a bit more loose; one could enter as long as they hadn’t reached 30 years of age. However, his bloodline concentration just wasn’t high enough.

As for the ninth layer of the ‘Vermillion Bird Forbidden Divine Chronicle’, that didn’t really hold much meaning to the Elders present. One needed the bloodline of the Ancient Phoenix in order to cultivate that final layer. Even if it were Lin Ming, he would still be unqualified to practice it.

Let alone the ninth layer, even if it were the eighth layer or seventh layer, the Elders wouldn’t bother with practicing it. To them, the sixth layer was already more than enough. If it wasn’t for the fact that a jade slip couldn’t be cut or duplicated, Lin Ming wouldn’t have even bothered to take out the last two layers of the cultivation method.

“Everyone, the contents of this current Council of Elders meeting is very important. Everyone will have to ensure that they closely guard the secrets from today. Before we leave, I’ll have to bother everyone…” Mu Yuhuang took out a scroll from her spatial ring. This scroll was crimson colored, and looked as if it had been dyed red from blood.

“It’s not that I do not trust everyone here, but the stakes are simply too high. If news of the eight layers of the ‘Vermillion Bird Forbidden Divine Chronicle’ were to leak out, then Divine Phoenix Island would suffer an irreparable disaster. Everyone, please sign your name on this scroll.”

The crimson scroll that Mu Yuhuang had taken out was a form of a bloodstain contract. It was a contract based upon bloodline foundations. All of the Elders present were direct descendants of Divine Phoenix Island, and had either the bloodline of the Vermillion Bird or the Blue Luan, so they would be restricted after they signed this contract.

If they dared to violate the conditions of this contract, their bloodline would be obliterated. Of everyone present, their cultivation used either the Vermillion Bird or Blue Luan bloodline as the foundation. If their bloodline were to vanish, they would lose their cultivation method and everything else that came with it.

This scroll was created by the founder of Divine Phoenix Island. Thus, only her descendants would be restricted by this. As for those others that had the bloodline implanted they wouldn’t be affected. This was also a reason why the Elders who shared the same last name excluded those who didn’t.

As the Great Elder saw this bloodstain contract, his lips twitched. In truth, this bloodstain contract had been prepared for him. When Mu Yuhuang had spoken, she was mentioning that she didn’t trust him.

In order to break out of the limits set by this bloodstain contract, one needed to have a cultivation at the extreme Revolving Core realm. However, of all the Elders present, no one had a hope to reach that realm besides Mu Yuhuang. As for the others, no one dared to even think of it.

Unless they were able to meditate and understand the last three layers of the ‘Vermillion Bird Forbidden Divine Chronicle’, and make their breakthrough with that. However, that jade slip was now in Mu Yuhuang’s hand, and she controlled the power!

Thinking of this, Mu Chihuo clenched his fists, his expression becoming increasingly gloomy.

Mu Yuhuang was the first one to cut her palm and write her own name down on the bloodstain contract.

As the characters ‘Mu Yuhuang’ were written onto the bloodstain contract, it strangely began to burn. After several breaths of time, a Vermillion Bird design appeared on top of the bloodstain contract. Within the image of the Vermillion Bird was the sealed character of ‘Mu’.

Then, Mu Qianyu also calmly wrote down her name.

Then it was Mu Chihuo’s turn.

“Great Elder, if you may!” Mu Yuhuang coldly said.

Mu Chihuo coldly snorted, cut his finger with his nail, and waved his sleeves as he signed his own name down.

After Mu Chihuo, the Second Elder and Third Elder signed their names one after the other on the bloodstain contract. If anyone leaked information about the last three layers of the ‘Vermillion Bird Forbidden Divine Chronicle’ in any way whatsoever, the curse of the bloodstain contract would attack them, and their bloodline would melt away along with their cultivation.

Finally, the only one who hadn’t signed their name was Lin Ming. Even if he signed it, it still wouldn’t work. Also, he had no reason to spread this news, as he was the one who had taken this jade slip out from the Divine Phoenix Mystic Realm.

“I apologize for hassling everyone.” Mu Yuhuang swept up the bloodstain contract and calmly put it away. “Now, we shall discuss the war with the South Sea Demon Region that has been occurring for the past several months!”

As Mu Yuhuang spoke, a flame lit in front of her; it was a sound transmitting talisman.

As Mu Yuhuang heard this message, her heart stirred. “Yu’er, Lin Ming, the High Ancestor wishes to see you two. You may leave now.”

Mu Qianyu’s heart jumped, Mu Fengxian wanted to see her?

She didn’t know why, but her heart suddenly thought of a possibility. It shouldn’t be…

“Mm, alright.”

Lin Ming turned to leave, departing together with Mu Qianyu.

For the entire time on the way over, Mu Qianyu felt butterflies fluttering in her stomach. Finally, they arrived at the end of a bamboo grove trail where the Emerald Bamboo Pavilion was located. This was where Mu Fengxian lived in seclusion.

“Lin Ming, come in.”

“Yes, Master Ancestor.”

This was the second time that Lin Ming had stepped foot into Mu Fengxian’s residence.

The simple arrangement inside the bamboo house hadn’t changed since he had last been here. There were several plan wicker chairs and also a wooden table. As he walked in, he could hear his footsteps causing the bamboo floor to creak.

As Lin Ming entered the residence, Mu Fengxian didn’t speak. She only smiled as she looked at Lin Ming. Like this, around half an incense stick of time passed.

Finally, Lin Ming wasn’t able to stand it. He tentatively asked, “Master Ancestor… what is the matter that you wanted me for?”

Mu Fengxian laughed, “I’ve heard the content of the meeting already.”

Creating a short distance sound transmission array with the meeting room of the Council of Elders and synchronizing it so that it could be heard was very easy.

Although Mu Fengxian had slowly faded away from managing the matters of Divine Phoenix Island, if there was a meeting that involved significant matters of the Divine Phoenix Mystic Realm, she would still be concerned about that.

“This time you have brought back the first eight layers of the ‘Vermillion Bird Forbidden Divine Chronicle’ cultivation method. To my Divine Phoenix Island, that is simply a great graciousness!”

“Master Ancestor is too kind.” Lin Ming’s attitude was very polite and low-key. If someone treated him with courtesy, then he would return it. However, if someone tried to suppress him, he wouldn’t object to brutally slapping them back in the face.

Mu Fengxian smiled. She continued, “Lin Ming, this time when you entered the Divine Phoenix Mystic Realm, was the only reward you obtained the first eight layers of the ‘Vermillion Bird Forbidden Divine Chronicle’ cultivation method?”

As Mu Fengxian spoke, her eyes shifted towards the light flame mark between Lin Ming’s eyebrows. As soon as he had entered the room a moment ago, Mu Fengxian had been able to feel the energy of a very pure and powerful ancient bloodline coming from Lin Ming’s body.

But, this sort of energy was obviously different from the bloodline of the Vermillion Bird. Before Lin Ming had entered the Divine Phoenix Mystic Realm, he didn’t have this aura.

Lin Ming hesitated for a moment and then nodded, “When I went into the Divine Phoenix Mystic Realm, I managed to obtain a bloodline through a stroke of luck.”

“I see.” Mu Fengxian’s eyes lit up and her heart immediately filled with emotion. Lin Ming’s rise was now unstoppable. As long as he didn’t fall, he would absolutely become an Emperor level powerhouse!

But, she just didn’t know if Divine Phoenix Island had the destiny to follow him and become a Holy Land!

“Lin Ming, this old woman has a question to ask you. You must answer me truthfully.” Mu Fengxian’s voice was suddenly serious.

“Master Ancestor, please ask.”

“The truth is that I had this idea a while ago. It’s just that you are too young so I had placed it aside for the moment. But now, I think it’s best for both of us if we can clarify this matter as soon as possible in order to avoid any future misunderstandings or accidents, instead resulting in one of us outplaying ourselves…” As Mu Fengxian spoke, she looked Lin Ming deep in the eyes, and slowly and clearly said, “I want to ask you, are you willing to marry Qianyu and take her as your wife?”

Every single word of My Fengxian’s final sentence was clearly articulated. As Lin Ming heard this, he became petrified; marry Qianyu and take her as his wife?

“It’s not too late for a martial artist to be married even when they are 100 years old. I don’t need you to answer me now, I just wanted to ask you this question earlier so this issue doesn’t drag on for too long and give birth to misunderstandings.” Mu Fengxian watched Lin Ming’s expression as she slowly spoke. To her, this matter of marriage was extremely significant.

Lin Ming’s status was becoming increasingly important. However, Lin Ming was not from the Mu Family. Even Mu Fengxian, who favored Lin Ming, was concerned about this point. After all, Lin Ming had joined Divine Phoenix Island just over a year ago. Although he had a very upstanding and kind moral character, she didn’t know just how much of a sense of belonging Lin Ming felt towards Divine Phoenix Island.