Chapter 143.2: Could They All Be the Same Person?

Three days later, a massive spirit ship cut across the sky, carrying four people aboard. Qi Yuan, Kang Fulu, Jiang Ya, and the elderly Nascent Soul woman accompanying her.

Since Jiang Ya would also be joining the Eastern Lands Prodigy Battle, they were basically headed in the same direction. Hence, Qi Yuan and Kang Fulu hitched a ride. Truly, Jiang Ya's spirit ship flew far faster than any ordinary one. A journey that normally took half a month now took only five or six days.

Standing on deck, Qi Yuan gazed down at the endless desert rolling beneath them. Pockets of blue ocean glimmered strangely amid the dunes.

His expression was full of curiosity. "A mix of desert and sea? How bizarre."

A boundless sweep of golden sand stretched to the horizon, yet here and there, scattered like fallen fragments, were glittering stretches of ocean. The desert and sea pressed right up against each other, creating a surreal patchwork landscape.

Jiang Ya opened her eyes at last.

"This phenomenon was caused by a battle between Yin Spirits. Above the Violet Palace realm, the clash grew too powerful, and the combatants slipped into the void world. This is a hollow plane where nothing exists, so their power won't harm mortals. But..." Her voice softened. "Every so often, pieces of the void world collapse and fall back into the world. This desert-sea mosaic is one such remnant."

Qi Yuan asked, "What if a Yin Spirit fights a Violet Palace cultivator? Do they still enter the void world?"

Jiang Ya’s eyes gleamed with ambition. "The Yin Spirit can defeat the Violet Palace with nothing more than Violet Palace-level power. What’s the point of going beyond that?"

The Yin Spirit realm was the lifelong pursuit of her master. After all, the world's restrictions no longer applied to those who stepped into it.

"But what if that Yin Spirit insists on using power beyond the Violet Palace realm?" Qi Yuan probed.

"Then the entire region will be dragged into the void world," Jiang Ya answered patiently, albeit a bit bemused by the question. The topic was far too early for a mere Core Formation cultivator.

"Dragged?" Qi Yuan's eyes narrowed. "Dragged in by the Heavenly Dao?"

If so, then Yin Spirits didn't seem all that impressive.

Jiang Ya glanced at him, faint surprise flickering in her eyes. "Yin Spirits also differ in strength, just as Heavenly Dao differs from world to world. A powerful Yin Spirit might be able to break past that restriction."

Qi Yuan nodded. "What a pity. If only I had used Canglan World's Heavenly Dao to build my foundation instead of the one from Moonwatch Continent. The former's obviously stronger."

Jiang Ya did not respond. She already knew from Jiang Lingsu that Qi Yuan was an Obsession cultivator. His head wasn't quite normal.

The spirit ship continued its rapid flight. Jiang Ya sank once more into her jade slip, brows drawn together in concentration.

Her master, Elder Wutian, had given a personal trial to each of his five direct disciples. Jiang Ya was assigned the Heaven-tier cultivation manual, Heartless Scripture. According to him, the technique contained several flaws. If she could find them and perfect the technique, she would earn the right to enter the Heavenly Ascension Pagoda, and assist him in a grand task. So far, only one of the five disciples had passed.

Despite spending day after day studying the manual, her progress was painfully slow. How was she supposed to revise the text, having only identified three flaws? As expected of a technique forged by Elder Wutian himself, it was far from ordinary.

Seeing her knitted eyebrows, Qi Yuan finally asked, "Senior Sister Jiang, did you run into some problem? You can tell me."

According to Jiang Lingsu, Jiang Ya was a direct disciple of the Pavilion Master of Heavenly Ascension Pavilion himself. On top of that, the pavilion amassed countless cultivation manuals—exactly what Qi Yuan lacked. Jiang Ya was practically a walking treasure vault, how could he not be tempted?

Thus, Qi Yuan enthusiastically assumed the role of the helpful passerby.

Sure, a licking dog had no house, but if I simped for all rich women instead of just one, wouldn't that make me a sea doglion?

[1]

Naturally, he was eager to please Jiang Ya.

Jiang Ya opened her eyes again. Her expression was gentle, yet Qi Yuan clearly sensed the polite refusal in her gaze.

"It's just a minor matter, no need to trouble you," she said.

Even a Violet Palace expert risked failing Elder Wutian’s test. And Qi Yuan? Coming from the Hundred Nations, he probably hadn’t even studied many Profound-tier techniques. How could he hope to understand the Heartless Scripture with such a shallow foundation?

As for Jiang Lingsu’s claim that Qi Yuan excelled at modifying techniques... Well, those "modifications" were absurd. Of course she wouldn't ask him for help.

Qi Yuan sighed inwardly. If only all rich ladies were as easy to flatter as his junior sister.

Days passed in boredom. Qi Yuan either skimmed through the techniques from Jiang Lingsu, or relentlessly badmouthed the Bright Palace in the Divine Flower Society's forum.

The Blood-Clothed Sword God had become a forum celebrity. Every post drew waves of praise, massively feeding his ego. Briefly, he even considered abandoning his main identity to roleplay as the Sword God full-time. He didn't, of course, but the thought was tempting.

Qiyuann Sovereign: Rogue Immortal, just a few more days and I'll reach Cloud City. When will you arrive? Let's meet up!

Rogue Immortal: I will be late. My senior brother will also be there. He is coming from outside the Cuiyun Continent, so it will take some time.

𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Qiyuann Sovereign: What great expert is your senior brother? A mighty Immortal?

Rogue Immortal: No, no.

Qi Yuan followed up with the necessary flattery. Rogue Immortal had flattered him so many times, it was only right to return the favor. Otherwise, who would hype Qi Yuan up when he boasted in the group?

Qiyuann Sovereign: Looks like he's still not as impressive as you.

Meanwhile, in the Eastern Lands' Thunderwalk Continent, Rogue Immortal sat aboard his own spirit boat, feeling helpless as he read Qi Yuan's compliments.

Rogue Immortal: I'm just a small fry... My senior brother is ranked within the top 300 on the Eastern Lands Prodigy List. I

am

nothing compared to him.

Qiyuann Sovereign: Top 300? That's weak. He can't compare to a single hair on you.

Qi Yuan typed that rather proudly. With Jiang Ya, ranked seventeenth, sitting beside him, he felt as if he were also ranked seventeenth. His tone carried an effortless arrogance.

Rogue Immortal: :')

At that moment, a tall man in green robes approached Rogue Immortal. His slanted eyes gave him a stern, unapproachable look. "Junior Brother, in ten days we'll reach the Cuiyun Continent. Remember to put aside any personal grudges you have. We must pay our respects to the Bright Palace's young lord, Huang Tu."

Rogue Immortal hesitated. "Senior Brother... I'm a member of the Divine Flower Society. We're clashing with the Bright Palace right now. I'd better not go."

After all, Qiyuann Sovereign was currently at war with the Bright Palace. As one of the Four Divine Flower Emperors, he couldn't contribute in strength, but he could at least side with his own faction.

"

Hmph

." The man snorted. "The Cuiyun Continent is the Bright Palace's territory. How can we not establish ties with their elites? This is a rare chance to expand your network! And what great conflict? That Blood-Clothed Sword God is a mere Violet Palace provocator. He's asking for death."

Rogue Immortal winced. "Senior Brother, I already promised a friend I'd meet him."

The man frowned. "If I remember correctly, that friend of yours hasn't even made it onto the official Prodigy Ranking."

"He is strong!" Rogue Immortal insisted, defending Qi Yuan.

"How about this, bring your friend along when we pay our respects to Huang Tu," the man said generously.

"Absolutely not!" Rogue Immortal blurted out.

Qiyuann Sovereign and the Bright Palace were mortal enemies! If they dragged Qi Yuan to meet Huang Tu, who knew what disaster would erupt?

1. This is a word play on internet slang. 舔狗 literally means "licking dog," slang for someone who

grovels or fawns over someone they like

, doing everything for them even if they get nothing in return — basically, a hopeless simp. When Qi Yuan says he will enthusiastically flatter all the rich women, then he promotes into a sea lion.海狗 ☜