The Xuan Clan elders in the shadows all fell silent.

“Caini has given her approval. Do we still…” someone finally raised a question a long time later.

“If Heavenly Emperor Shi knows we let him in as a guest, there will be a storm to face.”

“The Xuan Clan is not afraid to get on Heavenly Emperor Shi’s bad side. The question is, is it worth doing so for an outsider?”

A debate started among these old experts.

Every single long-standing clan, when faced with a tricky matter, would always first consider their clan's interests.

“If he isn't worth us doing it, then who else in this nebula is?” a murky and low voice suddenly rang out, drowning out all other voices. “Now, let me ask you all again, what kind of identity does this Lin Xun hold?”

The question caused all the Xuan Clan elders to fall silent again.

Upon carefully considering the answer, their hearts couldn't help but jump in fright.

Lin Xun's identity was indeed too uncomplicated!

He was a disciple of Fangchun Mountain. He was the heir to Sword Emperor Taixuan, Sword Exalt Zhukong, and Battle Emperor Mo Yang. He was also the first person to have set foot on the Supreme Emperor path in the last one hundred thousand years, and the only cultivator who had captured the fortune of Eternal Supremacy in history…

It was incredible in itself that all those halos had gathered on one young man.

The murky voice sounded once again, ''Don't forget that Xuan Kong…is his senior brother! Have you all forgotten how Xuan Kong died?”

Xuan Kong!

The other Xuan Clan elders became even more silent.

“From now on, whoever dares to reject and ostracize this young man will be a sinner of the Xuan Clan!”

The murky voice then disappeared, but the Xuan Clan elders were unable to calm down after hearing that final decision.

They knew clearly that from today onward, their clan would offend Heavenly Emperor Shi for the sake of Lin Daoyuan if they had to!

……

At Divine Xuan Mountain Range.

Following Xuan Jiuyin, Lin Xun’s trio finally reached this place that was the core of the Xuan Clan's founding ground.

The ancient mountains were steaming with chaos qi, with a long row of buildings lined up along them. Everywhere on the road forward were big old trees firmly rooted in the soil, clusters of precious herbs, and divine birds and beasts.

Even the maidservants and guards seen along the way possessed amazing cultivation attainments.

As far as the eye could see, everything on the Divine Xuan Mountain Range seemed to be silently describing to the world the depth of a very ancient Imperial Clan!

Even Big Yellow clicked its tongue in marvels, “If one is born here, then spends day and night breathing this chaos qi, practicing supreme heritage arts, and feeding on top-grade spirit food, then what’s there to worry about one’s progress on cultivation? The descendants of the Xuan Clan are all born into this world with a natural advantage over the majority of their peers!”

Xuan Jiuyin grinned. “This is all thanks to our ancestors’ blessings. Everyone says to me, ‘What’s so special about you, Xuan Jiuyin, besides the fact that you are a descendant of the Xuan Clan?’ I have always wanted to tell them that they are right! My clan…has always been this formidable.”

“Braggart!” spat Big Yellow. “On the path of cultivation, one can have all the necessary resources and still won’t go far, all because they lack a heart that’s capable of holding the dao.”

Xuan Jiuyin chuckled, “I don't belong to this category, apparently. In fact, the reason why my clan can stand tall to this day is that we never tolerate trash. To grow and rise, the young’uns will have to undergo brutal tests and training. If every member sits on their asses and survives off what our ancestors left for us, then the Xuan Clan would have run itself into the ground long ago.”

Lin Xun greatly approved of this.

In order to stand through time, any old power would spend great effort to cultivate the next generations. Only then could their flame be passed down forever.

Did they have spoiled, overbearing brats?

Yes, they did!

However, those spoiled brats also needed to have high cultivation. Their arrogant attitude was only related to their nature.

As the group chatted, they arrived at an ancient, towering building on the edge of a cliff where auspicious clouds and chaos qi converged. The building emanated a sacred, solemn aura.

Xuan Shangchen, the head of the Xuan Clan, had been waiting in front of the main gate.

He stood there casually, and his towering figure gave off a strong, domineering air. He was like a sovereign whose might encompassed the eight wastelands and reigned over the world.

This was Xuan Shangchen, who was regarded by the Ancient Nebula Road as its fiercest expert in the Emperor Stage!

“Emperor Daoyuan, Roaring Battle Emperor, and esteemed young miss, you have finally come. I am pleased to meet you all!” Xuan Shangchen smiled broadly, going up to greet Lin Xun’s group as soon as he spotted them.

“Greetings, Senior.” Lin Xun cupped his fist. Although this was the first time they had met face to face, he had long carved the other party’s name into his memory.

Xuan Shangchen was the only person that Lin Xun knew to have attended the trials in the Omega Secret-Realm, and had been just one step away from pushing open the Omega Door.[1]

His name was also present on the Fengshan Platform in the Kunlun Dominion, to be remembered for generations to come as it hung high at the ninety thousand feet benchmark![2]

He was Xuan Jiuyin's father, the leader of the Xuan Clan, and on top of that, he was the nebula-renowned Great Emperor Xuanyan!

“Haha, you and I are peers now that you have become an Emperor, so don’t act like a junior in front of me. Since you are Lil’ Jiu’s friend, you can call me ‘uncle.’” Xuan Shangchen stepped closer and looked Lin Xun up and down, then patted him on the shoulder. “Truly impressive, as expected of Lin Daoyuan who’s shaken the nebula with his might!”

With that, he turned to Big Yellow and laughed, “Long time no see, Big Yellow. Do you really have no intention of using your human form at all?”

Big Yellow said disdainfully, “I am who I am, and proudly so no matter what I do, so why should I cover myself up with a skin bag?”

“Great! Everything is nothing, only the great dao is reality.” Xuan Shangchen gave the dog a thumbs-up, then looked at Xia Zhi. “And you must be the legendary expert who slayed many starry sky beasts in the Nirvana of Transcendence by herself.”

“She is Xia Zhi.” Lin Xun introduced.

“Not bad, not bad at all.” Xuan Shangchen laughed. There was a strange gleam in his eyes as he detected a mysterious aura on Xia Zhi, but he didn’t say anything about it.

“Follow me. Let’s talk inside.”

Xuan Shangchen then led Lin Xun’s party into the main hall. After everyone was seated, a line of attendants brought in tea, wine, and snacks, all of which were precious goods that were hard to find in the outside world.

After exchanging pleasantries for a while, Xuan Jiuyin led Big Yellow and Xia Zhi away, leaving Xuan Shangchen and Lin Xun in the hall.

Xuan Shangchen looked at Lin Xun, “I invited you here mainly because I was entrusted with passing something to you.”

Saying that, he took out a bronze box from his bosom and handed it to Lin Xun. The box was three feet long and densely branded with runes.

Accepting the box, Lin Xun briefly inspected it. A familiar feeling surged up in his heart, and he blurted out, “Was this left by Mister Lu?”

Xuan Shangchen nodded, “Indeed.”

Lin Xun grew excited. “Where is he?”

Xuan Shangchen pointed at the bronze box. “This box is your clue.”

Lin Xun's gaze fell back on the box. He perceived at least ten thousand runes on its surface!

Moreover, the seals were interlocked and connected, so touching one of them would trigger an effect similar to ‘pull one hair and the whole body moves.’

Even with Lin Xun's current skills in runes, he found this to be a tough challenge!

Xuan Shangchen said, “All Lu Boya told me was that the box contained something your mother left behind. Also, if you open it within a hundred years or less, you can look for her, but if you can't, make sure to destroy this box.”

Lin Xun frowned. “Could this be a test?”

Xuan Shangchen nodded. “And a very important one at that. As far as I can see, Lu Boya had a very good reason to do so, since it’s impossible that he would want to deliberately make things difficult for you.”

Lin Xun stared at the mysterious box in a daze. “I just can’t think of why it would be a period of one hundred years. Will something bad happen if I can't open this box?”

Xuan Shangchen shook his head. “That would be beyond my ability to speculate, but in my opinion, it’s best if you strove to open it within a hundred years.”

Lin Xun inhaled deeply and nodded seriously. Then suddenly, he noticed that something was off and asked, “Senior, you know Mister Lu?”

Xuan Shangchen couldn't help but smile, “If it wasn't for Lu Boya, then how would I have had the chance to appreciate the nine trials of the Great Azure Cloud Path?”

After a pause, he continued, “This ‘Mister Lu’ of yours is no simple character, coming from the other side of the cosmos and controlling a mysterious power that doesn't belong to this world. When I first met him, I was only a young man who hadn't become an Emperor... No, I wasn’t even a Saint yet then…”

Lin Xun was curious. “How did you guys meet?”

Xuan Shangchen chuckled, “In the early primeval area, our founding ancestor crossed the stars to the other side of the cosmos and hadn’t returned after a very long time. Lu Boya, with the signature sword of our founding ancestor in hands, came to our clan saying that he was being hunted, and asked us to send him to a place.”

Lin Xun couldn't help but ask, “Where?”

Xuan Shangchen replied, “The Return Dominion.”

Lin Xun instantly connected the dots.

Mister Lu must have wanted to travel there to seek out the Master of Fangchun Mountain.

After all, Master is the only existence who was able to scare Omega Lord Luo Tongtian into retreating!

Perhaps Mister Lu thought that with the help of Master, he might be able to deal with the people who had chased him all the way from the other side of the cosmos!

Him having the token of the Xuan Clan's founding ancestor was certainly proof that they had formed some kind of relationship on the other side of the cosmos, a close relationship at that.

Otherwise, why would the Xuan Clan’s founding ancestor risk offending the Luo Clan, a giant on the other side of the cosmos, by giving his signature sword to Mister Lu?

Lin Xun also finally understood why Xuan Shangchen had been able to enter the Omega Secret-Realm and take the trials.

Xuan Shangchen could not hold back voicing his doubt, “Nephew, dare I ask if you have opened the Omega Door?”

Lin Xun nodded as there was no need to hide this.

Xuan Shangchen immediately wore a bitter smile. “Sure enough, only someone with the Luo Clan’s bloodline can push open that door. No, to be precise, only someone who carries the complete Grand Abyss Heaven Devourer can do that.”

From what he knew, carrying the Luo Clan’s bloodline was one thing, but whether one could awaken the full Grand Abyss Heaven Devourer innate talent was another!

𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

1. See chapter 1664 for when it was mentioned ☜

2. See chapter 1764 for when it was mentioned ☜