NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 319: A Decade of Earth-Shattering Change
Chapter 319: A Decade of Earth-Shattering Change
As the disputes between the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands faction and the Divine Thunder Sect faction gradually subsided, a trickle of adventurers began arriving in Wuguang City and started rebuilding amidst the ruins. These adventurers were all below the Origin Tracing Realm, posing no threat whatsoever to Xu Lian’s monopoly over Origin Tracing Light in Wuguang City. Thus, he paid no mind to them.
The resilience of the low-level cultivators was remarkable, much like wild grass-wherever there was fertile soil, they would grow; like water, they would seep into any available space. The world was driven by profit, and these adventurers had traveled thousands of miles to Wuguang City to spontaneously rebuild it. This resurgence was closely related to Wuguang City’s strategic location.
Wuguang City bordered Skyfall Forest and served as the gateway to this vast wilderness. The Skyfall Forest contained countless exotic animals, rare birds, and various medicinal herbs. As long as there was profit to be made, Wuguang City would never disappear from the map.
Among these adventurers, there were hunters, herbalists, and opportunists seeking other benefits. Some young men and women knelt before the makeshift wooden city lord’s residence that Xu Lian had constructed, pleading for him-the renowned “Senior Xu”-to take them as disciples. Each expressed unwavering determination, vowing to kneel indefinitely if their request was denied.
Even though they knew that Senior Xu had only been cultivating for a mere century and was unlikely to take on disciples, the slim chance of success was enough to fuel their hopes. Imagine being a direct disciple of the Nine Heavenly Holy Son, protected by divine laws, and a top-tier cultivator at the eighth stage of Origin Tracing! Ordinary cultivators rarely encountered powerhouses, let alone those at the pinnacle of the Origin Tracing Realm. Only in places like Wuguang City, which was rich in Origin Tracing Light, could one hope to meet such figures. If given the opportunity, wasn’t there always a glimmer of hope?
There was never a shortage of dreamers in the world.
Aside from the aspiring disciples, there were also a few self-proclaimed beauties who lingered around the humble city lord’s residence, hoping for a romantic encounter with Xu Lian. After all, wouldn’t that elevate them from sparrows to phoenixes?
Xu Lian paid no heed to them. Among the young aspirants, there were indeed one or two promising talents, and among the women, there were certainly one or two with striking beauty. Xu Lian, however, adhered to his own set of principles.
His principle was simple: weigh the pros and cons. If the benefits outweighed the drawbacks, then he would act. If not, he wouldn’t.
In his earlier days, when he was unknown, acting casually posed little risk – after all, no one had reason to harm him. But now, as his fame spread across the land, every person approaching him warranted caution and distance. What if they were spies sent by the Divine Thunder Sect, the Dark Moon Holy Land, or the Fuyao Holy Land? Such possibilities couldn’t be ruled out.
Thus, the saying “fame brings danger” rang true.
In reality, these young men and women didn’t know that Xu Lian didn’t even live in the city lord’s residence. Every time he obtained the Origin Tracing Light in Wuguang City, he would retreat to the Divine Race Ancestral Grounds for a period of time, a habit of his.
He had already entrusted the management of his grown children, who were now married and raising families, to others. However, 145 years ago, Huo Xin’er, Jiang Xianyu, Jing Se, Yu Qingyao, Dou Qianxue, and Tao Qian-women with strong bloodlines-had conceived eight new children for him. Now thirteen or fourteen years old, these children had yet to meet their father. He needed to return to fulfill his responsibilities as a father.
And, of course, he had to spend quality time with his wives and concubines to maintain their affection.
“Originally, I had thirty-three progression points. Now it’s climbed to forty-one – more than I can use… far more than I’ll ever need.”
After spending three years in the Divine Race Ancestral Grounds, Xu Lian returned to Wuguang City to continue waiting for the Origin Tracing Light.
He still needed 150 beams of Origin Tracing Light to gather the materials required to advance to the ninth stage of Origin Tracing. Even if he sold the fifty luminous treasures to the Shui family in exchange for seventy beams of Origin Tracing Light, he would still fall short by eighty beams.
Given that Wuguang City produced one beam of Origin Tracing Light every ten years, he would need to wait eight hundred years to ascend to the ninth stage.
“Eight hundred years… eight hundred years.”
Xu Lian felt worried. For other Origin Tracing Realm cultivators, eight hundred years wasn’t much-they could easily pass centuries in secluded cultivation. But for Xu Lian, who didn’t need to cultivate, eight hundred years felt endless.
“Waiting eight hundred years in Wuguang City is like being imprisoned for eight hundred years… Who could endure that?”
Xu Lian decided that he needed to find something to occupy himself with. Otherwise, idling away for eight hundred years would drive him crazy.
And so, he brought Pei Zhaoxi to Wuguang City.
With “Big Chili Pepper” by his side, life became more flavorful once more.
Moreover, he resolved to rotate his companions every ten years to ensure fairness. His nights were busy.
During the day, Xu Lian took on the role of city magistrate of Wuguang City, maintaining order. He intervened in cases of robbery and oppression, and occasionally, when the mood struck, he presided over court sessions, solving peculiar and unjust cases.
Under his diligent governance, Wuguang City was transformed into a “City of Light” within just a few years. Though not to the extent of leaving doors unlocked at night or valuables unattended, everyone knew that the city was ruled by a just and powerful ruler who despised evil. With his immense strength and influential background, when the city lord declared, “Let there be light,” there was light-who dared oppose him?
One winter, Wuguang City was covered by a heavy snowfall. The streets and alleys were covered in pristine white, and the Skyfall Forest appeared as an endless expanse of snow.
Inside the newly expanded and magnificent city lord’s residence, the warm pavilion crackled with glowing embers. Xu Lian lazily lounged on a luxurious couch, while Lin Ying sat half-kneeling beside the tea table, her delicate face adorned with a flattering smile as she brewed tea for him.
It had been ten years since Pei Zhaoxi had returned to the Divine Race Ancestral Grounds for cultivation. According to the rotation schedule, it should have been Lin Wan’s turn to come to Wuguang City. However, Lin Wan, being soft-hearted, had yielded her spot to Lin Ying after some persuasion.
So Xu Lian brought Lin Ying to Wuguang City.
“Husband, please have some tea.”
Lin Ying carefully poured a cup, filling it eight-tenths full, and presented it to Xu Lian with both hands.
“Mm,” Xu Lian acknowledged, taking the cup and sipping leisurely.
A century-old grudge between them had long since dissipated. Since becoming close, Lin Ying had proven herself to be flawless – completely obedient and submissive. If Xu Lian asked her to move to the left, she would never consider moving to the right.
Such women suited him well. Their ingrained belief in the survival of the fittest ensured that they never acted petulantly, but instead devoted themselves entirely to pleasing him.
“How are things at home?” Xu Lian asked casually after finishing his tea.
Lin Ying smiled. “Husband, rest assured. I’ve been strict, and our children and grandchildren are all well-behaved. They’ve settled down, marrying into prominent families of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands’ elder lineages.”
This made Xu Lian feel nostalgic. He was deeply intertwined with the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands-many of its powerful elders were now his “in-laws”.
Lin Ying’s tone shifted slightly as she sighed. “However, my brother Chengyu isn’t doing well. Limited by his cultivation aptitude, his progress has been slow, and his lifespan is nearing its end – he’s grown old.”
Lin Chengyu? Xu Lian understood her implication. She wanted to extend her brother’s life with a Longevity Elixir.
After some thought, Xu Lian replied, “In principle, longevity elixirs are for personal use, not for family members. If we make an exception, others will demand the same. I can’t possibly collect all the longevity elixirs in the world – I don’t have that kind of power.
“But Chengyu has known me for a long time. Our relationship is like a friendship. Granting him a longevity elixir… I suppose it’s acceptable.”
Lin Ying beamed with joy. “Thank you, husband!”
Truth be told, Xu Lian had already made an exception for Wang Cuiyun once. Not only had she not aged over the past century, but she had also grown younger. This secret hadn’t escaped the notice of the other women, though Wang Cuiyun’s “special status” kept them silent.
As the cold winter days passed, Xu Lian and Lin Ying rarely ventured outside, enjoying months of marital bliss inside the city lord’s residence – it was quite pleasant.
Just as spring was approaching, the token given to Xu Lian by the Heavenly Mystic Holy Lord suddenly activated.
Xu Lian connected the transmission. “Father-in-law, what’s going on?”
The voice of the Heavenly Mystic Holy Lord was grave. “The old Supreme Being is nearing the end of his Dao transformation and will ascend soon. The Divine Thunder Sect, the Dark Moon Holy Land, and the Fuyao Holy Land may seize this opportunity to challenge the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands. It’s dangerous for you to stay in Wuguang City alone. Return immediately.”
Xu Lian’s expression hardened. With a wave of his hand, he instantly transported Lin Ying and himself back to the Divine Race Ancestral Grounds.
“Issue my order: recall all descendants currently training outside immediately.”
He issued the order without delay.
The women who were deep in cultivation were confused. Pei Zhaoxi rushed over and asked, “Husband, what’s wrong? Has something happened?”
Xu Lian spoke quietly. “The old Supreme Being is about to undergo Dao transformation.”
The women’s faces paled. They weren’t fools. Without a Supreme Being, the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands would be vulnerable. The Divine Thunder Sect, the Dark Moon Holy Land, and the Fuyao Holy Land would undoubtedly take action, leaving their descendants unprotected.
One by one, the women took out their sound transmission talismans and urgently contacted their descendants to return to the ancestral grounds.
Xu Lian traversed space and arrived at the Heavenly Mystic Sacred Land. Although his eighth-stage cultivation offered little assistance, as the Nine Heavenly Holy Son, he had to be present. Hiding in the ancestral land wouldn’t be enough.
The atmosphere in the Heavenly Mystic Sacred Land was grim. From the elders to the disciples, everyone was weighed down with worry. The Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands faced an unprecedented crisis.
At this critical time, the new Supreme Being had not yet appeared, and the old one was ascending. The absence of a Supreme Being left the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands in an awkward position, a situation never before seen in its history.
While smaller factions could endure brief periods without a Supreme Being, the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands was an amalgamation of nine top-tier powers. Its vast resources, abundant exclusive cultivation zones, and comprehensive array of controlled cultivation materials made it a target for covetous eyes. Without a Supreme Being to guard it, disaster loomed.
The Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands could not afford to lack a Supreme Being!
“Why hasn’t the Goddess of Time come?”
“Even though she has severed ties with the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands, she remains one of us. Didn’t she say that she’d intervene if the sect faced trouble?”
Upon hearing of Xu Lian’s arrival, the elders flocked to him, their eyes filled with hope, urging him to summon the Goddess of Time.
Xu Lian reassured them. “Elders, do not worry. If any malicious forces dare to attack the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands, O will not stand idly by. She is watching over us now.”
The elders breathed a sigh of relief.
Xu Lian inquired, “Have the Blazing Flame Sect and the Divine Flower Palace been informed?”
The Grand Elder replied, “We have contacted them immediately. The supreme beings of both sects have pledged their support.”
Xu Lian nodded. “Our cultivation level limits what we can do. We have to focus on what’s within our power. The rest is out of our control.”
The Elders shared his helplessness. Beneath the Supreme Beings, they were all ants. In this situation, even ordinary Sages were powerless spectators.
Although the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands boasted numerous mid-tier powerhouses-including Elders from the Nine Sacred Lands, Holy Sons and Holy Maidens who had cultivated for millennia, and Nine Heaven Holy Sons and Holy Maidens -these forces served primarily to nurture future high-tier powerhouses. Until they ascended to the higher levels, their influence remained limited.
Despite having over a dozen Quasi-Supreme Beings, countless Sages, and top-tier Origin Tracing experts, the presence of even a single Supreme Being could obliterate them all. Beneath the Supreme Beings, they were all ants-a truth that could not be taken lightly.
Of course, the Goddess of Time, a Quasi-Supreme who wielded law of time, was an exception. But exceptions were rare-not every Quasi-Supreme could rival a Supreme Being.
“Hahahaha!”
A derisive laugh echoed from the distant void, spreading across the entirety of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands, casting a pall over everyone.
An indescribable Supreme Being appeared, his overwhelming aura saturating the heavens and earth like a colossal pillar overlooking the realm. Clearly, this was the supreme being of the Divine Thunder Sect.
“The ancient relic of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands, I’ve finally waited for your Dao transformation. Do you know how many years I’ve been waiting?”
The Divine Thunder Sect’s Supreme Being spoke brazenly, his words cutting. “On my master’s deathbed, he was obsessed over you. He repeatedly warned me to bide my time until your Dao transformation was near. Now, I no longer need to hold back. I’ve come!”
Buzz.
It was as if a string had been plucked, shaking the heavens and the earth.
Two more Supreme-level auras intruded upon the scene.
Omnipresent! Ubiquitous!
One grotesque, the other indescribable.
From their vague shapes, Xu Lian deduced their identities – the Supreme Beings of the Fuyao Holy Land and the Dark Moon Holy Land.
The grotesque Supreme Being of the Fuyao Holy Land sneered. “I’ve heard tales from the older generations of our sect. During its peak, the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands had carved out significant territories from the Divine Thunder Sect, seizing many exclusive cultivation zones. It’s time to reclaim them.”
The indescribable Supreme Being of the Dark Moon Holy Land added, “Not only must they return what they stole, but we must also carve a large piece of flesh from the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands. Should the Goddess of Time prove obstinate and resist, it won’t be a mere flesh wound”.
A weight of despair settled over the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands. Facing the Supreme Beings, they felt a profound helplessness. There was nothing they could do but pray for the sect to weather this dire trial.