NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 320: The Hidden Strength
Chapter 320: The Hidden Strength
“Three despicable Supreme Beings have crawled out of their holes again?”
A cold voice rang out. An overwhelming, scorching pressure of a supreme being approached from afar and arrived in an instant – the supreme being of the Blazing Flame Sect had arrived. Towering like a pillar of heaven and earth, his body burned with True Flame, casting the entire sky in a fiery red hue. It seemed as though he could incinerate everything with a mere flick of his hand.
Shortly after that, the female Supreme Being of the Divine Flower Palace also appeared. Seated atop a lotus platform, her supreme aura carried an air of sanctity. Her arrival was accompanied by miraculous phenomena-flowers rained down from the heavens, and golden lotuses erupted from the ground, as if she were the Mother of Flowers herself.
The female Supreme Being of the Divine Flower Palace spoke. “With the two of us and the Goddess of Time, it’s three against three. What exactly are you three so smug about?”
The Indescribable Supreme Being of the Divine Thunder Sect chuckled. “Do you really think there are only three of us? Now that the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands has no Supreme Being, who wouldn’t covet it? Once we tear open a wound and make the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands bleed, countless other Supreme Beings will come forward to claim their share!”
The grotesque Supreme Being of the Fuyao Holy Land calmly added, “Friends from all sides, step forward if you wish to participate. Come early or you may end up with nothing.”
His words silenced the entire world.
After the silence…
One by one, the faint outlines of the Supreme Beings began to manifest. They clearly wished to remain hidden, concealing their identities so deeply that even their vague shapes could not be discerned.
Xu Lian silently counted them – 1… 2… 3… 4… 5… 6… He sucked in a sharp breath. Besides the three Supreme Beings from the Divine Thunder Sect, the Dark Moon Holy Land, and the Fuyao Holy Land, eleven more Supreme Beings had arrived!
Clearly, these were all supreme beings who harbored covetous intentions toward the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands. There might even be others lurking in the shadows, silently watching!
This sent chills down Xu Lian’s spine, his eyes flickering as he considered whether he should flee ahead of time.
It wasn’t that he lacked loyalty to the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands – it was simply that he was powerless. What could someone at the eighth stage of the Origin Tracing Realm, a mere “small fry”, do? The only thing he could do was to preserve his life for the future, so that one day he could help the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands settle their scores with these people.
“There is one way…” Xu Lian thought for a moment. “If the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands immediately gave me 150 beams of Origin Tracing Light, along with 511 units of Sage Realm cultivation resources and some Supreme-level cultivation materials… I could ascend to Supremacy on the spot.”
But this thought was completely impractical. After all, the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands only had slightly over a hundred beams of Origin Tracing Light in stock, and their Sage Realm cultivation resources were even scarcer. There was no way they could produce such a huge amount. This idea was nothing but a wild imagination.
The pressure exerted by over a dozen supreme beings left everyone in the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands pale-faced. They knew that the sect was doomed.
The entire Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands was thrown into chaos, preparing for evacuation. If the situation deteriorated, they would flee immediately – a life saved was a life earned.
“The Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands has stood tall without falling for countless years. Surely, it’s not as simple as it appears. Every top-tier faction must have its own hidden strength, right?”
A blurry, deeply hidden Supreme Being spoke up. “We don’t wish to unnecessarily escalate matters and force the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands to reveal its hidden strength, leading to an uncontrollable situation.
“However, the fact remains that the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands currently has no Supreme Being. Weakness invites aggression, and aggression demands submission. Our demands are simple: the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands must relinquish some ancient ruins and exclusive cultivation zones. Once we obtain them, we’ll withdraw immediately.”
Hidden power?
Xu Lian was stunned for a moment. What exactly did the so-called “hidden strength” of the top tier factions refer to?
The elders of Heavenly Mystic Sacred Land exchanged confused glances. Clearly, their level was insufficient to understand the true nature of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands’ hidden strength.
The Indescribable Supreme Being of the Divine Thunder Sect laughed heartily. “There’s a tradition in some mortal realms that when an elder dies, the family invites the neighbors to a feast. The old Supreme Being of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands is about to undergo Dao transformation, so we’ve come to partake in the feast. Isn’t it only fair for the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands to set out a banquet of ancient ruins and exclusive cultivation zones?”
“…” Xu Lian’s gaze shifted strangely. Given his familiarity with such traditions, he couldn’t help but wonder if this Supreme Being of the Divine Thunder Sect was also a fellow transmigrant.
From above the thirty-third stage of the Heavenly Mystic Sacred Land, the old Supreme Being’s voice echoed. “My friend from the Divine Thunder Sect jests. I haven’t undergone Dao transformation yet. You’ve rushed here to celebrate – isn’t it a bit premature?”
There was a hint of mockery in the old Supreme Being’s tone. Facing his impending demise, he seemed neither sorrowful nor distressed, only calm and accepting.
The indescribable Supreme Being of the Divine Thunder Sect coldly replied, “We’re not in a hurry. We’ll wait here and see how long you can hold out. Once you’ve fully undergone Dao transformation and passed away completely, the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands will have no choice but to host a banquet for us. Otherwise, those who came to feast won’t leave so easily!”
And so the two sides remained in a stalemate.
Although the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands had the support of the supreme beings from the Blazing Flame Sect and the Divine Flower Palace, they were still vastly outnumbered by over a dozen supreme beings. Fortunately, the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands possessed its so-called “hidden strength”. Thus, the over a dozen Supreme Beings refrained from making any rash moves, content to carve out a piece of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands and secure some benefits.
The power struggles among the top-tier factions always revolved around interests. Rarely did they resort to outright annihilation, because “Hidden Strength” was inherently unpredictable.
Hidden strength was like a trump card.
Imagine throwing all your assets on the gambling table, determined to expose your opponent’s hand. But what if, upon revealing it, you discovered that your own hand was weaker? Wouldn’t that be embarrassing?
Worse, you might even be counter-killed.
For this reason, in games and conflicts between top-tier factions, they generally avoided backing their opponents into a corner. Once an opponent reached a dead end, they would inevitably reveal their trump cards. At that point, one’s own cards would have to be turned over as well, resulting in a fight to the death.
“Rumble!”
Just as the tension between the two sides reached its peak, thunder suddenly resounded across the heavens. Although the sound wasn’t loud, it reverberated through every corner of the world, dispelling all traces of the Supreme-level pressure.
All the Supreme Beings present, as well as everyone from the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands, were momentarily stunned. With so many Supreme Beings present, their combined pressure had solidified the air itself. Weather changes like thunderstorms were simply impossible, so what was happening?
A chaotic fog began to rise in the sky. Terrifying primordial thunderclouds were brewing, resembling the primordial scene of creation!
Inside the chaotic lightning clouds, an arc of electricity grew larger and rippled outward. A vast, ancient presence descended from the heavens, sending shivers down the spines of all living beings. It felt like an eternal apocalyptic light.
At the center of the chaotic lightning clouds, a majestic heavenly palace could be faintly seen. Ethereal figures were moving inside, each radiating an aura of divinity, as if true immortals had descended.
“This is the Supreme Lightning Tribulation recorded in the ancient texts!”
One of the Supreme Beings recognized it and exclaimed aloud. “Someone is experiencing the Supreme Lightning Tribulation!”
All the Supreme Beings present shuddered. One by one, they hastily retreated, vanishing from the area to avoid being targeted by the Supreme Lightning Tribulation and mistakenly identified as the one undergoing the tribulation.
It was important to note that during the Strange Era, the vast majority of Supreme Beings had never faced a Supreme Lightning Tribulation. Only a handful of peerless Supreme Beings-those known as “Great Supreme Beings”-were required to endure it.
Who could it be now?
There was no need to guess – it was undoubtedly the Goddess of Time!
Among all the Quasi-Supreme Beings of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands, she was the closest to achieving Supremehood. Moreover, the Supreme Lightning Tribulation was an exceedingly rare occurrence in the Strange Era, reserved only for the most extraordinary Supreme Beings. Despite their remarkable talents, none of the other dozen or so quasi-supreme beings of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands had reached the level necessary to become peerless Supreme Beings.
This left the indescribable Supreme Being of the Divine Thunder Sect, the unnameable Supreme Being of the Dark Moon Holy Land, and the grotesque Supreme Being of the Fuyao Holy Land feeling conflicted and uneasy. The imminent Dao Transformation of the old Supreme Being had presented them with a golden opportunity to exploit the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands. Yet, just at this critical juncture, the Goddess of Time had chosen to ascend to Supremacy-and from the looks of it, she was achieving the extremely rare rank of a peerless Supreme Being. This put them in a difficult position.
The other eleven Supreme Beings who coveted the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands were also alarmed, sensing an ominous turn of events. Fortunately, they had stayed hidden and hadn’t revealed themselves. Otherwise, if the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands had memorized their life signatures and the Goddess of Time had successfully survived the Supreme Lightning Tribulation, they would face grave consequences.
“O, you’ve finally taken this step.”
From above the thirty-third stage of the Heavenly Mystic Sacred Land, the old Supreme Being’s voice carried both relief and resignation.
Originally, he had hoped that the Goddess of Time wouldn’t ascend to Supremehood, for once one became a Supreme Being, uncanny transformations would occur – a path with no return.
However, the current situation of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands was dire. If the Goddess of Time hadn’t taken this step, it would have been difficult to form an effective deterrent and stabilize the situation.
The voice of the Goddess of Nine Heavens trembled with emotion. “Sister, you didn’t have to do this. The Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands has its hidden strength; it can never be destroyed. At worst, we’d only be giving up some interests.”
“I’m not only doing this for the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands, but also for myself. Becoming a Supreme Being is an inevitable path – it is only a matter of time.”
The world turned an ethereal white as all residual Supreme-level pressure dissipated, like rain clearing after a storm. The Goddess of Time walked out gracefully, clad in a white dress. Her demeanor was icy and detached, as if she was no longer of this mortal realm but on the verge of ascending to immortality.
Everyone in the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands-from the elders to the disciples-turned their fear into joy, tears streaming down their faces as they felt a surge of hope and excitement.
“The Goddess of Time is about to become a Supreme Being! She already has the power of a Supreme Being. Once she ascends, she will be unparalleled in the world!”
“The Supreme Being of Time!”
The Goddess of Time nodded slightly to the Supreme Beings of the Blazing Flame Sect and the Divine Flower Palace, expressing her gratitude. As for the three Supreme Beings from the Divine Thunder Sect Alliance and the eleven others coveting the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands, she didn’t spare them a single glance, as if they didn’t exist.
This left the three Supreme Beings from the Divine Thunder Sect Alliance feeling humiliated and enraged. After all, they were Supreme Beings who had achieved their status long before her. How dare the Goddess of Time ignore them?
The indescribable Supreme Being of the Divine Thunder Sect snorted coldly. “Even if she survives the chaotic lightning tribulation and becomes a Supreme Being, so what? She still has to survive it first! If she fails, then everything is for naught!”
The unnamed Supreme Being of the Dark Moon Holy Land scoffed. “The power of the chaotic lightning tribulation is enough to annihilate even a supreme being. Even if she barely survives, she’ll be gravely injured and near death. It will take her a long time to recover, and even longer to stabilize her peerless Supreme Being cultivation. By then, she’ll be no different from the rest of us, or even weaker than us.”
The grotesque Supreme Being of the Fuyao Holy Land goaded them further. “Friends, there’s no need to panic. Either she’ll be reduced to ashes in the chaotic lightning tribulation, or she’ll emerge gravely injured. Either way, we can still unite to intimidate the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands into ceding some ancient ruins and exclusive cultivation zones.
“This is a golden opportunity. If we don’t weaken the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands now, once she stabilizes her Peerless Supreme Being cultivation and that brat Xu Lian grows stronger, we’ll never have another chance. The Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands will crush us underfoot, leaving us unable to lift our heads.”
The other eleven Supreme Beings were silent and hesitant. They neither left completely nor declared their stance, choosing instead to observe. Clearly, they intended to see whether the Goddess of Time could survive the chaotic lightning tribulation first.
Xu Lian was worried about the Goddess of Time. “When O undergoes the tribulation, will these old bastards interfere?”
The Grand Elder of the Heavenly Mystic Sacred Land shook his head. “No. According to ancient records, the chaotic lightning tribulation is specifically tailored for the one undergoing it. If anyone interferes, they’ll bring calamity upon themselves by becoming the target of the tribulation and suffering its wrath.”
Xu Lian felt slightly relieved. “I hope O can pass through it safely.”
If the Goddess of Time failed the tribulation, the three supreme beings from the Divine Thunder Sect Alliance and the eleven others coveting the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands would undoubtedly march upon the city again, forcing the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands to cede a large number of ancient ruins and exclusive cultivation zones.
They might even demand more outrageous concessions, such as seizing the divine laws protecting him.
Of course, the outright destruction of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands was unlikely. If pushed to such an extreme, the sect would have no choice but to reveal its hidden strength-a move commonly referred to as “flipping the card”.
To ensure its survival, the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands would have no choice but to display its trump card.
Once it reached that point, there would be no turning back-it would be a fight to the death.
If the trump card of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands proved to be strong enough, it could not only eliminate these dozen supreme beings, but also invade the Divine Thunder Sect, the Dark Moon Holy Land, and the Fuyao Holy Land, forcing them to reveal their own cards and directly compare their strengths!
The one with the stronger card would prevail, claiming the other side’s lives, talents, and cultivation resources.
The one with the weaker card would face certain death-not only would they perish, but their wives, children, and entire sect would suffer, leaving them with nothing.
Thus, what truly defined a “top-tier faction” wasn’t the number of supreme beings it possessed, but its hidden strength.
Take the Sword Pavilion and the thirteen major clans, for example. On the surface, they did not have any “supreme cards,” but they were still considered to be top-tier factions because their heritage went back a long way, and their hidden strength had never been revealed. No one dared to challenge them-lest their heads be crushed.
“Damn it, this world is essentially a card game… All the top tier factions are card sharks.”
Xu Lian gained a deeper understanding of this world.
The games played by the supreme beings were ultimately driven by interests – plain and simple, competition for talent and cultivation resources. Under normal circumstances, they wouldn’t escalate things to the point of a fight to the death, because no one had the courage to overturn the table. Before the cards were revealed, everything was shrouded in mystery.
That was why the Goddess of Time had once told him that even at her level, she couldn’t fully comprehend this world – it was precisely this principle.
“What exactly is the hidden strength of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands?”
Xu Lian couldn’t help but be curious. It was certain that this was the highest secret of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands, known only to a select few – perhaps even the old Supreme Being himself!
After all, the hidden strength was tied to the very survival of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands. Naturally, the fewer people who knew about it, the better.