NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 324: Taking Stock
Chapter 324: Taking Stock
Unable to obtain the Origin Tracing Light from the Time Supreme, Xu Lian returned to Wuguang City with Lin Ying .
“The late Supreme’s inheritance was probably divided into several parts. One portion went to O, and another portion went to a few disciples and juniors nearing Supreme-level cultivation. The fifty Origin Tracing Lights I received were simply because they met my cultivation needs and accelerated my progress. I still need a hundred more to gather enough for advancing to the ninth stage of the Origin Tracing Realm .”
In the lord’s manor, Xu Lian reclined on a luxurious couch, one hand propping up his head as he closed his eyes in deep thought.
Lin Ying , her delicate face adorned with a flattering smile, gently massaged his shoulders and back like a devoted maid. This was one of the reasons why Xu Lian cherished her. Even after a century of marriage, she always positioned herself as a servant rather than competing for status with the other women. She was both considerate and reassuring – qualities any man would appreciate.
Lin Ying was intelligent enough to recognize her lack of advantages compared to the others.
In terms of family background and origin, she was merely the second daughter of a middling clan in Pingyang County, and she had once been married to the eldest son of the Tong family. After Tong Miao met an untimely demise at the hands of a strange entity, she tenaciously clung to Xu Lian, eventually winning his affection through her persistence. In contrast, the other women either hailed from illustrious families or maintained their purity-she couldn’t compete with them.
As for her cultivation talent and strength, she was only slightly stronger than those from Green Bamboo Town, such as Caixia, Yu Qingning, and Miao Yueyue. Compared to figures like Yu Qingyao, the Holy Maiden of the Nine Heavens, Huo Xin’er, the direct descendant of the Huo Clan of the Sword Pavilion, or Jing Se of the Jing Marquis House of the Yin Dynasty, the gap was vast, akin to the difference between an ordinary cultivator and a heavenly genius.
Regarding her emotional ties with Xu Lian, she fell far behind the others. In the past, she even had some conflicts with him, leaving him with little fondness for her. Meanwhile, Pei Zhaoxi, Jiang Xianyu, and Little Mei had much deeper bonds with him.
Thus, she understood that competing for status among the women was meaningless to her. Her only path was to win Xu Lian’s favor. She excelled at this, constantly catering to him whenever they were together, ensuring that he felt her uniqueness. As a result, she had carved out a place in his heart.
Being with Lin Ying was undeniably relaxing for Xu Lian. He could do whatever he pleased without worrying about her feelings, knowing full well that this was simply her nature.
“By exchanging fifty Luminous Treasures with the Shui family for seventy Origin Tracing Lights, I only need thirty more. With Wuguang City producing one every ten years, I’ll probably have to stay here for another three hundred years.
How can I live for three centuries? The answer is simple: live comfortably. Comfort makes time pass faster.”
Xu Lian opened his eyes and glanced at Lin Ying , whose lovely face bore a flattering smile. “You must be tired from massaging and pounding my back. Take a break.”
Lin Ying immediately stopped.
Winter was giving way to spring. Time passed quickly, and over a century had passed in the blink of an eye.
During this period, Xu Lian had gathered ten Origin Tracing Lights, leaving him just twenty short of the materials needed to advance to the ninth stage of the Origin Tracing Realm . He was drawing closer to his goal.
At this moment, Xu Lian and Zhao Yuhe strolled along the streets of Wuguang City . A drizzle did nothing to dampen Xu Lian’s mood, as he had already enjoyed viewing lotuses in the rain before leaving the lord’s manor earlier. His spirits were high.
He held an oiled paper umbrella, with Zhao Yuhe leaning against it. Pointing ahead to a teahouse where storytellers performed, she said, “Brother Xu Lian, let’s take shelter under that pavilion for a bit.”
“Alright.”
Xu Lian guided her forward.
Although she was two hundred years old, Zhao Yuhe appeared no different from the youthful girl he had first met. Most of her time had been spent cultivating in the ancestral grounds of the Divine Race. For those who spend their lives in cultivation, age does not weigh heavily on the mind or body. Untainted by worldly concerns, she retained her youthful vitality.
She had once asked Xu Lian why he always admired lotuses in the rain before waiting for the skies to clear. He hadn’t answered, but perhaps it was simply a matter of artistic conception.
“Lord.”
“Lady.”
Upon seeing Xu Lian arrive, everyone who was drinking tea and listening to stories in the teahouse quickly stood up and smiled obsequiously to greet him.
The tale of Xu Lian, the Holy Son of the Nine Heavens, monopolizing Wuguang City and its Origin Tracing Light had long since spread far and wide. Within Wuguang City, it was common knowledge that Xu Lian was the de facto ruler, holding life and death authority over everyone. No one dared to show disrespect.
The young woman beside Xu Lian , whom they didn’t recognize, posed no mystery – they assumed she was one of his wives. Every decade, a new wife visited Wuguang City, a pattern they had long noticed.
“No need for formalities. I’ll just take a casual stroll with my wife.”
Xu Lian gestured for everyone to sit down. He found an empty table with Zhao Yuhe and sat down. The teahouse owner dismissed the waiter and personally brought tea and some snacks.
When Xu Lian noticed that the storyteller became tense and silent, he reassured him, “Don’t be nervous. Continue your story.”
The storyteller nodded hastily, cleared his throat, and resumed. “Having reviewed the strengths of the top-tier factions, let us now turn to the Supremes listed on the Supreme Rankings.”
The Supreme Rankings? Xu Lian paused, intrigued.
Zhao Yuhe also widened her eyes, curious.
The narrator continued, “Discussing the exact rankings of the Supreme List is controversial because these powerful individuals come from different eras, spanning vast periods of time. Since there are no records of direct confrontations, the exact rankings cannot be determined.
There is, however, almost unanimous agreement on the ten Supremes listed. These are universally recognized as unparalleled powerhouses.
First and foremost is the current Nine Heavenly Supreme of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands , also known as the “Time Supreme”.”
Here, the narrator cautiously looked at Xu Lian.
Seeing no reaction, he continued.
“Before the Time Supreme attained Supremacy, she had already mastered the laws of time. At the peak of Sage Realm cultivation, she possessed the strength of a Supreme. Later, she effortlessly ascended to Supremacy and became one of the rare few to survive the Chaos Lightning Tribulation. This speaks volumes about her unparalleled strength, far surpassing that of ordinary Supremes.
Since she attained Supremacy, over a century has passed. Her cultivation has stabilized and strengthened. Undoubtedly, she is a peerless Supreme – a Great Supreme.”
“The second Great Supreme on the list is an ancient figure. In fact, apart from the Time Supreme, all nine of the other Supremes on the list are ancients. This particular Ancient was once famous and ruled an entire era. He is the legendary Supreme Demon of the Heavenly Demon Sacred Land. There is no doubt that he possesses the strength of a Great Supreme”.
“The third Great Supreme dwells deep within the Skyfall Forest – the Demon Emperor. Though no one has ever seen him, legends have long claimed his existence. Such stories are unlikely to be unfounded.”
“The fourth Great Supreme is the Blood Emperor of the Blood Sea Sacred Land. Some say that he has perished, but I disagree. The Blood Emperor has merged with the Blood Sea itself. As long as the sea does not dry up, he will not die.”
“The fifth Great Supreme is the Yin Dynasty Royal Clan’s Underworld Supreme. This ancient powerhouse has not been seen since the Ancient Era or the Strange Era. However, he should still be alive. After all, he had originally attained his supremacy through death-he was already dead to begin with. How could he die again?”
“The Sixth Great Supreme…”
Xu Lian listened in silence, nodding occasionally. The narrator’s analysis of the supreme list seemed somewhat reasonable… but also vague.
He placed a spirit stone on the table to pay for the tea, then grabbed a handful more and placed them on the tray carried by the storyteller’s apprentice. With that, he took Zhao Yuhe’s hand and left.