Venerable Yeqiong's Calculations

Qi Yuan sat in his chair, calmly awaiting the result. He had to admit, the feeling of pulling strings for the first time was rather nice. By now, Mighty Feng Lan had already sent the message upward. ... Inside Heaven and Earth Cave, a grim, baleful wind howled furiously. A tall man stood outside the cave entrance, his face filled with awe and reverence. He spoke indignantly, "This Blood-Robed Sword God has gone too far! He slaughtered Mi Er without cause, made wild, arrogant boasts at the Divine Flower Society, and dared provoke the Venerable—all because he relies on Venerable Lord Feng as his backing! "Now, he actually dares meddle in the Eastern Lands Prodigy Battle and demands a quota outright! He truly has no regard for the three Venerables!" This tall man was a great cultivator in the late Purple Mansion realm and had long served Venerable Yeqiong. Upon receiving Feng Lan's transmission, fury had erupted in his heart. Grim winds swirled within Heaven and Earth Cave. A youthful, child-like voice emerged. "What do you think should be done about it?" Hearing this, the tall man knitted his brows in deep thought. "First, Lord Feng stands behind him. Second, the great tribulation draws near, so the Venerable must conserve his strength and cannot easily move against the Blood-Robed Sword God." He racked his brains trying to figure out how to handle the Blood-Robed Sword God. Yet after pondering for a while, he could think of no solution. Could it really be that they had to let the Blood-Robed Sword God get his way, disrupt the Eastern Lands Prodigy Battle, and enter Wangyue Continent? Suddenly, the tall man's eyebrows twitched, and delight surfaced in his eyes. "Let him have a spot in the top twenty of the Eastern Lands Heavenly Pride Roll! "The Blood-Robed Sword God's move is undoubtedly aimed at entering Wangyue Continent. "The Heavenly Dao of Wangyue Continent is fractured, and its powerhouses are sparse. Not only is our Canglan Realm plotting against them, but so is the Moluo Clan. "The Moluo Clan possesses a supreme treasure that can detect any cultivator at or above the fifth realm. "The moment the Blood-Robed Sword God sets foot on Wangyue Continent, he will definitely be discovered by the Moluo Clan. Given their unruly, untamable nature, they will surely eliminate him. "Once the Blood-Robed Sword God enters Wangyue Continent, he is doomed to perish!" Presently, Wangyue Continent was caught in a tripartite balance. The weakest was naturally the indigenous population of Wangyue Continent. The strongest was the Moluo Clan. Even the three Venerables were immensely wary of the Moluo Clan's Yin Gods. For the Blood-Robed Sword God to step into Wangyue Continent would be akin to a sheep walking into a tiger's den. Silence lingered inside Heaven and Earth Cave for a long while before the child-like voice spoke again: "Let everything proceed as you proposed." Hearing this, the tall man's eyes lit up with pleasant surprise. Right then, the child-like voice drifted from the cave once more. "If convenient, look into his origin." "Based on our current clues, it can essentially be concluded that the Blood-Robed Sword God, the Mad Daoist, and the Seven Desires Demon Lord are all one person. "They all hail from the remote Hundred Nations," the tall man bowed his head and reported. "No further information can be uncovered. According to my speculation, the Blood-Robed Sword God might... not be a being of the Canglan Realm." Silence descended upon Heaven and Earth Cave, leaving only the howling of the grim wind. "Investigate which other members of the Divine Flower Society remain in the Hundred Nations." After a long while, the child-like voice drifted out again. "Understood!" The tall man bowed his head, though a troubled expression appeared on his face. This matter would not be easy to investigate. ... In Yunzhong City, Feng Lan felt as though he were sitting on pins and needles, yet he maintained a placating smile on his face. "Senior Blood-Robed Sword God, why are you so fixated on entering Wangyue Continent? Wouldn't it be better to simply join a faction that has prodigies, thereby securing the qualifications to pioneer new territory in Wangyue Continent?" Qi Yuan replied languidly, "Wangyue Continent is my home. I have to go home." He had used the very Heavenly Dao of Wangyue Continent for his Foundation Establishment. How could Wangyue Continent not be his home? Hearing this, Feng Lan offered an awkward chuckle. The energy level of Wangyue Continent was low; it couldn't possibly support the rise of an expert like the Blood-Robed Sword God. Naturally, he assumed the Blood-Robed Sword God was merely joking. "Once I secure a spot in the top twenty, when will I be eligible to enter Wangyue Continent? I'm in a hurry." Qi Yuan was indeed eager to go. He wanted to see whether that Wangyue Continent was the world he had once stayed in. He also wanted to know whether, this time... he would have the chance to see that woman he had missed back then. "Once the Eastern Lands Prodigy Battle concludes, the entrance to Wangyue Continent will open briefly. Senior will be able to enter at that time." "Good." Qi Yuan nodded. Right then, Feng Lan's transmission jade slip suddenly flared with bright light. Qi Yuan fixed his gaze on him. "News came?" Feng Lan felt apprehensive, hardly daring to check it. He was terrified that the Venerables above would have an intense reaction, not only refusing the Blood-Robed Sword God but doing so arrogantly, thereby enraging him. The Blood-Robed Sword God might not dare kill a Venerable, but he certainly dared kill him! Sending his divine sense into the jade slip, Feng Lan's eyes flashed with delight. "Blood-Robed Sword God, the higher-ups have agreed! You are granted exemption from the trials and awarded a place in the top twenty of the Eastern Lands Heavenly Pride Roll, along with the right to enter Wangyue Continent!" Feng Lan let out a long sigh of relief. He had truly feared that the higher-ups would reject the request. Hearing the news, Qi Yuan beamed with a bright smile. "Your higher-ups are quite magnanimous and open-minded after all. Whenever they're free, I'll treat them to a meal." Feng Lan laughed awkwardly. He certainly wouldn't pass those words along. He knew very well that not long ago, the Blood-Robed Sword God had provoked Venerable Yeqiong within the Divine Flower Society. If the two were to meet, a battle would undoubtedly ensue. "Since I've entered the top twenty of the Eastern Lands Heavenly Pride Roll, do I get the chance to choose a prodigy's reward?" Qi Yuan asked, looking at Feng Lan. He remembered the Sect Master's request very clearly. Mighty Feng Lan froze for a moment, wondering if his ears were playing tricks on him. There were indeed rewards for the top one hundred of the Eastern Lands Heavenly Pride Roll. Most of the rewarded treasures were powerful Divine Infant dharmic treasures. For young prodigies, they held some value, but for a powerhouse like the Blood-Robed Sword God, what use could they possibly be? "Of course there are." Harboring doubts in his heart, Mighty Feng Lan dared not hesitate. With a wave of his hand, a storage bag flew into his grasp from deep within the palace. "Senior Blood-Robed Sword God may choose any one of these dharmic treasures—or two, if you like." The storage bag opened, revealing a dazzling array of dharmic treasures. If Qi Yuan were still in the Qi Refinement realm, his eyes would have lit up at the sight. Now, having formed a Stellar Golden Core, he looked down on such items. His gaze fell upon a small purple-gold gourd. "This... I'll take this one." This small gourd was precisely the treasure the Sect Master had entrusted him to retrieve. "Senior truly has a discerning eye." Mighty Feng Lan carefully examined the small gourd and immediately discerned its secret. "This gourd is actually a Purple Mansion dharmic weapon." As soon as he spoke, Feng Lan regretted it. An ordinary Purple Mansion dharmic weapon meant nothing to the Blood-Robed Sword God. How could a ruthless figure who had annihilated the Palace of Light lack such things? Right then, the usually reticent Court Master of Yunzhong Court glanced at the purple-gold gourd and boldly asked, "Dare I ask, Senior, do you have some history with this gourd?" "Yes." Qi Yuan glanced at him and said, "This is a treasure belonging to a senior's clan. Now... it ought to return to its original owner." "So that's how it is." The Court Master of Yunzhong Court continued, "Could Senior leave a contact method?" "Here." Qi Yuan didn't refuse, casually showing the Court Master a transmission jade slip of the Purple Mansion realm. "Everything is settled. Court Master, Feng Lan, Booger Fairy, farewell." Qi Yuan turned into a streak of bloody light and vanished. Seeing this, Feng Lan let out a sigh of relief. The Court Master of Yunzhong Court gazed deeply ahead, his thoughts unreadable. Fairy Fengyue wore an aggrieved expression, choked with speechless indignation. ... By the time Qi Yuan returned to the cave abode, Kang Fulu was nowhere to be seen. Jiang Ya remained standing atop the Bodhi tree, contemplating cultivation techniques. Qi Yuan looked at Jiang Ya and called out, "I've successfully pulled some strings, so I won't be participating in the Eastern Lands Prodigy Battle. "I'm going into seclusion for seven days to research cultivation techniques!" Jiang Ya glanced at Qi Yuan, a baffled look crossing her face. "All right." With Qi Yuan's strength, entering the Eastern Lands Prodigy Battle would merely make him cannon fodder. It was indeed better for him to sit it out. After entering his cave abode, Qi Yuan hung a wooden plaque outside the entrance. "In seclusion for seven days. Do not disturb. Trespassers will be killed!" Since this concerned his Golden Core path, he naturally treated it with utmost seriousness. He even stationed his kitchen knife and the blood-colored sword of divine soul inside the entrance as guards. Two days later, Kang Fulu looked at the writing outside Qi Yuan's cave abode with an odd expression and couldn't help but sigh. "Junior Brother's talent... is even greater than mine. What a pity. If the Eastern Lands Prodigy Battle hadn't been moved up, he might truly have had a chance to reach the top one hundred and reclaim the Sect Master's clan treasure." Now, however, his junior brother hadn't even formed a Golden Core. Taking part in the Eastern Lands Prodigy Battle would be pure suicide. Jiang Ya said calmly, "Let's go. The Eastern Lands Prodigy Battle is about to begin." The two transformed into streaks of light and headed toward the depths of Yunzhong Court. Deep in the mountains, the secret realm opened, surging with dazzling light as spiritual energy flooded the surrounding air. Jiang Ya looked at the young prodigies ahead, her gaze growing solemn. Kang Fulu pulled a long face. "Sigh, my title as the son-in-law of the Divine Light Sect Master and the personal disciple of the Five Lights Peak Master isn't worth much around here." He could sense far too many formidable auras. Looking around, there was a vast crowd of people he couldn't defeat. The first-grade Golden Core he took such pride in seemed utterly ordinary in this place. "Sigh, Junior Brother was right after all. If I had forged my Golden Core bigger, I wouldn't be feeling so inferior." Standing among the crowd, he was hardly conspicuous. Right at that moment, a vast, resonant voice rang in everyone's ears. "The rules for this Eastern Lands Prodigy Battle have been adjusted. "There are only nineteen spots for the top twenty. Do not... mistake this, everyone." Hearing this, the expressions of all the prodigies shifted slightly. "The top twenty... has only nineteen spots? What does that mean?!" "In a grand event like the Eastern Lands Prodigy Battle, someone blatantly pulled strings?!" "How utterly detestable!" "How utterly enviable!" The many prodigies buzzed with discussion. Those who had originally ranked in the twenties looked especially grim. With one fewer spot, the competition became that much fiercer for them. "Dammit, just whose Yin God descendant didn't dare fight in the Eastern Lands Prodigy Battle and went through the back door instead?!" At this moment, Kang Fulu froze. He turned to Jiang Ya. "Didn't Qi Yuan say he went to pull strings?" "Yes." Jiang Ya nodded, her expression peculiar. "He also said he succeeded." Kang Fulu fell silent, his mind unable to comprehend it. A coincidence... or what? "It couldn't be that little... that young master, could it!" Kang Fulu muttered to himself. ... "I'm doomed." Inside the cave abode, cold sweat broke out on Qi Yuan's forehead. "Does this count as straying onto the wrong path?" While continuing the formulas of the Qi Yuan Scripture, Qi Yuan discovered that the cultivation formulas he had acquired were utterly insufficient. Not long ago, he had decided that he wanted both the Golden Core path and the Divine Infant path. Yet the Golden Core path seemed boundless, with no end in sight. Qi Yuan estimated that to reach its culmination, his little sun would have to swallow at least an entire universe. That was still a very long way off. "Therefore, the Qi Yuan Scripture should be divided into the Stellar Golden Core Chapter and the Advanced Divine Infant Chapter." The Stellar Golden Core Chapter would focus on strengthening the True Solar Fire and devouring stars. The Advanced Divine Infant Chapter would be ordinary cultivation, ultimately leading into the Divine Infant realm. "If I step into the Divine Infant realm, wouldn't that mean I'm both an Origin Core cultivator and a Divine Infant cultivator?" Qi Yuan mumbled, feeling a little dizzy. "The demand for cultivation techniques is only growing. I'm so poor!" Needing to create two sets of formulas for the Golden Core stage naturally required far more cultivation techniques. If it weren't for the sense of justice in his heart and the fact that he was a law-abiding citizen, he would have been tempted to become a roving plunderer. "White Moonlight, where are you? "Venerable Yeqiong, why couldn't you just plot against me?" Qi Yuan sighed helplessly. He walked out of the cave abode. The inn was considerably quieter now. Most people had headed to the secret realm for the Eastern Lands Prodigy Battle. At this moment, Qi Yuan took out his transmission jade slip, a surprised look appearing in his eyes. "The Court Master of Yunzhong Court?" He hadn't expected the Court Master to send him a transmission while he was in seclusion. With a flash of his silhouette, he vanished and reappeared directly within Yunzhong Palace. Dressed in blood-red robes and possessing an exceptionally handsome countenance, his arrival immediately drew countless gazes. "Court Master, why have you summoned me?" Qi Yuan asked, his expression calm. He sensed that inside Yunzhong Court, there was a late Purple Mansion cultivator, seven mid Purple Mansion cultivators, and a number of early Purple Mansion cultivators. Could it be that some White Moonlight had finally taken a liking to him and come to deliver cultivation techniques? These people were, after all, high-quality old fellows of humanity. "Greetings, Blood-Robed Sword God!" "Greetings, Blood-Robed Sword God!" Over thirty Purple Mansion cultivators stepped forward and bowed respectfully to Qi Yuan. Among them was an acquaintance of Qi Yuan, Xu Yeli. At this moment, however, Xu Yeli acted as if he didn't know Qi Yuan at all. These Purple Mansion cultivators represented the very pinnacle of Cuiyun Continent's power, all gathered in one place. Any single one of them, if let loose, could throw a city or a nation into turmoil. Yet facing Qi Yuan, their eyes held only awe and reverence. Qi Yuan looked at the Court Master of Yunzhong Court and asked calmly, "What is this about?" The Court Master of Yunzhong Court was not the strongest among these Purple Mansion cultivators, yet he currently stood as their informal leader. "Senior wiped out the Palace of Light, ridding Cuiyun Continent of a great scourge! "Presently, Cuiyun Continent lacks a leader. We are willing to collectively support Senior as the head of Cuiyun Continent!" the Court Master stated solemnly. The late Purple Mansion cultivator also lowered his head. "We are willing to support Senior as our leader." Hearing this, Qi Yuan was amused. Were they asking him to become the alliance leader of the martial world? "I prefer things simple and direct. Don't beat around the bush," Qi Yuan said. For a group of Purple Mansion experts to push him to the top was akin to voluntarily finding themselves a master to order them around. Barring special circumstances, who would willingly do such a thing? The late Purple Mansion powerhouse stepped forward and said, "Does Senior know that a great tribulation draws near?" Qi Yuan shook his head. What bloody great tribulation? He had only heard the Court Master mention it in passing; as for what it actually was, he had no idea. Presumably, these Purple Mansion cultivators didn't really know either; only a Yin God would understand the specifics. "A few centuries from now, the great tribulation will arrive, and the world will likely be plunged into catastrophe. "All cultivators fear for their own survival. Even as Purple Mansion cultivators, we can barely secure our own safety amid such a tribulation. "It was precisely because of this that the Palace of Light initiated the Hundred Nations Blood War, hoping to fully restore the Sovereign Shocking Dragon Crown to mitigate the tribulation. "Only power at the Yin God level holds the faintest possibility of resisting the great tribulation and allowing us to scrape by and survive." "So, you want me... to protect you?" Qi Yuan understood. The Sovereign Shocking Dragon Crown was gone, and the Palace of Light was destroyed. Cuiyun Continent had lost its Yin God-level foundation. Facing that nebulous great tribulation, Cuiyun Continent had no way to resist. Thus, these Purple Mansion cultivators had come in droves to seek refuge under Qi Yuan. After all, Qi Yuan had destroyed the Palace of Light, proving he possessed Yin God-level foundation. "Precisely," the late Purple Mansion powerhouse said. Everyone looked at Qi Yuan with reverence. The Purple Mansion expert continued, "We are willing to establish the Blood-Robed Alliance and name Senior as our Alliance Leader. "We are at Senior's disposal! "Whatever Senior wishes to do, we shall be your right hand. "If Senior requires dharmic treasures, cultivation formulas, or precious items, we can find them all for you." Qi Yuan pondered this. He had to admit, he was somewhat tempted. He genuinely needed cultivation formulas. Having these Purple Mansion elders search for techniques on his behalf would be far more convenient than searching alone. One could say that once he became the foremost righteous leader of Cuiyun Continent, wouldn't all the cultivation formulas of Cuiyun Continent belong to him? At this moment, the Court Master of Yunzhong Court stepped forward. "Senior, please look. Who is this?" Following the Court Master's voice, a frail, elderly man was escorted into the hall. The old man's eyes were filled with terror, tinged with a trace of resentment. The aura radiating from him was undeniably that of the Purple Mansion realm. Qi Yuan shook his head. "I don't know him." The Court Master of Yunzhong Court explained, "Not long ago, Senior was entrusted by an elder to retrieve the purple-gold gourd. "That purple-gold gourd originated from Hong Lian's clan. "Two thousand years ago, this old scoundrel Hong Lian took a fancy to the Holy Empress of the Wood Clan and wanted to take her as a concubine. "The Holy Empress chose death over submission and hanged herself. "In a fit of humiliated rage, this old scoundrel slaughtered the entire Wood Clan, leaving only one or two survivors who managed to flee! "The purple-gold gourd was obtained by Hong Lian from the Wood Clan. "That senior of yours is likely a member of the Wood Clan. "We have already captured this old scoundrel Hong Lian, leaving him entirely at Senior's disposal!" Hong Lian glared at the Court Master of Yunzhong Court, fury blazing in his eyes. "I have already aligned myself with the Shuixian Continent! By capturing me, do you intend to start a war with the Shuixian Continent?" The Shuixian Continent neighbored Cuiyun Continent and was slightly stronger than Cuiyun Continent had been with the Palace of Light, but not by much. Qi Yuan looked at Hong Lian. He understood roughly. This must be the mortal enemy who had slaughtered the clan of the Sect Master and Elder Xuanchong. Back then, the foul-tempered Elder Xuanchong had looked after him quite a bit. Qi Yuan looked at Hong Lian with a faint smile. "If the Shuixian Continent is filled with Purple Mansion cultivators like you, what's wrong with going to war?" He wished he had more White Moonlights. The late Purple Mansion powerhouse chuckled awkwardly, not daring to speak. Then, Qi Yuan said, "Since that is the case, I shall take on the role of Cuiyun Continent's master. "As for you all, you must gather cultivation formulas for me—the more, the better." Hearing this, smiles broke across the faces of the Purple Mansion cultivators. With the Blood-Robed Sword God's agreement, the weight in their hearts finally lifted. When the great tribulation arrived centuries later, they would not be left helpless and alone. Right then, Qi Yuan spoke again: "Xu Yeli, and you—I have a task for the two of you." The late Purple Mansion powerhouse straightened attentively. "Your orders, Senior. You may simply address this old man as Meishan." "Mm. The two of you will take Hong Lian to..." Qi Yuan swept his gaze over the other Purple Mansion cultivators present. They tactfully took their leave. Only then did Qi Yuan continue, "To Great Shang, the Divine Light Sect, and hand him over to True Monarch Kumu." Meishan and Xu Yeli's expressions turned solemn. "Understood." Knowing such a secret meant they were now inextricably bound to the Blood-Robed Sword God. "Give him this purple-gold gourd as well," Qi Yuan said with a smile. Within the purple-gold gourd, he had left an origin divine ability and a wisp of True Solar Fire. He had no fear that the two of them would harbor treacherous intentions. Having said that, Qi Yuan's figure dissolved and vanished. Only Meishan, Xu Yeli, and Hong Lian remained. Xu Yeli looked at Meishan with curiosity in his eyes. "Senior, I'm actually quite curious—why did you choose the Blood-Robed Sword God?" Xu Yeli had only recently learned of the impending great tribulation. Only then did he realize that they, as Purple Mansion cultivators, were so close to death. "Are you trying to say that the Blood-Robed Sword God offended Venerable Yeqiong and doesn't have long to live?" Meishan spoke in a bleak voice. "No... that wasn't what Junior meant." "Other than the Blood-Robed Sword God, do we have any other path? "Let us hope Venerable Yeqiong will be wary of the great tribulation and refrain from moving against the Alliance Leader in the centuries to come. "Only then, under the Alliance Leader's protection, will we have a chance to survive when the great tribulation arrives several centuries from now."