15: Women will only affect the speed at which I recruit disciples.

In the dead silence of the Burial God Abyss, the Lie Tian Divine Tiger hovered with Lin Xuan on its back. His Law-Breaking Sword Eyes swept over Huang Yan's pale face; the terrifying scene of him severing a Soul Transformation expert from afar had left the little phoenix of the Divine Emperor Realm trembling to her very soul.

"It's time to talk about your affairs," Lin Xuan's voice was calm. "Little phoenix of the Divine Emperor Realm."

Huang Yan's delicate body trembled slightly. She took a deep breath, suppressing the overwhelming fear and shock in her heart. Her beautiful eyes looked complexly at the unfathomable black-robed youth before her, her voice carrying the weakness of one who had escaped a calamity, and a hint of imperceptible reverence: "Senior... your life-saving grace, Huang Yan will engrave it in her heart! Those who were chasing us were... Heavenly Court Divine Generals!"

"Heavenly Court?" Lin Xuan's brow subtly raised. The name carried an inexplicable sense of dominance.

"Yes!" Huang Yan nodded vigorously, a deep-seated hatred and profound apprehension flashing in her eyes. "Senior, do you know that the worlds we inhabit are merely 'Mortal Realms' in the eyes of the true 'Immortal Realm'? The laws of the Mortal Realms are incomplete; the highest cultivation one can reach is only the peak of Soul Transformation. Any further... is a dead end!"

Lin Xuan's eyes narrowed slightly. He had long sensed something beyond the Soul Transformation stage, but the laws of this realm suppressed it, like invisible shackles. Under his Law-Breaking Sword Eyes, he could clearly see the sealed, ocean-like potential within Huang Yan, far beyond what a Soul Transformation cultivator could possess.

"To break through Soul Transformation and enter a higher realm," Huang Yan's voice carried the gravity of revealing a shocking secret, "one must leave the Mortal Realm and go to the 'Small Immortal Realm'!"

"Small Immortal Realm?" Lin Xuan repeated, his Law-Breaking Sword Eyes swirling, capturing fragments of information contained in Huang Yan's words.

"That is an independent space formed by a huge fragment that broke off from the true Immortal Realm during the ancient great war!" Huang Yan explained, her eyes filled with a complex blend of longing and fear. "Although it is only a fragment, its vastness far exceeds imagination, and the laws it contains are far more complete than those of the Mortal Realms! Only there can cultivators break through the shackles of Soul Transformation, continue their cultivation, enter the Void Refinement, Body Integration, Grand Ascension stages, and eventually pass their tribulation and ascend, knocking open the door to the true Immortal Realm!"

Lin Xuan understood. Void Refinement, Body Integration, Grand Ascension, Tribulation Transcendence... the names of these realms vaguely overlapped with what he knew in his previous life, but he had not expected such a world to exist beyond this realm.

"Who controls that Small Immortal Realm?" Lin Xuan's voice remained calm, but his Law-Breaking Sword Eyes locked onto Huang Yan, and an invisible pressure made her breath catch.

"The Heavenly Court!" Huang Yan's voice trembled slightly. "A colossal entity that has ruled the Small Immortal Realm for countless years! They claim to be the orthodox path of immortality and control most of the Small Immortal Realm's resources! But their ambition goes far beyond that!" Her tone became resentful. "Below the Small Immortal Realm, there are tens of thousands of Mortal Realms like ours! The Heavenly Court regards these Mortal Realms as captive pastures! They frantically plunder the core origins, luck, and prodigy Dao seeds of various Mortal Realms! Their goal is only one—to use the power of all realms to forcibly open a more stable 'Heaven-Reaching Immortal Path' that can accommodate more powerful cultivators to ascend!"

"Plunder all realms, build a Heaven-Reaching Path?" Lin Xuan's lips curled into a cold arc. "What a grand scheme, what a ruthless heart." He instantly understood the reason why the Heavenly Court was chasing Huang Yan—her sealed Divine Emperor bloodline was definitely one of the top-tier "Dao seeds" in the Mortal Realm! It was "excellent material" for building the path!

"My Divine Phoenix clan once dominated the Divine Emperor Realm, possessing the Nirvana Divine Phoenix bloodline with infinite potential," Huang Yan said bitterly. "I inadvertently learned part of the Heavenly Court's plans through an ancient clan secret manual and found traces of a secret technique that could temporarily shield from the Heavenly Court's surveillance and communicate with the Small Immortal Realm... I was then deemed a variable that must be eliminated by the Heavenly Court! They sent Divine Generals to hunt me down... If not for Senior..." Her gaze towards Lin Xuan was filled with gratitude.

Just at this moment!

Buzz—!

From the spatial rift that had just been repelled by Lin Xuan's sword and temporarily closed, a dazzling golden light suddenly erupted! A terrifying pressure, more than ten times stronger than the previous few Soul Transformation divine senses, filled with majestic heavenly might and merciless killing intent, like a substantive golden tide, forcefully penetrated the spatial barrier and descended with a roar!

"Wicked Huang Yan! How dare you harm the Heavenly Court's divine sense! You deserve ten thousand deaths! Why do you not surrender!" A grand, majestic voice, as if a god was passing judgment, echoed through the void! Amidst the golden light, a blurry but suffocatingly powerful golden-armored figure slowly condensed! Its aura was so strong that it had clearly reached the Void Refinement stage! Although it was only a cross-realm projection, with less than one percent of its full power, the inherent suppression of a higher realm caused the two remaining golden-armored guards to instantly collapse to the ground, their souls on the verge of shattering!

"Void... Void Refinement Divine General projection!" Huang Yan's face turned pale with fright; the glimmer of hope that had just arisen was instantly swallowed by boundless despair! Void Refinement! That was an existence beyond Soul Transformation! Even if it was just a projection, it was absolutely incomparable to Soul Transformation! She instinctively looked at Lin Xuan, her eyes filled with pleading and despair.

[Warning! Void Refinement stage projection threat detected!]

[System Mission triggered: All Heavens Prodigy Harvester!]

Mission Content: The Host must travel to at least three different Mortal Realms within one year and subdue three prodigy disciples with SSS-level or higher talent!

[Mission Success Reward: Sect Luck +10,000 points! Three chances for All Heavens Myriad Realms Lottery!]

[Mission Failure Penalty: Host obliterated! Sect disintegrated!]

Hint: Sect Luck can increase disciples' comprehension, breakthrough probability, and chance of encountering fortuitous events. The stronger the luck, the more enjoyable the Host'sWin by lying down (lying down to win) will be!

The cold system prompt, with unprecedented severity and temptation, exploded in Lin Xuan's sea of consciousness! Obliteration penalty! Sect disintegration! But the luck reward upon success meant that his disciples' breakthroughs would be as easy as eating and drinking, and his tenfold return profit would grow explosively! True lying down to win!

"Three Mortal Realms? SSS-level prodigies?" Lin Xuan's eyes instantly sharpened like knives! This mission, he accepted it! For lying down to win, and also... to survive!

As for this noisy golden-armored projection?

"Heavenly Court?" Lin Xuan finally looked directly at the Void Refinement Divine General projection condensing in the golden light. Under his Law-Breaking Sword Eyes, the projection's energyVeins (meridians), and law composition were all clearly visible. The cold and cunning arc on his lips rose again, carrying a hint of mockery, as if watching a clown.

"Too noisy."

He didn't even bother to raise his hand.

Just a slight thought.

In his Dantian, the inch-tall Chaos Nascent Soul, in its right eye, that point of eternal sword light, which had just merged with the Chaos Sword Soul and whose sharpness had surged, like a slumbering primordial fierce beast, gently... blinked.

Buzz—!

An invisible and intangible, yet seemingly containing the annihilation of all heavens' stars and the collapse of the chaotic void, terrifying Sword Intent silently traversed space!

There was no earth-shattering commotion, no destructive sword qi crisscrossing.

Only... the Void Refinement Divine General projection, which had just condensed and was radiating majestic heavenly might, preparing to unleash thunderous methods to capture Huang Yan, suddenly stiffened!

The golden light flowing on the projection's surface instantly solidified!

Like a glazed sculpture thrown into the singularity of the universe's return to nothingness!

The next moment!

Crack! Crack! Crack—!

Fine, spiderweb-like black cracks instantly covered the entire golden-armored projection! Within the cracks, chaotic qi permeated, annihilating all existence!

"Im...pos...sible..." The tall, majestic voice turned into an incredulous, hoarse shriek of horror, filled with boundless fear.

Bang—!

The entire Void Refinement Divine General projection, along with the majestic heavenly might that had come through space, burst apart silently like a popped soap bubble! It transformed into countless tiny golden light particles, which were then completely swallowed and annihilated by the ubiquitous chaotic qi flow!

In its place, only a faint, almost negligible trace of the Void Refinement cultivator's main body's anger and fear remained, along with a section of the void, swept by the aftershocks of the Sword Intent, that became even more fragmented.

In an instant, the Void Refinement projection, turned to dust!

Absolute silence descended once more.

Huang Yan and her two guards were completely petrified, their minds blank. Void Refinement... That was Void Refinement! Even if it was just a projection, it represented the supreme authority of the Heavenly Court! And it was just... gone? Like a speck of dust casually flicked away?

Huang Yan suddenly looked up at the black-robed figure on the tiger's back. Fear receded like a tide, replaced by an unprecedented, almost blind worship and… fervor! Her beautiful eyes, previously filled with despair and sorrow, now shone astonishingly bright, like the most brilliant stars, clearly reflecting Lin Xuan’s figure. They were filled with gratitude for surviving a catastrophe, shock at his supreme power, and… an undisguised admiration, like a maiden in love! Little stars were practically popping out of her eyes!

Who was Lin Xuan? A seasoned veteran from Blue Star in his previous life, he had seen… cough, countless experiences! He understood Huang Yan’s gaze perfectly! This was clearly the ultimate fangirl gaze, catalyzed by a life-saving grace, good looks (though he himself thought them ordinary), and absolute martial power! How many domineering CEO novels and xianxia dramas in his previous life followed this exact trope!

“Tsk, troublesome.” An alarm bell rang in Lin Xuan’s heart. A femme fatale? He just wanted to develop discreetly, take disciples, and lie back to win with ten thousand-fold returns! How could he have time for romance? Especially when the other party was such a big trouble, carrying a Heavenly Court arrest warrant!

“Heaven Splitting!” Lin Xuan made a decisive move, sending a thought to the Divine Tiger beneath him.

“Roar?” The Lie Tian Divine Tiger was tilting its large head, its amber tiger eyes curiously watching the woman who was suddenly spouting stars at its master. Upon receiving its master’s urgent command to escape, although it didn’t quite understand why they had to run, it absolutely obeyed its master’s orders!

“Awoo—!” Heaven Splitting let out an earth-shattering tiger roar, and the crimson-gold divine flames around its body erupted! Its two front paws fiercely tore at the void ahead!

Tear—!

A spatial rift, far larger than the one they came through and with denser chaotic currents at its edges, was forcibly torn open! On the other side of the rift, the familiar brilliant starlight of the All Heavens Star Palace was faintly visible!

“Go!” Lin Xuan commanded in a low voice.

The Lie Tian Divine Tiger didn’t hesitate. Its massive body transformed into a burning crimson-gold meteor, and with a “whoosh,” it plunged into the spatial rift! Its speed was so fast that it only left behind an afterimage and scorching hot air currents!

“Senior… Senior?” The worship and little hearts on Huang Yan’s face instantly solidified, turning into shock and anxiety! She hadn’t reacted at all! One moment, a peerless expert who could extinguish a Void Refinement stage cultivator with a flick of his finger, breathtakingly handsome; the next moment… he ran? And ran so cleanly and decisively, without any lingering hesitation?

“Your Highness! He…” The two remaining guards were also stunned.

“Chase! Hurry and chase him!” Huang Yan suddenly reacted, no longer caring about her princess’s demeanor, stomping her foot in urgency! Are you kidding?! This was her only hope to escape the Heavenly Court’s clutches, and even for future revenge! How could she let him run away! The remnant divine phoenix power in her body surged frantically, transforming into a faint seven-colored stream of light, and she rushed recklessly towards the rapidly closing spatial rift!

“Protect Her Highness!” The two guards also forced their remaining spiritual power, gritting their teeth and following!

The three of them, like moths to a flame, narrowly plunged into the rift before it completely closed!

…Invincible Sect of the Heavens, within the Chaos Barrier.

Buzz!

Space rippled, and the Lie Tian Divine Tiger, carrying Lin Xuan, landed steadily on the plaza in front of the Star Palace.

“Phew…” Lin Xuan had just let out a sigh of relief, preparing to study the new Chaos Weapon Refinement Furnace and the “All Heavens Prodigy Harvester” mission.

Tear—!

Almost immediately after, the space behind him was torn open again, clearly not as stable as Heaven Splitting’s tear. Three disheveled figures tumbled out like rolling gourds: it was Huang Yan and her two guards!

“Cough cough…” Huang Yan scrambled up, covered in dust, her luxurious palace dress soiled, and her hair disheveled. But her beautiful eyes instantly locked onto the black-robed figure on the tiger’s back, shining astonishingly bright! She completely ignored the dense primordial spiritual energy around her that made every pore on her body open up, and she ignored the dozens of Outer Sect Disciples like Lu Chen and Yan Ling’er on the plaza who were dumbfounded, watering spiritual rice or mending stones. She even ignored Chu Xinghe, who was studying a formation plate and whose mouth was now wide enough to fit an egg, and Leng Yuechan, who had just awakened from her Sword Intent comprehension, looking coolly bewildered.

In her world, it seemed only that black-robed figure remained!

“Senior!” Huang Yan’s voice carried a hint of grievance, a touch of petulance, but even more, it was wild joy at regaining him and deep attachment. She lifted her skirt, completely disregarding her image, and ran towards Lin Xuan, “You… how could you abandon Yan’er?!”

Lin Xuan: “…” He looked at the princess of the Divine Emperor Realm, with her exquisite beauty, sparkling eyes, and reckless charge, and was speechless. He rubbed his temples with a headache.

The Lie Tian Divine Tiger seemed to sense its master’s helplessness, letting out a low growl in its throat. It watched the strange woman running over with vigilance, its massive body shifting slightly to shield its master more completely.

Yun Qingyao had just finished assigning a batch of new disciples to weed the medicinal garden. Hearing the commotion, she arrived just in time to witness this scene. She looked at the stunningly beautiful woman, whose appearance and demeanor were no less than her own, and who even possessed an aura of nobility, gazing at her master with an almost obsessive look, and calling herself Yan’er… The Senior Disciple Sister’s delicate brows furrowed instantly, her eyes filled with scrutiny and a hint of imperceptible vigilance.

Chu Xinghe’s formation plate “clattered” to the ground. Leng Yuechan tightened her grip on the hilt of her sword. Although she had no sword, her cool eyes swept over Huang Yan, then looked at her master, and finally, she silently lowered her gaze.

The dozens of Outer Sect Disciples on the plaza were collectively petrified, their water ladles and hoes falling to the ground. The flames of gossip burned fiercely in their eyes! The Sect Master… seemed to have been chased by a super beautiful woman… to his doorstep?

The scene was incredibly awkward for a moment.

Lin Xuan looked at Huang Yan, who had run close, slightly breathless from excitement and running, her cheeks flushed, and was gazing at him with her expressive big eyes as if “accusing” him. He then glanced at the instantly strange and quiet atmosphere around them, and Yun Qingyao’s increasingly cold gaze… He let out a deep, helpless sigh.

“Heaven Splitting.”

“Roar?”

“Go to the back mountain… for a stroll.”

“Awoo!” Although it didn’t understand why they had to stroll, whatever its master said, it would do!

A flash of crimson-gold divine flames, and the Lie Tian Divine Tiger, carrying Lin Xuan with a “I need to be alone” expression, instantly vanished from the spot, leaving only a scorching afterglow and an even more bewildered crowd.

“Senior!” Huang Yan watched Lin Xuan “flee” again, stomping her foot in urgency. Her seven-colored palace dress fluttered, and she rushed after him without thinking.

“Stop!” A cool, sharp cry rang out.

Yun Qingyao’s figure flashed, blocking Huang Yan’s path. Her Golden Core stage Moon Essence pressure, though not as powerful as the other’s peak, carried an undeniable cold sharpness. “This is a sacred place of the Invincible Sect of the Heavens! Who are you, Your Excellency? Without the Sect Master’s permission, you may not trespass into the back mountain!”

Huang Yan paused, looking at the exquisitely beautiful woman before her, whose temperament was as pure as the moon, and who clearly showed hostility. Her beautiful eyes narrowed slightly, and the noble aura of a Divine Emperor Realm princess instantly returned: “This Princess is Huang Yan of the Divine Emperor Realm! I have important matters to discuss with Senior… with Sect Master Lin! And who are you? How dare you block this Princess?”

“I am the Sect Master’s Head Disciple, Yun Qingyao!” Yun Qingyao did not back down, the moon essence flowing around her. “Since Master has not summoned you, I ask Princess Huang Yan… to wait in the front hall!” She deliberately emphasized the word “wait.”

Two equally beautiful women, with vastly different temperaments, their gazes met in the air, as if invisible sparks were flying.

Chu Xinghe silently picked up his formation plate, wiping away cold sweat. Leng Yuechan remained expressionless, but her fingers gripping the sword hilt seemed to tighten. The Outer Sect Disciples on the plaza dared not breathe, but their eyes darted frantically between Yun Qingyao and Huang Yan, their minds screaming: Senior Disciple Sister VS Mysterious Princess! A love triangle! Absolutely a love triangle!

The two golden-armored guards, left ignored: “…” Are we a bit superfluous?

Back mountain, by the spiritual spring where starlight was most concentrated.

Lin Xuan sat cross-legged on a bluestone, looking at the Nine Nether Hound egg in the spring eye, wrapped in the life force of myriad worlds and slowly absorbing energy. He then sensed the dormant bronze battle axe and the Chaos Weapon Refinement Furnace in his Dantian, finally casting his gaze on the bright red “All Heavens Prodigy Harvester” mission on the system panel.

One year, three mortal realms, three SSS-level prodigies… “The path to lying down and winning is indeed full of thorns,” he muttered to himself, but a cold, cunning smile curled at the corner of his mouth. “However… Heavenly Court? Small Immortal Realm? Myriad World’s Heaven’s Chosen? Interesting.”

As for the faintly transmitted, confrontational aura fluctuations of two women from the front hall?

Lin Xuan rubbed his temples, decisively choosing to… go into seclusion to study the Chaos Weapon Refinement Furnace!

Women? They only slow down my speed of taking disciples!