186: aloof senior sister

Chiyang Mountain, the towering mountain range standing at the heart of the Second Heaven, was now bathed in an endless crimson glow. The Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly, a millennial event in the Crimson Bright and Yang Heaven, had turned this immortal mountain into a massive furnace. Myriad immortals paid homage, gathering countless hidden powerhouses from all sides.

Lin Chen stood with his hands behind his back at the bow of the Flying Boat. On the mountain path below, thousands of female Cultivators surged toward the Divine Fire Palace like a tide. In this world where women outnumbered men, most males appearing here were toys or playthings for powerful women, either submissive or heavily made up, trying their best to please their female companions.

But a man like Lin Chen—followed by a stunning Saintess and a cold Artifact Refiner, surrounded by a sky-piercing Evil Qi and a disdainful gaze—was like a hungry tiger barging into a flock of sheep, instantly drawing countless looks of shock, contempt, or greed.

"Master, we have arrived," Su Qingge whispered. Though blindfolded, her Eyes of True Vision had already analyzed the killing intent and Spiritual Pressure ahead.

Iron Heart Orchid nervously gripped the dragons roar scarlet edge at her waist. As an Artifact Refiner, she knew best how terrifying the woman sitting in the palace ahead was. But when she turned to see Lin Chen’s back, straight as a spear, her frantic heartbeat calmed down strangely.

The Flying Boat landed. Just as Lin Chen and his companions stepped onto the white jade steps, a bone-chilling Sword Intent coiled around them like a venomous snake.

"Stop."

A voice as cold as ice rang out, and the fire elements in the air seemed to freeze in an instant.

Lin Chen stopped and turned his head. Not far ahead, the group from the Sword Washing Pool stood proudly. Leading them was a woman in a plain white sword robe, her long hair tied with only a crystal hairband. Her face was as exquisite as ten-thousand-year-old ice, and her aloofness, which kept people a thousand miles away, meant almost no one dared to approach within a hundred meters.

She was the current Senior Sister of the Sword Washing Pool, a True Immortal Peak powerhouse known as the "Ice Heart Sword Seed"—Bai Bingxin.

Her cold eyes, devoid of emotion, swept over Lin Chen. In that instant, she seemed to see a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood surging behind him—the dense Evil Qi from killing seventy-two Sword Guards in the Falling Thunder Canyon that had yet to dissipate.

Bai Bingxin’s eyebrows furrowed deeply, her eyes showing a near-visceral disgust: "Covered in bloodlust, without a trace of a Cultivator's purity. A mere mortal frame, yet you dare ascend Chiyang Mountain? Stay away from me; do not let your filth soil my sword heart."

At these words, the surrounding female Cultivators chuckled, pointing at Lin Chen.

"Isn't this that pretty boy from the Lower Realm? I heard he broke Jun Bufan's sword." "Heh, so what? Before Fairy Bai, a brute who only knows physical strength is nothing but a clown."

Faced with such humiliation that would make an ordinary man kill himself in shame, Lin Chen did not retreat but laughed out loud. Instead of moving away, he took a provocative step forward, almost touching the tip of Bai Bingxin's sword.

The masculine energy of his Ancestral Dragon Bloodline, mixed with the domineering Evil Qi from his recent slaughter, was like a thick wall crashing directly into Bai Bingxin's cold Domain.

"Filth?" Lin Chen looked down at this arrogant sword Fairy, a cynical sneer on his lips. "Fairy Bai, your sword is indeed washed very white, but unfortunately, your Sect is entirely black. This sword heart of yours... I'm afraid you aren't cultivating an 'Ice Heart,' but a 'Blind Heart'?"

"What did you say!" Fury instantly ignited in Bai Bingxin's normally calm eyes, and her Sword Qi became wild and chaotic due to her fluctuating mental state.

"What, am I wrong?" Lin Chen pressed closer, his tone becoming more domineering. "Your Junior Brother robs and kills, and your Elders stage ambushes. Your so-called purity is built upon the hypocrisy of others' bones. These white clothes cannot hide the mud filling the Sword Washing Pool behind you. You have cultivated the sword for years, yet you cannot see who the true 'filth' of this world is. If that's not being blind, what is?"

Bai Bingxin's cheeks flushed a sickly red from extreme anger. Her fingers, forged like ice and snow, suddenly gripped her sword hilt, and a brilliant ice-blue sword light instantly tore through the Void Realm.

"You smooth-tongued rogue! Today, I shall act on behalf of the Heavenly Dao and slay you, Prodigy!"

Just as the Sword Qi was about to erupt, a terrifying, suffocating Red Lotus Karmic Fire descended from the Peak of Chiyang Mountain, forcibly suppressing the ice-blue sword light back into its scabbard.

"During the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly, those who engage in private duels shall be executed."

From the palace pulled by nine dragons high in the sky, a lazy yet domineering voice rang out. Zhurong Zhuyan leaned against her throne, her fiery red hair dancing in the wind. Her eyes, burning with flames, pierced through the clouds and landed on Lin Chen with a hint of playfulness.

"That one named Lin, stop wasting your breath down there with those ignorant women. Come up and sit by My side."

The entire field fell silent; everyone was speechless.

Countless female Cultivators widened their eyes, even doubting their own ears. Divine Fire Palace Master Zhuyan was the Dominator of the Crimson Bright and Yang Heaven; they had never heard of any man being allowed to sit beside her throne!

Amidst gazes of jealousy and shock that could burn a person, Lin Chen straightened his collar and gave a brilliant and irritating smile to the trembling Bai Bingxin.

"Fairy Bai, it seems you need to practice your 'sword heart' more. I'll head up first. The scenery up there... is something you won't be seeing."

With that, Lin Chen led Su Qingge and Iron Heart Orchid, guided by the nine-colored firelight, and grandly ascended to the supreme heights of the clouds.

Bai Bingxin stared fixedly at Lin Chen's back, her knuckles white from the force of her grip, even drawing blood from her palms.

"Lin Chen... in the Secret Realm, I will take your head and wash away today's humiliation!"

...Deep within Chiyang Palace, the inner hall.

The walls here flowed with terrestrial magma, yet it didn't feel hot; instead, there was a dense fire Spiritual Qi that calmed the Divine Soul.

Zhuyan sat on her throne. As Lin Chen approached, her peerless long legs, bound in dark red light armor, swayed before him.

"You have quite the nerve, daring to tease that famous 'ice block' from the Sword Washing Pool," Zhuyan said, curling her lips as her flaming red lips exuded an alluring sense of danger.

"It wasn't teasing, just telling the truth." Lin Chen unceremoniously sat in the secondary seat beside Zhuyan, picking up a priceless Dragon Flame Fruit from the table and tossing it into his mouth.

Seeing him act as if he owned the place, Zhuyan didn't get angry; instead, she felt a surge of heat in her heart. She had sat in this high position for too long, meeting men who were either servants begging for mercy or mediocre talents who treated her like a goddess. A man like Lin Chen, who dared to look her in the eye and even swallow her true fire, was a rare treasure in this world.

"Withdraw. This Seat wishes to discuss 'Secret Realm' matters with Domain Lord Lin." Zhuyan waved her hand, dismissing all the maids.

As the heavy palace doors slowly closed, the temperature in the room began to soar rapidly.

Zhuyan's lazy posture changed; she was like a red venomous snake hunting, suddenly lunging forward and straddling Lin Chen's lap. Her breathtaking curves rose and fell sharply before Lin Chen, and red spiritual runes moved faintly beneath her bronze skin.

"Lin Chen, you said... This Seat has a lot of 'fire' and needs you to 'extinguish' it?" Zhuyan leaned close to Lin Chen's ear, her voice thick with desire. Her slender fingers slid down Lin Chen's firm chest muscles, finally pressing against his wrist protected by the dragon scale gauntlet.

"Then let This Seat see if this fire extinguisher of yours... is long enough, and hard enough!"

Lin Chen laughed loudly, grabbing her rounded, firm waist.

"Since the Palace Master seeks medicine, I naturally shall not decline."

Without any hypocritical testing, Lin Chen directly tore apart the dark red light armor on Zhuyan's body that symbolized her power.

"Riiip—!"

In that instant, the most noble body in the Crimson Bright and Yang Heaven was completely exposed. Zhuyan's body possessed an extreme beauty of strength; her abdominal muscles were clear but not protruding, and the pair of spheres enough to drive all living beings mad lost their restraint, like two immortal peaches ripening in a fire, tremblingly provoking Lin Chen's nerves.

"Ah—!"

The sound carried pain, but more so, it was the ecstasy of being completely conquered after thousands of years of suppression.

As the "Fire God" of this Second Heaven, her body itself was a massive furnace, and this furnace was beginning to collapse and reorganize.

"Quick! Refine This Seat!"

"You are mine... no matter what is in the Secret Realm... you are mine!"

She roared loudly, a shout born from the Peak of desire.

Iron Heart Orchid's face was flushed red, and she gritted her teeth: "This vixen... she's screaming louder than I did." Su Qingge, still blindfolded, had a meaningful smile on her lips: "Because in this battle, Master has won not just her body, but also the 'Heavenly Mandate' of this Second Heaven."

[Congratulations, host! Successfully unlocked the "Empress Zhuyan" deep cultivation plot!] [Zhurong Zhuyan Compatibility: 60% (Initial recognition from the conqueror)!] [Reward Obtained: Highest authority of the Divine Fire Palace! Secret Realm coordinates shared!] [Next Step: The Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly officially opens; enter the [Chiyang Secret Realm]. The Sword Washing Pool's killing formation led by Bai Bingxin is ready, while Zhuyan expects you to bring back the legendary "Zhurong's Heart" for her...]

At that ultimate Peak, Lin Chen looked down at the red-haired Empress beneath him, who was already dazed. A spark of ambition enough to swallow the world flashed in his eyes.

In the Second Heaven, what Lin Chen said was now the imperial decree.