49: I mistakenly thought she wanted to offer herself to me? Turns out she really was lusting after me!

As the Ancestor's earth-shattering "enfeoffment" declaration hammered the final nail, this sect competition, full of twists and shocks, finally drew to a close.

Lin Chen, in the most unreasonable and worldview-defying manner, leaped from being the "useless man" scorned by everyone, to becoming the most revered Saint of the Purple Cloud Holy Land!

That night, he was summoned alone by the Ancestor and entered the legendary Star Gazing Chamber atop Purple Cloud Peak, a place only successive Sect Masters were qualified to enter... Inside the chamber, immortal energy permeated the air, and starlight glittered. The dome was not rock, but a vast sea of stars, as if one could reach out and pluck the sun, moon, and stars.

Lin Chen walked into this mysterious and imposing chamber alone, yet a trace of doubt and strangeness arose in his heart.

(This old hag... bah, the Ancestor, calling me alone to such a private place, could it really be, as Yun Yun thought, that she covets my "male beauty"?)

Subconsciously, he surveyed his surroundings. In the center of the chamber was a cloud bed crafted from Ten-Thousand-Year Warm Jade, covered with the snowy white fur of an unknown Yao Beast, emitting waves of unusual fragrance; next to it was a bathing pool fed by a spiritual spring from the mountaintop, the water clear and steaming... Lin Chen's mouth twitched violently as he looked at the scene.

(This arrangement is far too suggestive! Could it be... that I really have to sacrifice myself for art today?)

The Ancestor's stunningly beautiful face, enough to drive a man mad, flashed through his mind, and then he sighed.

(Forget it... Considering the benefits she offers, sacrificing a bit of energy is worth it. The "many sons, many blessings" System won't lose out.)

Just as Lin Chen prepared himself mentally for the "heroic sacrifice," a gentle voice, tinged with amusement and laughter, softly sounded behind him: "What are you thinking about?"

Lin Chen was startled and spun around abruptly! He saw the stunningly beautiful matronly Ancestor standing silently behind him. She wore a thin, moon-white silk nightgown, her dark hair loosely draped, exuding a mature allure capable of driving any man insane.

"Ahem," Lin Chen's face flushed, and he quickly averted his gaze, clearing his throat twice. "Nothing... nothing at all. I just think the scenery in the Ancestor's chamber is quite nice."

"Is that so?" The Ancestor slowly walked up to him, her gentle, beautiful eyes staring at him with a half-smile. "I thought you were wondering if I truly coveted your 'male beauty,' just as the rumors claim?"

Boom!

She actually pointed out Lin Chen's thoughts directly! This time, it was Lin Chen's turn to be shocked. He stared blankly at the woman before him, who seemed capable of reading minds, and for the first time, a sense of dread arose in his heart.

"Relax," the Ancestor looked at his crestfallen expression and finally couldn't help but giggle, shaking slightly. "Although your appearance is decent, I'm not that interested."

She paused, her smile slowly receding. A chilling glint flashed in her gentle eyes that made Lin Chen's heart pound: "What interests me more is the secret hidden within you. For instance..." Her voice grew deeper, "If I'm not mistaken, Su Mei of the Joyful Union Lineage, her peak Golden Core stage cultivation... was absorbed by you, wasn't it?"

Boom—!!

As soon as she spoke, Lin Chen's pupils contracted into dangerous pinpricks! A cold killing intent flashed uncontrollably from within him—this was his biggest secret! How... how did she know?

However, in just an instant, Lin Chen regained his composure. He looked at the smiling yet unfathomable woman before him and instantly figured everything out. He had bet correctly. If she truly harbored malice, given her Late Nascent Soul Stage strength, she wouldn't have needed to talk—she would have acted long ago. The fact that she chose to reveal this in such a private setting... was a test, and a signal of open communication!

Thinking this, Lin Chen simply stopped pretending. He looked into the Ancestor's eyes and slowly nodded in admission: "Yes."

Seeing his straightforward confession, the Ancestor was slightly stunned, then her smile deepened: "An interesting young fellow." She stopped pressing the issue and waved elegantly, "Forget it, everyone has secrets. If you don't say, I won't ask."

This completely confirmed Lin Chen's conjecture—she genuinely held no malice toward him, at least not for the time being!

Thus, Lin Chen also confessed directly, though he naturally didn't mention the System—that was his biggest secret.

"Actually, there's nothing I can't say," he said, half-truthfully. "Years ago, I accidentally stumbled into an Ancient Cave Dwelling and luckily obtained a volume of the Chaos Dragon Elephant Art. This cultivation method is domineering; it can not only temper the physical body but also devour the essence of all things for one's own use." As he spoke, he deliberately released a trace of the Archaic Dragon-Elephant Art's aura.

He stared intently into the Ancestor's eyes, trying to discern any clue from her reaction. When her gentle, beautiful eyes met this aura, they did brighten momentarily, but the change was fleeting. She maintained a kind and gentle smile.

"The Chaos Dragon Elephant Art?" she repeated softly, then praised him, "What a domineering cultivation method, and what a great fortune. It is even rarer that you are willing to tell me such a secret. Lin Chen, your character is excellent."

Though she spoke of "belief," Lin Chen read three words in her eyes, deep as the sea of stars: I don't believe you.

(This old hag is indeed hard to fool.)

Lin Chen mused internally, but his expression remained "sincere."

The two exchanged a knowing glance, both revealing a meaningful smile. Some things did not need to be explicitly stated.

"Alright," the Ancestor seemed to lose interest in the topic and slowly walked beneath the vast starry dome, her tone slightly emotional. "Since you have decided to enter my lineage, there are some things I should tell you."

She slowly turned around, looking at Lin Chen, and the supreme majesty of a Late Nascent Soul Stage powerhouse appeared in her gentle eyes for the first time: "My Daoist Title is Zi Wei. You may call me True Monarch Zi Wei, or address me as Revered Master, like Yun Yun does."

True Monarch Zi Wei!

Lin Chen's heart tightened. He knew that from this moment on, the game of testing between them was truly over. A complex new relationship—part mentor and friend, part rival and "Revered Master-servant"—was formally established between him and this scheming Queen.

"Disciple Lin Chen greets Revered Master." Lin Chen bowed slightly, this time with a bit more sincerity. Regardless of what this woman was plotting, she had saved his life and cleared the obstacles posed by Yun Yun for him. She deserved this address.

"Mhm." True Monarch Zi Wei nodded with satisfaction, slowly raising her hand to point at the vast sea of stars on the dome. "Lin Chen, what does this sea of stars look like to you?"

Lin Chen looked up. Within the sea of stars were billions of stars, and several star regions were exceptionally bright and dazzling. "It looks like... a vast world," Lin Chen mused.

"Correct." Approval flashed in True Monarch Zi Wei's eyes. "The world we inhabit is called the Tianyan Continent. The Tianfeng Kingdom and the dozens of surrounding countries are merely the poorest region on the easternmost edge of the continent, collectively known as the Eastern Barrens."

"Above the Eastern Barrens, sects stand numerous and dynasties change, and the Nascent Soul Stage is already considered an existence in the clouds." She paused, pointing to the brightest star region in the center of the sea of stars, her voice carrying unprecedented longing and solemnity. "But in the Central Continent Sacred Domain at the center of the continent, the Nascent Soul Stage is merely the starting point. Above it are legendary realms like Soul Transformation, Void Return, Dao Integration, and Undergoing Tribulation! Geniuses there are born at the Golden Core Stage, and Holy Lands even have True Immortals overseeing them!"

Soul Transformation! Void Return! Dao Integration! Undergoing Tribulation!

These realm names, filled with supreme majesty, exploded like thunder in Lin Chen's mind, opening a door for him to a vaster, grander new world!

"And our Purple Cloud Holy Land," True Monarch Zi Wei's voice pulled Lin Chen back from his shock, "has been able to stand firm in the barren Eastern Barrens for a thousand years because our Founding Ancestor luckily obtained an incomplete cultivation method from the Central Continent Sacred Domain—the Purple Heaven Star Guiding Art."

"Unfortunately, this cultivation method has strict requirements for female physiques, and in the past thousand years, aside from the Founding Ancestor, no one has been able to cultivate it to great success." She turned her head, her gentle eyes falling upon Lin Chen again. "But your appearance has shown me another possibility."

She looked at Lin Chen, speaking slowly, word by word:

"Your Chaos Dragon Elephant Art is peerlessly domineering, focusing on the physical body and vital energy; our sect's Purple Heaven Star Guiding Art is ethereal and agile, focusing on the divine soul and stars. One is Yang, one is Yin; one is rigid, one is soft. If we can make these two cultivation methods complement each other in Yin and Yang, merging them into one..."