78: You used to ignore me, now you can't even reach me.

Lin Chen's gaze calmly swept over the crowd below.

Immediately, a meaningful arc appeared at the corner of his mouth.

He waved his large sleeve.

Om—!

Two disheveled figures, their aura extremely weak, were instantly thrown out of a spatial Magic Treasure by him like trash!

They heavily landed on the plaza in front of the mountain gate!

Everyone looked on in horror!

When they saw the faces of the two, the entire bustling scene instantly fell into a deathly silence!

Immediately after, an even more terrifying sound of gasping erupted!

"Th-that... that's... the Saintess of Crimson Flame Divine Palace, High-Grade Fertilizer?!"

"My heavens! And that... that's the Grand Elder of Myriad Sword Pavilion, Extinction Sword Crone?!"

"Their... their Cultivation... was actually crippled?! Like two dead dogs, captured by His Highness, the Saint, and brought back?!"

Shock!

Unparalleled shock!

If what they had heard before was merely a rumor...

Then, at this moment!

When these two 'queen-level' figures, who were once so high and mighty and arrogant in the Eastern Desolation, appeared before them like two lowly defeated dogs!

That visual impact!

That terrifying sense of reality where reality and rumors intertwined!

Only then did they truly understand... what kind of earth-shattering feat, capable of overturning the entire Eastern Desolation, their Saint had accomplished!

And in a corner of the crowd.

Two figures, upon seeing High-Grade Fertilizer and Extinction Sword Crone, who were thrown out as 'trophies'.

The color instantly drained from their faces!

They turned ashen white as paper!

It was none other than Elder Wang, who had repeatedly made small moves against Lin Chen behind his back, and her Disciple, Yun Yun!

Their bodies trembled uncontrollably!

Their eyes were filled with endless regret, fear, and... despair!

Elder Wang recalled how she had targeted Lin Chen everywhere due to jealousy.

Yun Yun, even more so, recalled how she had arrogantly believed Lin Chen was merely a 'pretty boy' who relied on women to rise, and was filled with disdain and contempt for him.

But now?!

The Saintess of Crimson Flame Divine Palace! The Grand Elder of Myriad Sword Pavilion! Those they once had to strain with all their might to look up to, or even lacked the qualifications to look up to!

Now they had become... prisoners, casually discarded by that man!

Then... what kind of miserable end awaited those 'small fries' who had offended him?

Fear!

Boundless fear, like the coldest tide, instantly drowned all their reason!

The two exchanged glances.

They both saw a trace of 'utter despair'... a deathly stillness in each other's eyes.

They knew.

They were finished.

Completely finished.

Lin Chen, however, didn't even bother to glance at them again.

For such 'clowns' who were no longer worth mentioning, he didn't even bother to deal with them personally.

He believed there would be plenty of people to clean up the mess for him.

He just calmly instructed Immortal Master Luoxia below:

"Acting Sect Master."

"These two are spoils of war."

"Crippled their Dantians, locked their pipa bones, and imprisoned them in the 'Water Prison' deep within Purple Cloud Holy Land."

"No one is allowed to visit them without my command."

"...Yes! I respectfully obey the Saint's decree!" Immortal Master Luoxia bowed in acknowledgment, her eyes filled with reverence.

After giving these instructions.

Lin Chen no longer paid attention to any external disturbances.

His figure flashed.

He transformed into a streak of light and disappeared from everyone's sight.

Leaving behind only a dashing silhouette that made tens of thousands of Disciples scream in madness.

And two defeated dogs, their faces ashen, completely plunged into despair!

...That night.

Purple Cloud Holy Land's highest peak, the Stargazing Platform.

Starlight poured down like mercury, enveloping the entire mountaintop in a mysterious and sacred silver veil.

Lin Chen stood alone beneath the seemingly tangible starry sky.

He knew she was waiting for him.

Sure enough.

A familiar female voice, ethereal and magnetic, slowly sounded behind him.

"You're back?"

Lin Chen slowly turned around.

He saw True Monarch Zi Wei standing quietly behind him.

Today, she wasn't wearing the luxurious palace dress that symbolized the Holy Lord's majesty.

Instead, she had changed into an elegant, moon-white long dress.

Her long black hair was simply tied up with a plain wooden hairpin.

She had lost some of her usual majesty and mystery.

But gained a certain indescribable languor and... charm.

Especially her pair of purple eyes, which seemed to contain the entire starry sky.

At this moment, they were gazing intently at Lin Chen.

That gaze no longer held the previous 'testing' and 'gambling'.

Instead, it held a very complex mix of 'admiration', 'curiosity', 'gratification', and... a hint of ambiguity that even she herself hadn't noticed.

"Yes, I'm back." Lin Chen nodded calmly.

"Come in."

True Monarch Zi Wei said no more.

She merely gave Lin Chen a deep look, then turned and walked into the Stargazing Secret Chamber behind her.

Lin Chen followed suit.

The furnishings inside the secret chamber were as simple as ever.

A stargazing map.

A jade table.

Two prayer mats.

And a tea set emitting wisps of warm steam.

True Monarch Zi Wei slowly knelt beside the jade table.

Then, under Lin Chen's slightly surprised gaze.

She personally picked up the teapot made of 'Ten Thousand Year Warm Jade' and poured Lin Chen a cup of Spiritual Tea exuding a refreshing fragrance.

"Taste it."

Her voice was very soft.

"This is the Nine Heavens Starlight Dew that I personally cultivated."

"It takes three thousand years for a tender bud to grow."

"Three thousand years to blossom."

"And another three thousand years to form these three tea leaves."

Lin Chen looked at the three tea leaves in the cup, floating like fragments of stars.

A ripple stirred in his heart.

He knew the value of this cup of tea.

This was no longer simple 'Spiritual Tea'.

This was 'Dao Tea'!

A supreme treasure capable of making any Cultivator below the Soul Transformation Realm instantly fall into an Epiphany!

And now... the Holy Lord of Purple Cloud Holy Land had personally poured him such a cup of tea.

The atmosphere at this moment became somewhat subtle.

Lin Chen didn't drink immediately.

He just looked at the woman in front of him, whose face appeared even more stunningly beautiful and peerless in the hazy tea mist.

"Holy Lord, is this my 'celebratory drink'?

True Monarch Zi Wei heard this and raised her captivating purple eyes to meet Lin Chen's gaze.

A faint, enigmatic smile slowly curved her lips.

"What do you think?"

She didn't answer directly.

Instead, she slowly spoke in a half-joking, half-serious tone.

"Lin Chen."

"I find myself understanding you less and less."

"I thought you were a young Dragon with infinite potential."

"But I never expected..."

A complex glint flashed in her eyes.

"You are actually an ancient deity who has already awakened."

She paused, as if organizing her thoughts.

Then she asked a question that caught Lin Chen completely off guard.

"You're thinking about the possibility of us Dual Cultivating, aren't you?"

Boom—!

This earth-shattering statement instantly made the air in the entire secret chamber seem to solidify!

Lin Chen looked at this woman, who never ceased to utter astonishing words.

For the first time, he felt his Dao Heart, which had long been as calm as an ancient well, uncontrollably throb violently!

True Monarch Zi Wei, however, seemed to be merely discussing an ordinary academic question.

She even began to analyze it in all seriousness.

"You possess the Chaos Dao Body, and I possess the Zi Wei Star Physique."

"From the perspective of Dao Body Origin, we are the most perfect complements."

"If we Dual Cultivate..."

Her purple eyes, at this moment, truly seemed to contain billions of stars being born and dying!

"Then the 'child' we jointly conceive..."

"How astonishingly talented would he be?"

"He might even surpass 'Divine Grade' and reach the legendary 'Dao Grade' that has never appeared before!"

"A born... 'Dao Child'!"

"A future capable of leading our Purple Cloud Holy Land to dominate the entire Xuanhuang Great World!"

Her voice was filled with an almost frantic fervor and... anticipation!

At this moment.

Lin Chen finally understood.

The woman before him was the true... lunatic!

An ultimate Dao Seeker who, for the future of her Sect and the pursuit of the supreme Dao, could abandon everything, including herself!

And he, Lin Chen.

Was the only shortcut in her eyes that could lead to the 'destination'!

The astonishing words about 'Dual Cultivation' and a 'Dao Child' were like a pebble dropped into a deep pool, stirring ripples that gradually subsided under True Monarch Zi Wei's deep, starlike purple eyes.

She was not in a hurry to seek Lin Chen's answer, as if her previous words were truly just a casual joke.

She picked up her teacup, took a light sip, her movements utterly graceful. Then, she put down the teacup, and the faint hint of ambiguity and madness in her purple eyes quietly receded.

In its place was an absolute calm and solemnity befitting a superior.

"Lin Chen."

Her voice returned to its usual coldness and majesty.

"The matters of the Eastern Desolation are concluded. You have also proven that you are qualified to leave this ' Beginner Village' (novice village) and witness the true... world."

"Now, I want to discuss the Central Continent Sacred Domain, where you are about to go."

Upon hearing this, Lin Chen's expression also subtly straightened. He put away the faint hint of romantic thoughts in his heart, sat upright, and adopted a posture of attentive listening.

He knew that the upcoming conversation would concern his future survival.

True Monarch Zi Wei, with a gentle wave of her jade hand.

Om—!

A dazzling star-light projected from the stargazing map, condensing in mid-air into a vast, boundless, and extremely detailed three-dimensional map!

A dazzling star-light projected from the stargazing map, condensing in mid-air into a vast, boundless, and extremely detailed three-dimensional map!

The map was vast, encompassing mountains, rivers, oceans, deserts, cities, and Sects… it was practically a miniature world!

And on the outermost edge of the map, a somewhat barren and small area was marked as — [Eastern Barrens].

Lin Chen's gaze lingered for a moment on the palm-sized [Eastern Barrens], and then he was completely captivated by the central continent that occupied most of the map, exuding an ancient, weathered aura, and Spiritual Qi so dense it was almost substantial!

That was… the [Central Continent Sacred Domain]!

The true heart of the entire Xuanhuang Great World!

"The [Central Continent Sacred Domain], how vast is its territory? More than a hundred, even a thousand times that of the Eastern Barrens?"

True Monarch Zi Wei's voice echoed in the secret chamber, carrying a casualness like introducing her own backyard, yet containing an astonishing amount of information.

"It can be roughly divided into 'Five Regions and Four Seas'.

She extended her slender, graceful finger, pointing to each area on the map.

"The Central Region is the core of the Sacred Domain, and also the place with the densest Spiritual Qi. There, Sects stand in great numbers, and aristocratic families are entrenched, truly a place where Dragons and crouching Tigers hide."

"The Eastern Region has many ancient Imperial Dynasties; the main lineage of the Great Yan Dynasty is located here."

"The Southern Region has many towering mountains and ridges, a paradise for the Yao Race and exotic beasts."

"The Western Region is an endless desert, yet it is also a Buddhist Holy Land. There, the most devout believers and the most bizarre Buddhist Dharma can be found."

"The Northern Region is perpetually frozen, with harsh environments, a gathering place for ascetic Cultivators and demonic Cultivators."

"As for the Four Seas…"

True Monarch Zi Wei's gaze swept over the endless oceans surrounding the continent.

"There, the most mysterious Sea Race resides, as well as some ancient Forbidden Grounds that even I wouldn't dare to easily set foot in."

Lin Chen's heart surged with emotion as he listened.

Just this regional division made him feel the vastness and… splendor of that world!

In comparison, the Eastern Barrens, where he was before, truly felt like a… small well.

However, True Monarch Zi Wei's words were not over.

Her finger slowly traced across the map, as if pointing out the land and rivers.

"In this vast land, the forces are intricate and complex."

"Forces like Myriad Sword Pavilion and Crimson Flame Divine Palace might dominate a region in the Eastern Barrens. But, if placed in the Central Continent Sacred Domain…"

The corner of her mouth curled into an undisguised sneer.

"They, at best, can only be considered a… second-rate, or even third-rate force."

"The true Dominators of this world are those ancient clans that have inherited their Legacy from the ancient era, with unfathomable Foundations! Ten-thousand-year Imperial Dynasties! And…"

Her voice suddenly grew solemn, and in her purple eyes, for the first time, a deep hint of apprehension appeared!

"...the three… Immortal Holy Lands that stand above all other forces!"

"Immortal Holy Lands?" Lin Chen's pupils slightly contracted.

"Indeed."

True Monarch Zi Wei nodded.

"The Sky Patrol Hall, behind Inspector Codename: Sharp Blade whom you met in Qianlong City, is one of these three Immortal Holy Lands."

"Moreover, Codename: Sharp Blade is merely a small Inspector dispatched by the Sky Patrol Hall to a 'remote region' like the Eastern Barrens. Within the true Sky Patrol Hall, figures like her are countless."

"These three Holy Lands do not participate in worldly disputes, yet they control the 'rules' and 'order' of this world. Even the rise and fall of those ten-thousand-year Imperial Dynasties and ancient clans are at their whim."

"They are the true… Heaven of the Central Continent Sacred Domain!"

Lin Chen took a deep breath.

Only now did he truly realize what a terrifying and vast world he was about to step into!

The waters there were too deep!

Deep enough to drown any self-important… Dragon crossing the river!

"Scared?"

True Monarch Zi Wei looked at Lin Chen's solemn expression and asked with a half-smile.

Lin Chen shook his head, a wild curve instead appearing at the corner of his mouth: "Scared? Quite the opposite. I'm even more excited."

Only such a stage was worthy of him!

Only such opponents were qualified to be his… whetstones!

"Very good."

True Monarch Zi Wei nodded with satisfaction.

"However, courage alone is not enough."

She put away the map, her gaze becoming unprecedentedly serious.

"Lin Chen, you must remember one thing."

"The Central Continent Sacred Domain is not only vaster and more splendid. It is also more… cruel."

"There, there is a 'class' System a hundred times stricter than in the Eastern Barrens!"

True Monarch Zi Wei's voice became cold and ruthless, as if stating an unchangeable iron law.

"In this world where women are revered and men are lowly, the Central Continent Sacred Domain has pushed this 'injustice' to the extreme."

"There, Mortals, especially Mortal men, are not even considered 'livestock'. They are merely ants, dust that can be arbitrarily erased by those high-and-mighty female Cultivators, without even having to pay any price."

"There, Loose Cultivators without background, regardless of gender, no matter how high your talent or how good your Opportunity, if you don't have a powerful backer, you can only struggle at the bottom, becoming cannon fodder in the games played between major forces."

"And the most pathetic…"

True Monarch Zi Wei looked at Lin Chen, her purple eyes seemingly seeing through all his pride and trump cards.

"…are men like you, who consider themselves 'Genius' but have no Foundation."

"In the Eastern Barrens, you might be able to defy Heaven and change your fate, earning respect with your talent and Opportunity."

"But, in the Central Continent Sacred Domain…"

Her voice was low and cruel, every word like a cold knife, fiercely piercing Lin Chen's heart!

"Those noble-born Divine Maidens of ancient clans, and Holy Land Successors, possessing endless resources, will never look at you with the same adoration as the Disciples of Purple Cloud Holy Land."

"In their eyes, a 'wild Genius' like you, no matter how amazing your performance, is nothing more than a…"

True Monarch Zi Wei paused, then uttered two words filled with endless humiliation.

"—Advanced… 'plaything'!

"Or, a 'stepping stone' of slightly better quality!"

"Furthermore, if you possess a special Physique…"

Her gaze, intentionally or unintentionally, swept over Lin Chen's body.

"...you will even become the perfect 'Cauldron' in the eyes of those female Devil Heads who Cultivate wicked Dual Cultivation techniques!"

"Drained of your last shred of essence, dying without a complete corpse!"

Boom—!

True Monarch Zi Wei's words were like a bucket of ice water, harshly dousing Lin Chen's heart, which had just been burning with excitement!

Plaything?

Stepping stone?

Cauldron?!

Was this the future that the Central Continent Sacred Domain, which he had yearned for, had prepared for him?!

Were these the true and cruel rules of that world?!

Inside the secret chamber, a deathly silence fell.

Lin Chen was silent.

He lowered his head, his expression unclear. Only his hands, placed on his knees, had unconsciously clenched into fists, knuckles white, veins bulging!

An invisible, suppressed to the extreme anger and unwillingness, wildly brewed and roared within him!

Why?!

Just because he was a man? Just because he had no background?

Was he destined to be someone else's plaything, someone else's stepping stone?!

He refused to accept it!

He was unwilling!

He possessed a Heaven-Defying System! An invincible Physical Body! Wisdom that surpassed this world!

He would never accept such a fate!

"...So?"

After a long time.

Lin Chen slowly raised his head.

There was no trace of a smile on his face, nor any fear.

Only an extreme coldness and calmness, as if from the Nine Heavens of Hell.

In his eyes, two black flames burned, capable of incinerating all the myriad worlds!

That was ambition!

It was desire!

And even more, a madness to completely tear apart and trample that decadent, unjust world!

He looked directly into True Monarch Zi Wei's purple eyes, which seemed to see through everything, and spoke each word distinctly, his voice not loud, yet seeming to contain a supreme will that could make words come true!

"Holy Lord, you've told me so much."

"Are you trying to make me retreat in the face of difficulties?"

"Or are you trying to tell me…"

The corner of his mouth once again curled into a charming and domineering arc.

"—that in that land, there are more, stronger, and more valuable 'prey' to conquer?!"

True Monarch Zi Wei looked at the man before her, who, after hearing such cruel truths, not only showed no signs of retreat but instead erupted with even more terrifying ambition and fighting spirit.

In her eyes, finally, a genuine appreciation appeared.

And even a trace of… deeply hidden… expectation.

"You, indeed, did not disappoint me."

She smiled.

That smile was enchanting, as if even the myriad stars in the sky dimmed in that instant.

"Go, Lin Chen."

"Go to that stage that truly belongs to you."

"Use your fists to break those damned rules."

"Use your methods to conquer those high-and-mighty women."

"I will be here, waiting for you…"

Her voice became somewhat ethereal, as if from the distant starry sky.

"...the day you reign over the world!"