98: Hidden Dragon Enters the Sea

Lin Chen rose slowly, the ultimate Aura of the Nascent Soul Great Perfection flowing within his body. Every movement contained power that could shake heaven and earth. This power had already surpassed the limits of the Nascent Soul Stage, stepping into the half-step Soul Transformation, ready to trigger a Heavenly Tribulation at any moment.

At his feet, the Ice Phoenix Female Sovereign Han Ling's jade body, as perfect and flawless as newly melted snow, nestled against him in a posture of extreme submissiveness and dependence, like a mass of soft white snow. Her silver hair was disheveled, covering the enchanting spring scenery, but her once proud and cold eyes were now filled with Lin Chen's shadow and the tear stains of a frenzy and endless bliss released from the depths of her Dao Heart.

This was redemption, a return and surrender to the Origin of life after breaking through ten thousand years of pride and repression. Under the baptism of the Yang Qi from Lin Chen's Chaos Dragon Elephant, her Ice Phoenix Divine Body had completely shed that layer of hypocritical Dao Heart Lock and Pure Yin Shackle, attaining true balance and rebirth.

Beside them, the Profound Frost Sword Maiden Xuan Shuang had silently put on her tight-fitting sword robe, which had been torn and then repaired by Lin Chen with spiritual power. Beneath that sword robe, however, were her completely reshaped Soul and body. Her tall figure stood straight now, but her slightly trembling fingertips and the hungry glances she occasionally stole at Lin Chen's bare chest exposed her newly awakened possessiveness toward male instincts.

Lin Chen raised his hand, and powerful spiritual power instantly condensed into seven sets of brand-new, extremely luxurious Female Sovereign robes, flying toward the other five Nascent Soul Female Sovereigns waiting in the cave.

The Central Continent Sacred Domain is a thousand times more vast than the Northern Border, with strict rule. To infiltrate the heartland, we must have sufficient cover." Lin Chen's voice was deep and magnetic; at this moment, he was an absolute emperor.

A moment later, the seven Nascent Soul Female Sovereigns stood before Lin Chen: Su Daji's charm, True Monarch Ziyue's coldness, the Fierce Lion Queen's dominance, the Medusa Queen's wildness, Tuoba Hongyu's valiance, the Profound Frost Sword Maiden's sharpness, and the Ice Phoenix Female Sovereign Han Ling's icy holiness.

Seven Nascent Soul Stage, or even Nascent Soul Great Perfection (Han Ling and True Monarch Ziyue) Auras intertwined. This Aura alone was enough to intimidate any first-rate power.

"Han Ling, you were once a top-tier Female Sovereign of the Central Continent Sacred Domain and know its layout like the back of your hand. This time, you will be the core of the diplomatic mission." Lin Chen looked at Han Ling with undisguised admiration and possessiveness.

Han Ling bowed slightly, her submissiveness blending perfectly with the nobility of the Ice Phoenix Divine Body, creating a fatal temptation: "Everything is at Master's command. In my name as the Ice Domain Female Sovereign, I will form a diplomatic mission to the heartland of the Central Continent, ostensibly to offer tribute, but in reality, to pave the way for Master."

"Tribute?" Lin Chen sneered. "What a tribute! Perfect, we will deliver ourselves as spoils of war, openly into their heartland!"

Without the slightest hesitation, Lin Chen directly activated the Human Emperor Domain (Full Version).

A golden light instantly spread from his body, enveloping the entire cave. This complete Human Emperor Domain could not only suppress all Yin Laws within the Domain but, more terrifyingly, it could perfectly transform and conceal Lin Chen's masculine imperial Aura, making him look like... an ordinary male without any cultivation!

"From now on, my Aura will completely disappear from your perception. In the eyes of outsiders, I am merely a Male Slave carried by you as a pet or a tool in the diplomatic mission." Lin Chen's voice was full of mockery.

"Master..." The seven Female Sovereigns were shaken. They knew this was Lin Chen's absolute trust in them and his absolute confidence in his own Human Emperor Domain!

Lin Chen brought the seven women into the very core of the Human Emperor Domain. Then, led by the Ice Phoenix Female Sovereign Han Ling, the group boarded a magnificent Ice Crystal Flying Boat condensed from Ice Phoenix cold qi and flew rapidly toward the border of the Central Continent Sacred Domain.

—

Central Continent Sacred Domain · Border

The Central Continent was the core of this world, where the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi was so dense it almost condensed into solid spiritual liquid. But existing alongside its dense Spiritual Qi was a suffocating high pressure and authority.

Just as Lin Chen and his group stepped into the Central Continent territory, even with the perfect concealment of the Human Emperor Domain, Lin Chen still felt several incredibly powerful Soul Transformation Stage Divine Thoughts patrolling the skies of the Central Continent like cold searchlights.

"Master, this is the Central Continent. There are at least dozens of Soul Transformation Female Sovereigns in the Nine Great Holy Lands. Their Divine Thoughts cover every inch of land like a spider web." Han Ling's voice carried a hint of awe, but even more so, the confidence of having surrendered to Lin Chen.

However, just as their flying boat landed at the entrance of the nearest border city—Sky Patrol City—a heart-pounding pressure suddenly erupted in the air.

A cold and elegant female guard of the Mid Nascent Soul Stage, wearing standard silver armor, was holding a massive Jade Slip against the city wall. On that Jade Slip, lines of shocking text were written in bright red blood-colored spiritual power.

"Great upheaval in the Northern Border! True Monarch Ziyue has defected! Suspected to be held hostage by a Heaven-Defying male!"

"s-rank wanted poster!"

Depicted on the wanted poster was Lin Chen's portrait—though the portrait had been blurred by the Holy Land Formation, one could still see the face of a handsome yet slightly wicked young male.

"Target: Lin Chen. Characteristics: Cultivation unknown (suspected above Nascent Soul, possesses terrifying physical strength and unique masculine Dao charm), often accompanied by several Nascent Soul Stage female cultivators."

"Reward: Those who provide accurate information will receive billions of Top-Grade Spirit Stones! Those who capture or kill this thief can directly enter the Nine Great Holy Lands and be granted the status of a Divine Maiden's Dao Companion, with status equal to a Holy Land Master!"

Billions of Spirit Stones! A Divine Maiden as a Dao Companion! This reward was earth-shattering, enough to drive the entire Central Continent and all surrounding powers into a frenzy!

Lin Chen's eyes narrowed slightly. He knew he had caused too much of a stir. The disappearance of True Monarch Ziyue, combined with the unusual movements of the Profound Frost Sword Maiden and the Ice Phoenix Female Sovereign, had completely touched the raw nerve of the Central Continent Sacred Domain.

"An s-rank wanted poster is the highest level of bounty issued by the Sacred Domain against a male, equivalent to hunting down a Soul Transformation Great Perfection Devil Head." Han Ling whispered a reminder inside the flying boat.

"Interesting." The corners of Lin Chen's mouth curled up. He knew he had become the public enemy of all Female Sovereigns in this matriarchal world, as well as a banner for all oppressed males!

"Diplomatic mission, disembark. Let them see the grace of the Ice Domain Female Sovereign." Lin Chen commanded.

Han Ling adjusted her luxurious ice-blue robe, and her eyes instantly regained the majesty of a former Female Sovereign. She walked with graceful steps, leading the six Nascent Soul Female Sovereigns out of the flying boat. The pressure of those seven Nascent Soul Stage Auras instantly suppressed the clamor at the entrance of Sky Patrol City.

The border fortress of Sky Patrol City was currently filled with a murderous Aura.

The one responsible for presiding over this place was the second-in-command of the Sky Patrol Hall—the Heavenly Sword Goddess! She was an invincible existence at the Mid-stage Spirit Transformation, known for her iron-fisted methods.

She did not appear in person, but several of her trusted scouts had already turned their attention to this suddenly appearing Female Sovereign diplomatic mission.

"Reporting to the Heavenly Sword Goddess, an Ice Domain Female Sovereign diplomatic mission from the Northern Border, totaling seven Nascent Soul female cultivators, is applying for entry." A female scout in black armor at the Late Nascent Soul Stage reported to the Heavenly Sword Goddess via a transmission talisman.

"Seven Nascent Souls? Since when did such a strong power appear in the Northern Border?" The Heavenly Sword Goddess's cold voice came from the transmission talisman, carrying a hint of unquestionable suspicion. "The Northern Border has long been hollowed out by us, and True Monarch Ziyue disappeared there! Investigate strictly! If any suspicious male is found, kill without mercy!"

The black-armored female scout took the order and immediately led two Early Nascent Soul Stage female guards to block Han Ling's path.

"Ice Domain mission? Please present your identity tokens and the entourage roster." The black-armored female scout's gaze was sharp, lingering for a moment on the burly male behind the seven female cultivators, who was wrapped in a luxurious silk robe but whose body emitted no spiritual power fluctuations.

"Presumptuous!" Han Ling's brows furrowed slightly, and a Soul Transformation Aura was instantly released from her body. This was the residual Ice Phoenix Divine Body Origin pressure in her Divine Soul after the baptism of Lin Chen's Yang Qi, enough to rival the pseudo-realm of the Initial Stage of Spirit Transformation!

"I am the Ice Domain Female Sovereign Han Ling, traveling to the Sacred Domain to present tribute. Do you scouts dare to block me?"

The black-armored female scout was shaken a step back by this sudden pressure, her expression changing slightly. This power was actually stronger than the rumored Ice Domain Female Sovereign!

She didn't dare to be insolent again and could only ask with forced composure, "We are only following the orders of the Heavenly Sword Goddess to check for any traces of the S-Rank wanted criminal. This... male, is he a plaything of your mission?"

Lin Chen's gaze locked onto the female scout through the gaps in his silk robe. He knew this was the critical moment.

A hint of high-and-mighty impatience and arrogance instantly appeared on Han Ling's face. She extended a snow-white, jade-like finger and gently lifted the silk veil on Lin Chen's chin, revealing only the perfect and sexy lower half of his face.

"Hmph. A trashy Male Slave who hasn't even formed a Nascent Soul. I brought him along merely for amusement on the road. How could a lowly male like him be the wanted criminal?" Han Ling's voice was full of contempt, her extreme arrogance perfectly matching the style of a Central Continent Female Sovereign.

She then gently squeezed Lin Chen's hard, explosive arm, while a hidden flash of warning and tenderness crossed her eyes. "I'm already tired of this toy; I'll throw him away after passing through."

Lin Chen showed no reaction, his gaze hollow as if he were a walking corpse, perfectly playing the role of an extremely oppressed slave. In reality, his Human Emperor Domain had perfectly locked away all his Aura and even the Dragon Elephant Bloodline deep within his Physical Body.

The black-armored female scout carefully observed this male. Although his face had a handsomeness that would make female cultivators salivate, his Divine Soul was dim and he had no spiritual power, which indeed did not match the Heaven-Defying male Aura described in the wanted poster.

Moreover, the Ice Domain Female Sovereign's Aura was simply too powerful; she didn't dare to linger.

"Yes, please appease your anger, Female Sovereign! Please pass through." The black-armored female scout immediately cleared the way.

The Ice Crystal Flying Boat started up again, and under Lin Chen's command, the group successfully passed through the Sky Patrol Hall's first border defense line as if entering an uninhabited territory.

Inside the flying boat, Lin Chen coldly withdrew the Human Emperor Domain. He sensed that in Han Ling's squeeze just now, there was a wild love and grievance—it was her heartache for him appearing as a slave.

"Master, we succeeded." A hint of excited flush appeared on Han Ling's face. Being able to provide cover for Lin Chen was a supreme honor for her.

"This is only the beginning." Lin Chen's voice was cold as he looked down from the flying boat's porthole.

The prosperous scenery of the Central Continent heartland was completely different from the desolation of the Northern Border. However, beneath this extreme prosperity, that blood-red s-rank wanted poster hung on the light screens of every towering city!

Lin Chen's name had been posted all over this land.

"Heavenly Sword Goddess, Mid-stage Spirit Transformation." Lin Chen silently repeated the name. With his current Nascent Soul Great Perfection, there was still a distance to cover before facing a Mid-stage Spirit Transformation.

"Han Ling, do you know which Female Sovereign among the Nine Great Holy Lands possesses the Nine Heavens Profound Yin Body?" Lin Chen asked.

Hearing this, Han Ling's delicate body trembled, and she immediately replied, "Master, the one who possesses the Nine Heavens Profound Yin Body is the Yaoguang Divine Maiden of the Yaoguang Holy Land! Her cultivation is at the Initial Stage of Spirit Transformation. She is the youngest Divine Maiden in the Nine Great Holy Lands and the most talented one."

A flame ignited in Lin Chen's eyes.

"Nine Heavens Profound Yin Body... Initial Stage of Spirit Transformation..."

He knew this was his fastest way to increase his strength and the ultimate bargaining chip to confront the Heavenly Sword Goddess. The power of the Nine Heavens Profound Yin Body was enough for him to step into the Soul Transformation Stage in one go, and even challenge the Mid-stage Spirit Transformation!

"Very well. From now on, our target is the Yaoguang Divine Maiden!" With a wave of Lin Chen's hand, the flying boat immediately changed direction and sped toward the depths of the Central Continent heartland, in the direction of the Yaoguang Holy Land.