37: The remnant soul of the emperor within the jade bracelet

[Ding! Detected that the third Personal Disciple is nearby. Host, please proceed to recruit the disciple immediately!]

Lin Chen had just verbally driven off a reckless fool who tried to spy on the battleship with his Divine Sense when the System's notification sounded.

"Hmm?"

Lin Chen was somewhat surprised.

This time, the System not only gave a specific location but also provided detailed identity information.

This was even better, saving Lin Chen from having to search aimlessly.

[Name: Su Muhuang]

[Realm: Early Void Refinement Stage]

[Talent: Vermilion Bird Sacred Body (Awakened)]

[Identity: Princess of the Great Qi Dynasty]

[Background: An unfavored princess of the Great Qi Dynasty. Her mother was of low status and passed away from illness when she was six. Having tasted the fickleness of the world, she harbors intense wariness towards others. Her heart yearns to become strong and change her own destiny.]

[Experience: ...A year ago, she accidentally obtained a jade bracelet containing a wisp of Fairy Nansheng's (Great Emperor Realm) remnant soul, which activated her Vermilion Bird Sacred Body and allowed her cultivation to Breakthrough to the Early Void Refinement Stage...]

"Not bad, another Genius Prodigy."

Lin Chen wasn't surprised. The disciples the System wanted him to recruit were bound to be prodigies among prodigies.

After learning Su Muhuang's basic information, Lin Chen stepped out of the battleship.

"Batian Sect?"

Lin Chen spotted the flag hanging on the battleship ahead at a glance.

It felt somewhat familiar.

He seemed to have heard of this Sect somewhere before.

"Ah, right. It's the Sect that Elder Tan belongs to. It seems to be the strongest Sect in the Imperial Continent."

After a brief recollection, Lin Chen remembered.

Come to think of it, he had some enmity with this Sect.

However, if the other side wanted to cause trouble, the Wending Sect would never back down. This was the confidence that came with having a Peak Great Emperor Old Ancestor overseeing things.

He cast a cold glance at the young man on the Batian Sect's battleship.

A flash of icy light shot from his eyes, carrying a distinct warning.

"Is this really just Peak Integration Stage?"

Wu Zhixiong felt a sudden chill run through his body, an extremely uncomfortable sensation as if being targeted by a venomous snake.

Judging by the Aura fluctuations emanating from the other party, it was undoubtedly Peak Integration Stage. Yet, he couldn't shake the feeling that this Aura was many times stronger than that of an ordinary Peak Integration Stage Cultivator.

He had a very strong premonition.

The other party could easily crush him with just one hand.

"Could it be an illusion?"

Wu Zhixiong instinctively averted his gaze from the other.

He lowered his head.

As the Saint of the Imperial Continent's number one major Sect, someone had actually suppressed him with their Aura alone, making him unable to lift his head.

This filled him with an inexplicable sense of shame.

"Huff—"

Only after the other party left did Wu Zhixiong finally let out a sigh of relief.

It was then that he realized he had broken out in a cold sweat at some point.

"Who is that person?"

Wu Zhixiong asked, watching Lin Chen's receding figure.

Someone beside him immediately answered, "Reporting to the Saint, this person is Lin Chen, the Sect Master of the Wending Sect, with Peak Integration Stage cultivation!"

"It's him?"

Wu Zhixiong was startled.

He couldn't help but recall the news he had previously heard from the Eastern Domain: Lin Chen had once, at the Eastern Domain Disciple Recruitment Assembly, crushed several Tribulation Crossing Realm Cultivators from the Shi Family while at the Peak Integration Stage.

Fighting across a major Realm!

And doing so with overwhelming force!

It was simply unheard of, completely unreasonable.

Although Wu Zhixiong considered himself a Prodigy and could also fight across a minor Realm, the idea of fighting across a major Realm was undoubtedly a fool's dream.

"This person cannot be confronted head-on!"

Wu Zhixiong made up his mind: from now on, whenever he saw Lin Chen, he would definitely steer clear.

Lin Chen's Realm and strength were both higher than his. Naturally, the elders would deal with him.

As for him, he only needed to handle Lin Chen's two disciples.

Having reasoned this out, his wildly thumping heart gradually calmed down, and he quietly awaited the opening of the Azure Dragon Secret Realm.

Elsewhere.

Great Qi Imperial Palace.

"Senior, my imperial father truly doesn't care whether I live or die."

"The moment I mentioned going to the Azure Dragon Secret Realm, he agreed without a second thought."

"Hah, people worry even when raising a cat or dog, but him..."

Su Muhuang wore a fiery red long dress that outlined her graceful figure.

Her eyebrows were like distant hills, her lips like cherries.

Her stunning beauty placed her among the top-tier beauties in the entire Eastern Domain.

Yet, at this moment, her face was filled with resentment.

The Great Qi Emperor, her father.

He didn't have many children, less than ten, but the old man placed extreme importance on lineage.

Because her mother was of lowly birth, the old man had always looked down on her, not even treating her as his own daughter, allowing others to bully Su Muhuang.

Although Su Muhuang had long seen through her father, thinking of her own plight still made her heart ache.

"Muhuang, don't dwell on such matters."

"One must rely on oneself. Only when you are strong will you not be bullied by others!"

Before her, a wisp of a soul so faint it was almost invisible spoke.

It was a woman.

Aloof, proud, with an air of disdain for all living beings between her brows.

Chu Nansheng, the former Fairy Nansheng.

Great Emperor Realm.

In terms of appearance alone, she was even more stunning than Su Muhuang, truly a celestial being descended to earth.

Unfortunately, she was ambushed and died unexpectedly.

Now, only a wisp of her remnant soul remained, residing within a jade bracelet, and it wouldn't be long before she completely dissipated.

Fortunately, she had met Su Muhuang.

Hearing this, Su Muhuang nodded heavily. "Senior, I understand! Now that I've activated my Vermilion Bird Sacred Body and my cultivation has Broken Through to the Early Void Refinement Stage! Once I enter the Azure Dragon Secret Realm and help Senior find the Sacred Medicine, Senior can recover your Divine Soul!"

"You have a good heart."

Chu Nansheng smiled faintly.

She couldn't bear to tell Su Muhuang that even if they found the legendary Sacred Medicine, it would only slightly enhance her Soul Power.

Allowing her to hold on a little longer.

If she couldn't fully recover her Divine Soul and reform her Physical Body, she would eventually dissipate between heaven and earth.

It was only a matter of time.

"Who is there?!"

Suddenly, both of them sensed a trace of spiritual energy fluctuation.

Su Muhuang immediately became alert, her expression darkening as she whispered sharply, "Stop hiding, come out!"

"Oh, quite alert, aren't you?"

Lin Chen walked out slowly, a smile on his face.

He had intentionally released a trace of his Aura fluctuation to let the two know he was coming. Otherwise, with their current Divine Sense, they would never have detected his presence.

"Who are you?"

"What are you doing here?"

"I've never seen you before."

Su Muhuang cautiously retreated a few steps, remaining on guard, firing off questions one after another.

The man before her was as handsome as an immortal.

He didn't seem malicious; instead, he gave off a feeling as gentle as a spring breeze, making her feel an inexplicable sense of closeness.

But one must always be wary. Su Muhuang still didn't dare to lower her guard.

Lin Chen looked Su Muhuang up and down a few times, then smiled. "I am Lin Chen, Sect Master of the Wending Sect. The other night, while observing the celestial phenomena, I chanced upon a glimpse of heavenly secrets and divined that you and I share a destined master-disciple bond. I have come specifically to take you as my Personal Disciple!"

"Are you willing?"