For some unknown reason, he had a word on the tip of his tongue that he neglected to speak out loud—Shui Yanyu had once said before that the person who had opened the sky would be rewarded by the heavens and earth, and possess an additional three Stars of strength!
The requirement for opening the sky was 20 Stars of battle prowess, and added with another three Stars of strength, he would at least have 23 Stars of battle prowess, right?
Even if Luo Ba refined this Bloodtear Stone, he might still not be a match for Ling Han!
But… they actually wanted to duel to the death?
The corners of Luo Lie’s lips curved up in a cold smirk. For him, it was a good thing no matter which of the two died, wasn’t it? Then what need was there for him to speak up unnecessarily?
He, too, was a man with ambition, and was definitely unwilling to forever remain in the second place.
“Refine the Bloodtear Stone, then immediately challenge that lowlife. This time, you must definitely not disappoint me!” Luo Hongdao said, his expression solemn.
“I will definitely not disappoint your expectations, Lord Patriarch!” Luo Ba declared excitedly. After refining this Bloodtear Stone, he would definitely become the greatest elite in the Shattering Void Tier, and whatever Ling Han, Ma Xing, and Cheng Haofei came, he would be able to suppress them all single-handedly. Then he would take advantage of his rising fame and propose marriage at the Ji Clan.
Ji Yun’er, that b**ch, was actually on such close terms with Ling Han. He was filled with resentment; when he got ahold of this woman in the future, he would definitely give her a well-deserved punishment.
***
Gu Lingyu was definitely an alchemy fanatic. The moment she began talking about alchemy, she forgot everything else. Even when she had gotten weary from talking, she would uncaringly sprawl out on the bed and directly fall asleep, only leaving behind a request to continue the discussion after she woke up.
This caused Ling Han not to know whether to laugh or cry. ‘You really trust others too much, don’t you?’
Although she was like a maniac when she was talking about alchemy, without any hint of womanly charm, just look at her exquisite beauty and her alluring figure… Besides, she was simply lying on the bed without keeping her guard up. Did she really think that everyone was a gentleman?
Even for a gentleman, there were times when they couldn’t control themselves.
Ling Han shook his head, and allowed her to have his bedroom, whereas he himself entered into the Black Tower.
There were still two days of his peaceful life left.
On the second day, Gu Lingyu discussed alchemy with Ling Han again until he really could not bear her pestering and directly chased her out of his courtyard. Only then could his ears have a moment of blissful silence. Yet, he had just chased Gu Lingyu out when Li Weiwei and Ji Yun’er arrived together.
“Blockhead, my father wants to see you.” Li Weiwei had come to pass on a message.
The Left Minister wanted to see him?
Ling Han was slightly surprised. Although he was proud of himself, he also understood that he would only be considered a nobody in the eyes of the Left Minister with his current abilities. He would not even be qualified to get a second look from the latter.
Yet not even a full month had passed, and he wanted to see him again.
If someone heard this, they would even think that he was being “highly favored”.
Li Weiwei had only come to inform him. With her personality of a spoilt young miss, she would naturally not be going back with Ling Han. After she had said what she came to say, she left.
Ling Han dared not slight the summons, and immediately rushed towards the Left Minister’s Residence.
His arrival was announced, and it was still Xiang Chengyun that had appeared and brought him to a small garden.
The Left Minister was trimming a flower pot, his attention focused on it completely. Xiang Chengyun dared not make a sound to interrupt him, and stood somberly on one side, waiting.
Ling Han watched, but suddenly, an expression of astonishment appeared on his face.
Under the hands of Minister Li, this flower pot was actually exuding some kind of divine rhythm. Every branch seemed to be the movement a master of martial arts made as he extended his limbs, showing off an amazing technique.
He could not help but compare it with the Six Techniques Return to One he was presently cultivating. All of a sudden, he came upon a great realization. Immediately, he sat down cross-legged, and the rhythm of great Dao spread out from inside his body.
Being startled like that, the Left Minister abruptly let out a sound of surprise, and stopped his movements.
Chapter 920 - Beating
“How dare you!!” Xiang Chengyun reprimanded immediately.
Disturbing the Left Minister would cause all of them to be severely punished.
Yet Ling Han turned a deaf ear to his rebuke. His complete focus was on the Six Techniques Return to One. Even if the other man’s voice was as loud as thunder or shook the earth with its reverberation, he would not know, either, what more when Xiang Chengyun was only verbally reprimanding him like now.
The Left Minister only spread out his hand and stopped Xiang Chengyun, though. An expression of surprise appeared on his face.
This was a state of enlightenment!
For cultivators, enlightenment could even be considered their utmost important fated opportunity.
What was enlightenment?
A dilemma that you could not understand no matter how hard you thought about it during normal times would suddenly be resolved and understood. Or, in other words, you would gain some idea of the outline, or a hint, when it was possible that you might understand completely.
The understanding belonged to the individual.
There were indeed alchemical pills or Divine Fruits that could aid one in understanding something, but they would only provide aid. It was not a guarantee of success.
The moment you went into enlightenment, there could be an improvement in your cultivation that had stagnated for a dozen hundred thousand years.
For example, in the case of the Left Minister, he currently was at the peak of the minor levels of the Heavenly Body Tier, but without a special fated opportunity, it was possible that he would not be able to advance into the middle levels in this lifetime.
What he lacked was merely a sliver of enlightenment.
Seeing Ling Han sink into a state of enlightenment, even the Left Minister could not help but feel a hint of jealousy. If he could also experience enlightenment, perhaps he would be in the middle levels of the Heavenly Body Tier ten years or a hundred years later.
Even if it looked like just a gap of a minor cultivation level, breaching this step was no less than crossing the distance from the ground to the clouds, and one’s battle prowess would increase by at least tenfold.
He could not help but smile in spite of himself; he actually became jealous of a little cultivator in the Shattering Void Tier.
However, it was actually nothing good to enter enlightenment too early. That was because the gods would definitely not favor one person too heavily and always allow them to enter into enlightenment. Usually, even a genius would only encounter one or two chances of entering into enlightenment in his lifetime, and one with nature-defying good luck would have this kind of opportunity only four to five times at most.
Hence, the higher the cultivation level when one experienced the time of enlightenment, the more valuable this chance naturally would be.
Xiang Chengyun could not help but look shocked and jealous. The Lord Left Minister actually waited on the sidelines for Ling Han to awaken? What kind of treatment was that?
In the whole world, only one person would be qualified to have the Lord Left Minister wait.
… The Empress of the Chaotic Stars Majestic Empire!
Now, a mere Shattering Void Tier cultivator would actually have that kind of special treatment, so how cou
ld Xiang Chengyun not feel shocked and jealous?
This moment of enlightenment lasted for about two hours.
Ling Han’s eyes suddenly snapped open, and he looked like he wished to continue. He had had great enough improvement on Six Techniques Return to One, but he had awoken slightly too early from enlightenment, and had not reached the level of perfection.
Once he came back to his senses, he realized that he had sat down cross-legged in enlightenment at a really inopportune time. He hurriedly stood, and saw that the Left Minister was presently looking smilingly at him, whereas Xiang Chengyun was wooden and expressionless, exuding an air of coldness that would make others keep a respectful distance.
“I suddenly had a flash of comprehension, and completely forgot everything else. I ask for Lord Left Minister’s forgiveness for my disrespect,” Ling Han said politely.
“It’s all right!” The Left Minister was still very magnanimous. How could one who could ascend to as high a position as he, and cultivate to this kind of high cultivation level, be anyone ordinary? He cast a look at Xiang Chengyun, and said, “Chengyun, leave us first.”
Xiang Chengyun was initially stunned; then, he practically could not believe his ears.
Lord Left Minister actually had something that he was going to keep hidden from him?
Moreover, he wanted to speak privately with Ling Han!
Xiang Chengyun was already jealous of Ling Han, but now his jealousy naturally reached its peak. But no matter how arrogant he acted due to the Left Minister’s favor, he did not dare disobey the Left Minister’s words. He merely said a word of assent, then turned and left.
But the instant his eyes swept over Ling Han, an incredibly cold chill appeared in his gaze.
Ling Han could not help but feel baffled; he had offended him just like that?
After Xiang Chengyun had left, the Left Minister picked up the shears once more and began trimming the flower pot.
He did not speak, so Ling Han would naturally not take the initiative to ask. He stood on one side, hands at his sides.
After a good while, the Left Minister finally put down the shears, and asked casually, “Weiwei has been helping you do business recently?”
These words… could either be taken seriously or lightly.
If they were to be taken lightly, the issue would be settled with a smile. But if they were to be taken seriously… You actually had the daughter of the Left Minister do errands for you, who did you think you were?
Ling Han paused for a moment, then answered, “Indeed, I have been doing some business with the Fourth Young Miss and Miss Ji. The two young misses are only interested because of its novelty, and think that it’s fun.”
The Left Minister laughed, and said, “Looking at the energy that girl is brimming with, it does not seem just like playing around. Instead, she seems to be very enthusiastic.”
“No matter what the Fourth Young Miss does, she has always been serious,” Ling Han offered a word of compliment.
The Left Minister could not help but laugh loudly. He certainly knew that these words of Ling Han were not to be believed, but the daughter he doted on the most was this youngest daughter of his, so hearing these words naturally made him greatly pleased. He nodded, and said, “It’s rare that this girl would focus on doing something, I feel very gratified.”
Ling Han released a breath of relief internally. This matter was now over and done with; the Left Minister would not look into his fault for “making use” of Li Weiwei.
Ai, he was obviously letting Li Weiwei become rich with him, so why did the situation now seem like it was Li Weiwei that was doing him a favor?
From this, it could see how skilled Ling Han was in handling matters. If it was anyone else, he would definitely be in fear and trepidation, and prostrate himself in front of Li Weiwei in utter gratitude.
The Left Minister once again picked up the shears. As he trimmed, he said carelessly, “Weiwei has just about reached the age suitable for marriage. However, I am very worried, and fear that she would be fooled due to her young age.”
Ling Han could not help his heart throbbing loudly. Although the Left Minister had not clearly pointed fingers, he was obviously talking about him.
It looked like the fact that he had been too close with Li Weiwei these days caused the Left Minister to feel displeased.
No matter how monstrous the talent that Ling Han showed was, his current cultivation level was really too low, so how could he be a suitable match for the princess of the Left Minister’s Residence? Even if there was just a sliver of a chance, the Left Minister wanted to nip it in the bud.
“One that can be a suitable match for Fourth Young Miss would have to be one of the noble young masters of the Seven Generals at the very least,” Ling Han said. This could be considered his expressing his stand on this matter.
The Left Minister was very pleased. This person from a small world was very clever; he merely needed a little hint, and would understand everything. He paused for a while, then said, “Every ten years, the three great Majestic Empires would carry out a competition; there are two rounds for the Shattering Void Tier and Mountain River Tier, respectively. This year, the competition for the Shattering Void Tier would be conducted. Every empire would send out 10 people, who would take turns to defend their position. The first one to have all 10 defeated would be placed last, whereas the one that can last until the end would be ranked first.”
He looked at Ling Han, and said, “You will battle on behalf of the Left Minister’s Residence.”
F*ck, it was obvious he was being asked to work here, so why did the Left Minister still look like it was Ling Han who had been done a favor?
However, he presently had also been labelled with the sign of the Left Minister’s Residence. Then, if the Left Minister wanted him to do something, how could it be that it was necessary to still ask his opinion? He was a mere Shattering Void Tier cultivator!
“Yes!” Ling Han nodded.
“However, this matter involves the pride of a whole empire. Even if I nominate you, you may not get through.” The Left Minister then said, “Hence, you have to defeat all other competitors to obtain the honor of representing the empire in battle.”
“Yes!” Ling Han said, but he thought, ‘If I could help the Chaotic Stars Majestic Empire get first place, would I get some kind of reward?’
Since the Left MInister had mentioned that this matter concerned the pride of a whole Empire, then the rewards given for attaining the first place shouldn’t be too unpresentable, right?
With such thoughts, Ling Han found his motivation.
“You may leave!” The Left Minister waved him away.
Chapter 921 - Private Pledge of Marriage
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Ling Han left the garden, and saw Xiang Chengyun was presently waiting at the doors. When he saw Ling Han, an uncontrollable coldness filled his eyes, but before he even opened his mouth to speak, he abruptly tensed up, and appeared to be seriously listening to something.
“Yes!” he quickly said into empty air, turned, and entered the garden.
Obviously, he had gotten a summons from the Left Minister.
Ling Han could not help but shake his head. Actually, Xiang Chengyun could be considered a genius himself. He had done his investigation, and Xiang Chengyun’s results were outstanding whilst in the Academy. He had merely taken over 700 years to reach the higher levels of the Mountain River Tier. Yet, he chose to leave the Academy, and follow the lead of the Left Minister.
With the backing of a huge tree like the Left Minister, it was true that even elites of the Sun Moon Tier presently dared not put on airs in front of Xiang Chengyun, and he truly appeared very grand, but in front of the Left Minister, he was like a dog. If he was told to head forwards, he would not dare step back; what meaning was left in a life like that?
Ling Han would definitely not be able to do so.
‘Cultivator
s, in the end, should place greatest importance on their own cultivation. Taking advantage of opportunities to curry favor is ultimately not the true path,’ Ling Han thought. However, he had no thoughts of convincing Xiang Chengyun. This path was one that he had chosen on his own, so what need was there for others to interfere?
He returned to the Academy, and focused on cultivating his Six Techniques Return to One.
After the enlightenment he had experienced at the Left Minister’s Residence, he had advanced a great deal further on this path. He was certain he would be able to improve his strength to the maximum limit of 20 Stars in a half year’s time.
Another day passed, and a shocking piece of news exploded in the Academy.
Ling Han and Shui Yanyu had privately pledged love for each other, and were already a married couple!
When the news spread out, it could be claimed that the whole Academy was boiling over.
Who was Ling Han? The majority was still not sure, and only a very few knew that he was the student who had got the first place in this batch of new students from the Northern Institution’s enrollment. He had passed through eight levels, and in the future, there was a chance he could become a Four-star genius.
However, Shui Yanyu was definitely a well-known figure.
Firstly, she had already been one of the twin pearls of the Imperial Capital before she was twenty. However, it was only after entering into the Academy that she was replaced. After all, the Immortal Realm was a place where beautiful women were hardly lacking.
But if all the beautiful women of the last ten thousand years were to be ranked, Shui Yanyu would definitely be capable of ranking among the top three. In fact, it would be no surprise for her to be even ranked in the first place.
She was as beautiful as a fairy, and as beautiful as peach flowers!
She was a beauty who would even bewitch ascetic cultivators with her charms. Otherwise, how could it be that Zhao Lun would speak up and declare that he had set his mind on her becoming the future madam of the Zhao Clan?
Alchemy Emperor of the Divine Dao c1-1294 Page 471