Chapter 227: After Leaving, I'll Go Find Great-Grandfather

Chapter 227: After Leaving, I'll Go Find Great-Grandfather

Tianxing Island Core Region.

"Su Ruo, why must you be so stubborn?"

A brocade-clad youth droned on beneath the grand Observatory Platform. "As long as you agree, our two families can jointly decipher the altar. I guarantee you won't be treated unfairly."

Wen Suruo, veiled and cold, replied, "Dai Tianrui, I suggest you abandon this idea entirely."

"I have no intention of cooperating with you. Instead of wasting time here, you should focus on gathering Tianxing Tokens."

"Also, please step aside. Don't interfere with my transactions with others."

The Yin Corpse Sect still aimed to monopolize through alliances, seeking to eliminate all other solitary cultivators first.

This plan clashed with Tianyin Sect's interests, both publicly and privately.

Firstly, as an orthodox sect, such tactics would damage their reputation.

Secondly, though framed as cooperation, Dai Tianrui's words and actions clearly targeted Wen Suruo herself, triggering her instinctive rejection.

Thus, Wen Suruo naturally wanted no part of it.

Yet Dai Tianrui feigned hurt. "Su Ruo, isn't staying here just to accompany you?"

"Besides, I haven't stopped anyone from approaching you."

He gestured to the surroundings. "If anyone wishes to trade Tianxing Tokens with Su Ruo, they're welcome to come forward. This Young Master won't mind at all."

Several solitary cultivators on the periphery had indeed been watching.

But under Dai Tianrui's gaze, they all lowered their heads, abruptly halting even casual conversations.

They feared the Young Master might misinterpret their intentions.

"See? None of them have Tianxing Tokens", Dai Tianrui said cheerfully.

"Don't worry, I've already sent people to find the relic's activation token. When we trade later, you'll see my sincerity."

Wen Suruo's eyes flashed with coldness, but she had no good counter.

She'd already been blunt, yet Dai Tianrui simply ignored her indifference, persistently clinging to her side.

Though his advances were limited to words, she couldn't justify attacking him outright. That would make her the aggressor, inviting pressure from the Dai family.

If the golden core True Sovereign intervened, she'd be forced to apologize, a humiliation she refused to endure.

Thus, Wen Suruo chose silence, treating him like a noisy toad.

Her indifference only fueled Dai Tianrui's frustration.

"What an ungrateful wretch! She doesn't know her place."

He'd never lacked women, his status as a Dai main branch heir granting him access to any celestial maiden.

But before entering the relic, his great-grandfather had ordered him to approach Wen Suruo, preferably securing her.

He'd been explicitly warned: failure meant ten years of house arrest and losing all his beautiful attendants.

A punishment Dai Tianrui couldn't fathom.

Thus, he persisted with his usual tactics, deploying every charm he'd used on other female cultivators.

Unfortunately, these once-infallible methods crumbled one by one against Wen Suruo.

Nearby, Zhang Gongxian, the top contender for the Yin Corpse Sect's chief disciple, observed the scene.

Gazing at Wen Suruo's graceful figure, he felt a mix of heat and regret.

"What a waste of such a rare Dinglu. That idiot Dai gets all the luck."

"If I could choose freely, I'd abandon the chief disciple competition just to be the one in this marriage alliance."

First, according to insider intel, Wen Suruo possessed the extremely rare Marvelous Voice Law Body.

A dual cultivation partnership could yield immense benefits.

Second, the Yin Corpse Sect had dominated the Darkness Sea for years, seeking alliances with Inner Sea sects to expand influence, but opportunities had been scarce.

Now, with a high-ranking Tianyin Sect disciple present, this was a golden chance.

Securing Wen Suruo's favor and a marriage pact would unleash the sect's full resources, propelling both to leadership roles in their respective sects.

Zhang Gongxian believed himself superior to Dai Tianrui in every way except birthright.

Yet even his master had urged caution, advising him to observe developments first.

Thus, seeing Wen Suruo reject Dai Tianrui outright secretly pleased him.

He resolved to spread whispers among the sect elders upon returning, securing an early opportunity.

This way, he could gain resources and win the beauty—two birds with one stone.

Meanwhile, three of the Yin Corpse Sect's remaining true disciples had abandoned the competition.

The last turned to gather Tianxing Tokens, aiming to rival Zhang Gongxian with the relic's legacy.

Elsewhere,

Xiao Chen spent six hours mastering the newly acquired《Chixiao Palm》.

Unlike typical spells with numerous techniques, this palm art embodied ancient simplicity.

It had five tiers: Initiation, Proficiency, Minor Mastery, Mastery, and Grand Mastery.

The initial tier had only one move: Ninghuo Palm.

Further techniques required advancing to higher tiers.

Its strength lay in brutal simplicity—no frills, only raw offensive power.

This clarity allowed Xiao Chen to realize that the Ninghuo Palm's power exceeded even the True Yang Fire Dragon.

"Excellent. I'll cultivate this technique further, aiming for grand mastery soon."

Satisfied, he stretched and prepared to explore two more chambers for Tianxing Tokens.

But stepping out, he found all nearby chambers already looted.

"Wow, Tianyin Sect works fast!"

Moving right, he spotted a Wu Lei Guan cultivator clearing the remaining chambers.

The right side was nearly empty.

He turned left, finding it even more deserted.

By the fourth day inside the relic, most chambers had been stripped bare by relentless cultivators.

No matter. He'd head straight to the core region.

Calmly, Xiao Chen followed the main path to the second mountain.

A new landscape emerged—this relic's scale was vast, though much wasted.

In the distance, a blurred structure appeared hundreds of li away.

With his speed, he reached it quickly, revealing the sight.

A towering Observatory Platform pierced the clouds!

At Tianxing Island's center stood this grand Observatory Platform, a perfect dodecagon with twelve distinct staircases leading to different summit zones.

Each staircase entrance bore a small altar, blocking progress.

To reach the summit and claim the ultimate treasure, cultivators must pass these altars.

But ancient, complex star runes carved on the altars made deciphering extremely difficult.

Fortunately, the Flame Sect heir recognized the ancient glyphs.

After studying the murals at the platform's base, he declared the altars could be activated using reserved tokens from the island.

Thus, early arrivals adopted various strategies.

The Yin Corpse Sect's direct disciples claimed the front altar.

Some worked on breaking the formation while others scoured the front for tokens, following the relic's rules.

Fubing Sect went to the rear, setting formations to blast through three altars.

Tianyin Sect, positioned on the right, traded actively, offering spirit stones or Spirit Herbs for tokens from solitary cultivators.

Wu Lei Guan initially tried breaking the left altar's runes but split forces to search for tokens when progress stalled.

When Xiao Chen arrived, he saw crowds halted at the altars.

The Flame Sect heir paced beneath the Observatory Platform, muttering, "Strange, which step did I miss?"

As numerous Tianxing Tokens gathered, attempts to activate the altars began.

Though the tokens triggered faint glows of varying colors, the altars remained impassable, lacking some key item.

Xiao Chen quickly grasped the situation, recalling his Tianxing Beads.

Scanning the area, he noted the front-right altar stood empty.

Approaching, he tested with a Tianxing Token. A red glow flickered.

Yet the runes remained frozen.

He replaced the token, then tried a random bead from his Han Hai Ring.

This time, nothing happened.

"Hmm? Useless? Or incompatible?"

Switching beads, when he pulled out the ox-representing bead, a dazzling light pillar erupted.

"Boom!"

The altar roared, runes shifting rapidly, drawing spiritual energy from dozens of li around toward the Observatory Platform.

The altar split, revealing a familiar tray and the staircase beyond.

Clearly, the Tianxing Beads were the true activation key.

"What is this?"

Xiao Chen stepped forward, lifting the object.

A five-inch square brownish-yellow jade, deceptively heavy—easily 2.5 kilograms.

"The jade contains condensed earth essence. Could this be the legendary Earth Mother's Dense Marrow Jade?"

Xiao Chen's eyes lit up with realization. The Earth Mother's Dense Marrow Jade wasn't just a rare Fourth Stage Spirit Herb—it was a top-tier Spirit Jade that enhanced Body Cultivation. Extremely scarce, it was the kind of treasure with "price but no market." Even for a golden core True Sovereign, this item held considerable value. Especially for someone like Dai Tianrui who cultivated a dual path, it was perfectly suited to strengthen his physical form.

Such an obvious anomaly naturally drew every cultivator's gaze in the area.

"Huh? Has someone already solved an altar?"

"Let's go! Hurry and see who it is!"

"That must be Yin Corpse Sect. No wonder they're the first faction to activate an altar—no surprise they're a dominant sect."

The cultivators from the other three directions could no longer contain themselves and rushed over. Wen Suruo, being relatively close, felt particularly surprised.

Could it be Dai Tianrui really found a way to activate the altar? If so, she'd have to negotiate with him. The thought made her frown involuntarily.

"Who the hell are you, daring to mess with my altar!" Dai Tianrui roared furiously. Turning around, he saw the altar he'd claimed had already been opened by a stranger. The man had even obtained a Spirit Herb that looked exceptional.

His shout startled the surrounding cultivators.

"What? That's not one of Yin Corpse Sect's people?"

Hearing this, Wen Suruo's face brightened. This was unexpectedly good news. She scrutinized Xiao Chen but couldn't identify his faction from his attire. He seemed to be a solitary cultivator.

That made things interesting. Anyone who survived the earlier trials and reached here wasn't ordinary. Especially a lone wolf without companions who still possessed an altar-activating token—either immense strength or extreme fortune.

Wen Suruo studied Xiao Chen with growing interest. Which was he?

Zhang Gongxian, who had been standing nearby, also sized Xiao Chen up. He'd initially assumed the man was an ally from Dai's faction, but now he seemed to be a lone cultivator.

Glancing at Dai Tianrui's furious expression, Zhang decided not to intervene. Based on his understanding of the young master, conflict was inevitable. Better to watch the drama unfold.

Unexpectedly, Dai Tianrui suddenly calmed, his anger receding.

"Fine", he said slowly, "since today's my good mood day, I'll show mercy and let you live."

"Just hand over the method to activate the altar, and I'll forgive your rudeness."

His sudden shift stemmed from calculating how to use the method to negotiate with Wen Suruo. He decided to be unusually magnanimous, giving the reckless fool a lifeline. For him, sparing Xiao Chen instead of killing him was already "showing mercy."

"Hmph", Xiao Chen scoffed coldly. "Didn't expect Yin Corpse Sect to bring a rabid dog along during this Relic exploration, barking nonsense here."

The words froze the entire area in deathly silence.

Wen Suruo had been about to speak, intending to propose a trade first. But now, she could only widen her eyes, lips parted in shock.

Did she hear right? Truthfully, she'd longed to retort like that, but had held back knowing this was Yin Corpse Sect's territory. Who was this man, and which faction backed him?

Zhang Gongxian, initially disappointed when Dai Tianrui unexpectedly softened, now secretly rejoiced. Who knew there was such a bold fool?

"Ai, too impulsive", Zuo Hufa from Fubing Sect muttered, shaking his head. Regardless of the white-robed youth's background, provoking this "little patriarch" would bring disaster. As a local, he understood Yin Corpse Sect well. Even if Zhang might risk protecting someone else, facing Dai Tianrui, he dared not incur hatred—better to watch passively.

"Could this be another hidden sect's heir?" The Xingfa Elder from Wu Lei Guan speculated, though he'd heard no rumors beforehand. Still, his thoughts mirrored Zuo Hufa's—watching Xiao Chen with pity. Even if survival techniques protected him inside the Relic, what about afterward? The youth was too reckless. His elders should never have let him come here alone.

The elder wanted to mediate but hesitated, unsure if Xiao Chen was truly worth the risk. Meanwhile, distant solitary cultivators stepped back to avoid collateral damage. Outsiders watched with curiosity and tension, while locals gave Xiao Chen sympathetic glances.

Daring Yin Corpse Sect? He'd bleed out in a quarter-hour.

"Good! Good! Good! You really don't know how to take a gift!" Dai Tianrui's face darkened. "You're dead today—my words, and no one stops me!"

He declared this to the crowd, warning them not to interfere. Spotting his lackeys hadn't returned yet, he drew a Flying Sword but didn't attack immediately.

"Being personally dealt with by this Young Master? You should feel honored."

"Remember in the underworld—your killer is Dai Tianrui!"

With a wave, grayish-white sword qi erupted, manifesting three weeping figures in midair.

"Triple Ghost Cry? He's mastered this?" Zhang Gongxian exclaimed, surprised by Dai Tianrui's ghost-crying sword path cultivation. Usually, his underlings handled fights, hiding this skill.

Zuo Hufa's expression turned grave. "Heaven-Tier sword technique! This strike nearly reaches golden core Perfect Completion!" He envied the resources behind such power—youthful golden core Late Stage, bolstered by wealth into formidable strength.

Yet Xiao Chen stood still, letting the sword qi pierce him. The crowd gasped as his body shattered into fragments.

"Bad! Just a residual image!"

Dai Tianrui realized too late. Xiao Chen had already appeared before him, gripping his throat and lifting him high.

"You dare boast with such trash?"

Dai Tianrui clawed at Xiao Chen's hand, legs flailing uselessly.

"Impossible!" Wen Suruo, closest, saw the truth—this was a top-tier Body Cultivator. She instantly retreated dozens of meters, creating safe distance.

"Such speed! Such explosive power!" Zuo Hufa's face tightened. He hadn't fully tracked Xiao Chen's movement, meaning he'd fare no better under similar attack.

No wonder the youth dared arrogance—his strength justified it. But Zuo Hufa sighed again. Against Yin Corpse Sect, this wouldn't suffice.

"Hmph, what a fool", Zhang Gongxian inwardly cursed Dai Tianrui. As Yin Corpse Sect disciples, they should've summoned corpse puppets first. Instead, he charged recklessly, obsessed with showing off his Flying Sword before Wen Suruo.

"Ahem, young friend, please release Young Master Dai", the Xingfa Elder from Wu Lei Guan suddenly intervened. "Let me mediate—"

He'd seen Xiao Chen's potential, linking him to old allies, and decided to risk saving him. But before finishing, golden light erupted from Dai Tianrui, releasing a shockwave of spiritual energy.

A protective Spirit Herb had activated! Xiao Chen had nearly snapped Dai Tianrui's neck, but the artifact saved him.

Now, no mediation could undo this life-or-death feud. Yin Corpse Sect would never allow it. No one could save Xiao Chen now.

Why did the youth walk this dead-end path?

As golden light faded, Dai Tianrui reappeared dozens of meters away, clutching his throat, still feeling the lingering pain. His eyes flickered with fear, then rage.

No one in Darkness Sea dared attempt his life! Unforgivable!

"You're a Body Cultivator? Wait for me!"

"Once we exit, I'll find my great-grandfather! No matter which hidden sect you come from, none can save your wretched life!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end