Chapter 276: The Playful Prince's Blessing

Chapter 276: The Playful Prince's Blessing

Soon after, Bai Jiajiuzhu, the head of the Bai Family, made a decision. He needed to make another trip, but today wasn't the most suitable day. On one hand, he had already visited once, and going again would seem too abrupt. On the other, today was a funeral, and it wasn't appropriate to visit in person at this time.

It seemed that Chen Qiu's side wasn't particularly saddened by the funeral and was more focused on using it as an excuse for a gathering.

"Hmm."

In the Celestial Palace.

After a satisfying meal, the Dragon Clan Leader of the Vast Continent took a deep breath, his eyes filled with shock as he gazed at the bloodline stone in his hand, which was emitting a dazzling light. "A ten-ten-grade bloodline???"

Just now, Ao Tian had brought him a dragon cub with a smile, asking him to take out his bloodline stone to test the cub's bloodline.

He had already guessed that the cub's bloodline grade would be very high, but a ten-grade bloodline still shocked him.

He had thought it would be a seven or eight-grade.

In the Dragon Clan, a seven or eight-grade bloodline already indicated absolute potential. The bloodline grade represented the upper limit of potential, including cultivation speed, and upon reaching a certain cultivation level, those with top-grade bloodlines would automatically possess corresponding cultivation methods.

For example, a seven-grade bloodline would automatically possess a seven-grade Body Fusion Killing Technique after breaking through to the Body Fusion Stage.

This change would only occur after reaching the Body Fusion Stage; previously, it started from the Foundation Establishment Stage. However, after a shocking and earth-shattering battle long ago, the Dragon Clan suffered a Heavenly Dao punishment due to their defeat, causing a significant reduction in their potential. As a result, the changes now started from the Body Fusion Stage.

The ability to automatically possess corresponding cultivation methods upon breakthrough was also a result of the punishment. Before the Heavenly Dao punishment, possessing a certain grade of bloodline would result in automatically gaining cultivation methods of double the corresponding grade upon breakthrough.

A nine-grade bloodline was already one in a million.

A ten-grade bloodline was even rarer; even the Dragon Clan Leader of the Vast Continent only possessed a ten-grade bloodline, and he was the only one in the entire Vast Continent with such a bloodline.

This further proved the rarity of a ten-grade bloodline and the potential of the cub before him.

"Hmm."

The Dragon Clan Leader, filled with awe, took a deep breath after a long while and turned to Ao Tian, who stood beside him, his voice hoarse. "I finally understand why you said that if it was for buying a child, this amount of spirit stones wouldn't be enough."

"Indeed, it's not enough. The potential of a ten-grade bloodline dragon cub far surpasses what three million spirit stones can offer."

A ten-grade bloodline was destined to become at least a Great Dharmic Stage cultivator. A Great Dharmic Stage cultivator was not something that three million spirit stones could buy. If it weren't for being entangled in clan affairs and lacking time for deep slumber cultivation, he would have broken through the Vast Continent's shackles and ventured to the Heaven-reaching Continent long ago.

"Is this dragon cub the most exceptional among this batch?"

"Yes."

"The price is indeed set too low. Can you please ask Chen Qiu to reconsider? I don't want this dragon cub; I'll take the lower-grade ones instead. You're a dragon too, and you know that we desperately need these dragon cubs. Otherwise, this branch of the Dragon Clan in the Vast Continent won't last much longer."

"Hehe."

Ao Tian chuckled and summoned the remaining dragon cubs. "Come, test their bloodlines again."

"Hmm?"

Although the Dragon Clan Leader didn't understand the situation, he took out his bloodline stone and began testing each cub. But soon, he froze in place.

Nine-grade!

Ten-grade!

Eight-grade!

Nine-grade!

Every dragon cub had a bloodline grade of nine or ten, with the lowest being seven-grade and the highest an astonishing eleven-grade, one grade higher than his own. All 200-plus dragon cubs had high-grade bloodlines.

"This..."

The Dragon Clan Leader felt his breath catch, his eyes turning red with a hint of greed. He almost drooled, for each cub had an exceptionally high bloodline grade. If they obtained these cubs, their clan would rise to prominence!

Unfortunately, he soon fell silent. Three million spirit stones weren't enough to buy even one cub, let alone the number they needed. At most, they could buy two seven-grade bloodline cubs, but they required a sufficient number of cubs to continue the Dragon Clan's lineage. The bloodline grade wasn't the most crucial factor.

Continuing the lineage was the top priority.

However, two cubs, even with seven-grade bloodlines, wouldn't make much difference. He would rather buy a batch of cubs with one-grade bloodlines.

"They all have excellent potential."

A hint of desolation flashed in the Dragon Clan Leader's eyes. "But you're right, Ao Tian. My offer of three million spirit stones is indeed too low, but that's the Dragon Clan's limit. The clan isn't as prosperous as it once was. If it were the past, three million spirit stones would be like a drop in the ocean, and thirty million would be nothing."

"The Dragon Clan has declined significantly since the last Heavenly Dao punishment. High-grade bloodlines used to be commonplace."

"I'll just buy two seven-grade bloodline cubs. Three million spirit stones should be enough, right?"

"Not enough," Ao Tian shook his head and smiled. "I've discussed this with Chen Qiu, and we won't sell any of these dragon cubs. You might find this normal, but Chen Qiu feels it's akin to selling people, which he doesn't like."

"We won't sell them no matter the price."

"I've watched each of these dragon cubs grow up, and I have an emotional attachment to them. I wouldn't feel right selling them to you for spirit stones."

"However, while we can't sell you the dragon cubs, we can offer you the opportunity to breed with them."

"Breed with them?" The Dragon Clan Leader asked, puzzled.

"Hey."

The fat dragon standing nearby spoke up, his face slightly hidden. "If you lack education, please consider enrolling in a private school for a few years, or at least speak less. Helping a near-extinct race continue its lineage is a virtuous act, so why do you make it sound like breeding pigs?"

"Him?"

The Dragon Clan Leader finally realized what was going on and looked at the fat man whom Ao Tian had introduced earlier.

"Yeah."

Without waiting for Ao Tian to explain, the fat dragon spoke up, revealing his terms. He then raised his head and said, "Arrange the time as soon as possible. Chen Qiu is preparing to leave the Vast Continent these days, so you don't have much time left."

"During this time, the more mother dragons you can find, the more dragon cubs you'll be able to keep."

"The bloodline quality shouldn't be too low either."

"There's just one drawback. Any harm I suffer will be evenly distributed among these dragon cubs. In other words, if I die, this batch of dragon cubs will also die. Think it over."

After several dozen breaths.

The Dragon Clan Leader looked at the few terms floating in mid-air before him, his eyes filled with astonishment. He had never thought that these terms could be combined in such a way. They were all low-level terms, but why had no one ever succeeded in combining them like this before?

It seemed that someone had managed to do it.

It was said that the first Dragon Clan Leader had these terms, which was why there were so many hybrid varieties with dragon bloodlines.

"But..."

He muttered in a daze, "Even if I have these terms, the dragon cubs born from the Human Race and the Dragon Clan won't have pure bloodlines. They'll be hybrids. These dragon cubs..."

"Oh."

Ao Tian seemed to suddenly realize and slapped the back of his head, "I forgot to introduce him to you. This is the Great Elder of the Mock Heaven Sect, Fat Dragon. He possesses the bloodline of a twelve-clawed golden dragon, and the dragon cubs he produces will have absolutely pure bloodlines."

"And their quality will be very high."

"Twelve..."

The Dragon Clan Leader's voice trembled as he struggled to speak, but before he could finish, Fat Dragon interrupted him, "That's enough, don't say more. Let's set off quickly. Didn't I tell you? The Mock Heaven Sect is about to leave the Vast Continent. Time is tight, and the task is heavy."

Finally, he could improve his cultivation again.

He hoped that there would be some high-cultivation mother dragons in the Dragon Clan.

Ao Tian watched as Fat Dragon and the Dragon Clan Leader walked away, and he couldn't help but sigh deeply. This Dragon Clan Leader probably didn't understand what he was about to face. Without any dragon cubs, he would constantly worry about the issue of inheritance.

So many dragon cubs had appeared at once, and they would reach adulthood in just one year.

The Dragon Clan Leader would have to struggle with how to raise these dragon cubs for a long time.

The time to adulthood had been significantly shortened, but the resources required for adulthood were no less. If the resources were insufficient, the dragons would become deformed after reaching adulthood. He had emptied the entire Dragon Clan treasury back then.

Before leaving, the Dragon Clan Leader, along with Fat Dragon, found Chen Qiu again to express their gratitude before quickly departing. They couldn't afford to delay Chen Qiu's departure.

On the way.

The Dragon Clan Leader showed great respect to Fat Dragon, allowing him to ride on his dragon back. This was an extremely respectful gesture towards a guest, especially since Fat Dragon was not an ordinary dragon. He had thought that Fat Dragon's eyes would show a hint of joy, as this was a very honorable thing.

Unexpectedly, Fat Dragon showed no reaction, appearing completely accustomed to it.

Feeling a bit disappointed, he soon realized that Fat Dragon had interacted with many dragons, and this was probably not a big deal to him. With so many dragon cubs, riding one was not a problem.

Pingxi State.

In Taiping Mansion, an old man with white hair and a pale face lay expressionless in a rocking chair, silent for a long time. He had been very happy recently because of his correct decision. After the strongest cultivators in other states had voluntarily sought refuge in the Yin Realm, he was the only one left to enjoy the sunshine of the Yang Realm.

This was a very exciting thing, and he didn't know how many celebratory feasts he had held.

Every time Chen Qiu ascended the Heavenly Dao Edict and his strength increased, he would hold a celebration. The stronger Chen Qiu became, the more correct his decision seemed.

In fact, it was indeed like that.

The Sole Emperor Contest hadn't even begun, yet the kings of other states had all committed suicide and gone to the Yin Realm.

But.

Something that happened recently made his mood plummet. His immortal maiden had died again, and the red term "Maiden Night of the Immortal" had become invalid. He was desperate; he didn't understand why an immortal maiden would die so easily.

After all, she was an immortal maiden; didn't she have any means to protect herself? Or had the environment in the Immortal World become so dangerous that everyone was in danger, and death was everywhere?

Who else could be like him, blessed by his ancestors' virtue, with two chances to be favored by an immortal maiden? Yet, both opportunities ended with the death of the immortal maiden.

"No."

He clenched his teeth, and a glint of determination flashed in his eyes. He had to find a way to change his term group, even though it would cause his strength to plummet in the short term, and he would no longer have the ability to defeat opponents of higher levels. But long-term pain was worse than short-term pain.

Without the "Maiden Night of the Immortal," the strength of all his terms was completely random, and so was his power.

He had to find a way to remove the terms.

He couldn't expect a third immortal maiden to descend, could he? There weren't that many immortal maidens in the world, especially those who had remained chaste and possessed their maidenhood. It was completely unrealistic.

If he were still a teenager, he might have hoped for a third immortal maiden to descend, but he was already very old, having lived for several thousand years. He had stopped thinking about unrealistic things.

No one would have the youth of a teenager, and no one...

Just then—

He suddenly realized that his body was fixed to the rocking chair, unable to move. A powerful force held him down, and at the same time, countless seven-colored snowflakes slowly fell from the sky onto the ground.

This familiar feeling, this familiar scene.

As expected.

The next moment.

A fairy in black gauze and white lining descended from the sky, her arms wrapped in silk. Her face was obscured, but her figure alone revealed her as a peerless beauty.

After thousands of breaths, the old man finally regained control of his body. The slightly insane Immortal Maiden, who had just finished dressing, didn't look at him directly, but spoke softly.

"Your ancestor had a favor with my lineage. This debt of gratitude should have been given to your ancestor, but since you are the only descendant left, you shall receive this opportunity on their behalf."

"Don't overthink it, and don't remember me. More importantly, don't develop feelings for me."

"The cause and effect are settled. I wish you good luck."

"Even if we meet again in the future, I will not acknowledge what happened tonight. Of course, as a native of a Second Rank Continent, you are unlikely to have the chance to see me again."

The Immortal Maiden prepared to leave.

At that moment—

The old ancestor found that he could speak, and his voice rushed out, "Promise me, you must live on no matter what!"

"No matter what, you must survive!"

"You must live on!!!"

". . ."

The Immortal Maiden, who had already departed on a cloud, heard the old man's voice behind her. She turned around, her feet stepping on the auspicious cloud, and looked deeply into the old man's eyes, her gaze filled with various emotions. A faint smile curved her lips, and she added, "I told you not to develop feelings for me."

"There's no possibility between us. I'm just repaying a favor."

"But..."

"If you ever have the chance to go to the Fifth Rank Immortal World, the 'Clear Sky Realm,' you can come to the 'Wei Royal Palace' to find me."

This time, she didn't linger, but slowly disappeared into the clouds.

Seeing this, the old man couldn't help but shout again, "Promise me, you must live on!"

After a long while, everything returned to calm.

He slumped in his rocking chair, gazing at the space above his Dantian. As expected, the missing Entry had returned.

---

Entry Name: Maiden Night of the Immortal

Entry Level: Red

Entry Description: You will be blessed with good fortune until death.

---

The old ancestor of Taiping Mansion, sitting in his rocking chair, stared at the red Entry floating above his Dantian with a dazed expression. Even though the Entry was now clearly engraved on the inner wall of his Dantian, he still felt like it was all an illusion.

It seemed too surreal.

He couldn't believe that he had been blessed by the Immortal Maiden three times in a row. He was curious about what great deeds his ancestor had accumulated, and why it seemed that only the Immortal Maiden owed his ancestor a favor. Where were the others who should have come to repay the debt? Or did his ancestor only help the Immortal Maiden?

Was repaying debts in the Immortal World that important? If debts weren't repaid, would there be severe consequences? In the Vast Continent, not repaying a favor or even repaying it with enmity wasn't considered a big deal. He was still puzzled about one thing: why must debts be repaid with one's body?

Although he quite liked it.

But he couldn't quite understand the Immortal Maiden's logic. Wouldn't giving spirit stones or offering an opportunity be considered repaying a favor? Why must it be repaid with one's body?

Of course.

None of that mattered.

He only knew one thing: he was quite satisfied with his Entry Group.

He stood up and strode into the ancestral hall, lit three incense sticks, and knelt on the ground, gazing at the row of tombstones before him. "Although I don't know which ancestor accumulated so much virtue..."

"But thank you, unknown ancestor. You are a good person."

"Thank you."

At the same time, he secretly made up his mind not to have children in the future, to prevent any Immortal Maidens from coming to repay favors to his descendants. After all, if given a choice, an Immortal Maiden would easily choose a young man in his prime over an old man whose vigor had faded.

Taiping Mansion had no direct descendants of his.

However.

The Immortal Maiden had said that if he ever went to the Fifth Rank Immortal World, the Clear Sky Realm, he could go to a place called the 'Wei Royal Palace' to find her. Was this woman crazy? Her expectations of him were a bit too high.

He was currently on a Second Rank Continent.

How many continents would he have to cross? He didn't think he had the ability. The 'Wei Royal Palace' sounded like this Immortal Maiden was a maid there. As expected of the Fifth Rank Immortal World, even maids were Immortal Maidens.

The Fifth Rank Immortal World, the Clear Sky Realm.

In the Clear Sky Realm, a woman in black with a white inner lining slowly appeared beside a pool filled with spiritual energy. As soon as she appeared, several maids surrounded her, helping her bathe and change clothes.

A girl in armor knelt on one knee beside her, her face respectful. "Your Highness, the 'Qi Sect' has started to procure strategic resources in large quantities, preparing for a major war. Unless something unexpected happens, the Qi Sect has finally decided to go to war with our Wei Royal Palace."

"Hmm."

The woman, addressed as the Wei Royal Highness, sat in a chair after bathing and changing. Her eyes were lowered, and she didn't speak.

The Wei Royal Palace was a Fifth Rank power, eligible to receive substantial Heavenly Dao blessings every year. However, due to the previous war, both her parents had passed away, causing the Wei Royal Palace's strength to decline significantly. It was no longer considered a Fifth Rank power, and the Qi Sect was taking advantage of this to claim their spot. She didn't want to give it up, and a war was about to break out.

She didn't think this was an immoral act. If she had such an opportunity, she would do the same.

But she couldn't give up the Wei Royal Palace, her parents' legacy.

So, she chose to repay the favor.

Long ago, there was a powerful maniac who belonged to a mysterious power. Although he held a low position, rumored to be a minor elder, he was incredibly strong and loved wandering the world, especially doing good deeds.

But he only saved Immortal Maidens, no one else.

The Immortal Maiden is a title bestowed by Heaven, an extremely unique status akin to the "Heavenly Dao's Beauty Ranking" of the lower-tier continents, but with a distinct difference. Those who attain the title of Immortal Maiden pass on their bloodline, ensuring that their daughters will also be Immortal Maidens.

If a son is born, he will be an Immortal Boy.

This inheritance only applies to reincarnation.

The title of Immortal Maiden is determined by the Heavenly Dao, and it is said that a powerful bastard once rescued many women, all of them in their most dire moments. Before saving them, he required them to swear an oath to the Heavenly Dao.

They vowed to repay him with their bodies, with no time limit on when this promise would be fulfilled.

Once this oath was made, they could receive a "Repayment Blessing" left by him.

This Heavenly Dao oath had no drawbacks, only benefits. Not only did he save their lives, but he also provided them with abundant rewards when they repaid him. This bastard had been dead for a long time.

However, the "Repayment Blessing" he left behind had somehow been transferred to the Heavenly Dao for distribution, through means unknown.

The oath also passed down through the bloodline of the Immortal Maidens. If the original rescued Immortal Maiden didn't want to repay him, it didn't matter; the next generation of Immortal Maidens could still receive the "Repayment Blessing" by fulfilling the oath. If he had died, they could repay his descendants instead.

This person was quite famous, yet his name was unknown.

This was normal in the Immortal World, as most people guarded their true names and faces closely. His appearance changed every time he was seen, making it difficult to recognize him.

His nickname was "Playboy Prince," a somewhat vulgar title, but one he seemed to wear with pride. The mysterious sect he belonged to was almost forgotten by everyone, known as the "Mock Heaven Sect."

It was said that tens of thousands of years ago, the Mock Heaven Sect was an incredibly powerful force from a higher-tier Immortal World.

But something happened tens of thousands of years ago, and overnight, everyone, except for the Immortal Maidens he had interacted with, forgot about the Mock Heaven Sect.

The Mock Heaven Sect had disappeared.

It vanished from everyone's memories and all records. Whether it was written on jade slips or stored in brain memory, overnight, no one could recall the name "Mock Heaven Sect." Even upon seeing the three characters, there was no reaction.

The name "Mock Heaven Sect" was only passed down through the generations by the Immortal Maidens. Their ancestors were shocked by this change, and although they didn't know what had happened, they continued to pass down the story orally. By the time it reached this generation, it had become quite vague.

The powerful bastard also disappeared at that time.

He seemed to possess a unique ability, always appearing at the right time to save an Immortal Maiden in distress, regardless of the continent's tier. He never forced himself upon them but only asked for their promise.

If they didn't agree, he wouldn't save them.

Many Immortal Maidens, feeling humiliated and resentful, swore an oath to the Heavenly Dao. But because he had saved their lives, they couldn't curse him too harshly, so they called him a damnable bastard.

The woman in black with a white-lined veil sat calmly in a chair, gazing at the lotus leaves floating in the pond. She had just finished repaying her debt and would soon receive the "Repayment Blessing" that the bastard had entrusted to the Heavenly Dao.

With her increased strength, she felt more confident facing the incoming attack from the Qi Zong Sect.

This was her Maiden Night.

She was well aware of the implications of her title as an Immortal Maiden. She resented the fact that she couldn't take her own Maiden Night, as Immortal Maidens were often coveted by powerful cultivators, even by their own relatives and friends.

Every man who approached her.

On the first day, they would talk about their ideals, future plans, cultivation progress, recent Celestial Talents and opportunities, and childhood stories. When the night grew quiet, under the starry sky, they would sincerely whisper, asking if they could change the topic of conversation.

Despite their crude language, she could see the sincerity in their eyes. At that moment, they genuinely wanted to talk about something else.

Her assessment of men was simple: they were all bastards, not a single decent one among them.

Except for the old man she had just met.

The woman's thoughts began to wander, and she sat in a daze, wondering if it was because she had given herself to him that she felt curious about this man she had just met. She wanted to know his stories, what he was doing now, and if he was thinking about her.

The old man was sincere. After her parents passed away, it had been a long time since anyone had told her to live on with determination. Despite being a native of a Second Rank Continent, he encouraged her to persevere and promised to visit her one day.

Confident men always shone brightly.

In the Fifth Rank Immortal World, age wasn't a significant factor when seeking a Dao companion. After living for thousands of years, it was normal to be older. As for appearance, it was a simple matter; with a thought, a white-haired old man could transform into a handsome and graceful youth.

Most men, however, preferred to remain as middle-aged or old men, believing it made them appear more domineering and mature.

As for women.

They were unanimously young and beautiful.

Women had a consistent standard of beauty, and most believed that youth was the epitome of beauty.

Regardless of how their faces changed, the one they were born with was their true face, and it was unique.

After a long while.

The woman snapped back to her senses, and the "Repayment Blessing" had arrived. She looked towards her Dantian, where a panel slowly emerged, shrouded in clouds. A faint smile appeared on her lips.

"It's indeed quite generous."

"No wonder the bastard's reputation fluctuates so much."

PS: I'll fix any typos later. Please vote for this chapter! (Just passed the review.)

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end