Chapter 1033: Chapter 1333: Return (End)

Before descending into the Cangqing Domain, Wang Chen specially crafted two high-tier Spirit Talismans.

One he kept close to his body, the other was entrusted to Su Ziling.

During Wang Chen’s seclusion, should Nameless Valley face invasion by formidable enemies and a critical situation arose, Su Ziling could activate the Spirit Talisman in her possession to instantly send a warning to Wang Chen.

Wang Chen’s Divine Soul could immediately sense it even in the Cangqing Domain.

And now, before the decade was up, Wang Chen had a strong sense of induction.

Something had gone wrong in the Haotian Realm!

Wang Chen made a swift decision and summoned Xi Yun to his side.

“Master!”

The hastily arriving Xi Yun, upon seeing Wang Chen, felt her heart pound fiercely, instinctively sensing something was amiss.

Wang Chen smiled slightly and said, “I encountered some problems during my cultivation. I need to enter a strict seclusion. From now on, you will be in charge of all matters at the Hanhai Taoist Palace. If there are issues you cannot solve, just tell Wu Zhao or Ling Zhiyuan.”

Originally, Xi Yun was just an ordinary mortal without any talent for cultivation.

However, after the construction of the Mountain River Great Array was completed, Wang Chen, through the power of this great array, carved her bones and cleansed her marrow to forcibly open her Qi Sea Dantian, pushing her into the ranks of the cultivators.

As Wang Chen’s closest confidante, over these years, Xi Yun had cultivated alongside him, receiving the nourishment of spiritual energy from the Mountain River Great Array. She had now reached the cultivation level of a Heavenly Master.

Although in this world where martial arts were strong and the way of the Tao was weak, a Heavenly Master could not be considered very powerful.

But as long as Xi Yun was within the Hanhai Taoist Palace, under the protection of the Mountain River Great Array, no one in the world could shake her in the slightest!

This too was a preparation Wang Chen made for his return.

“Master…”

Xi Yun immediately burst into tears and threw herself into Wang Chen’s embrace.

“It’s alright.”

Wang Chen gently stroked her black silky hair and smiled, “Just cultivate well in the Taoist Palace, and take care of my safety in the future. Wait for me to finish my seclusion.”

His return this time did not mean a permanent departure and he would inevitably descend again in the future.

Until he completely grasped control of this world.

By then, it would be a very simple matter for Wang Chen to take Xi Yun to the Haotian Realm.

“Yes!”

Xi Yun nodded vigorously.

Xi Yun had never been a petulant or wilful person; her whole heart and soul were devoted to Wang Chen. Although she felt uneasy at the moment, she firmly remembered the tasks Wang Chen had entrusted to her.

“Give this letter to Wu Zhao.”

Wang Chen retrieved a letter from his storage space, as well as a jade Ruyi the size of his palm.

Wu Zhao was far away in Daye, thousands of miles from the Hanhai Taoist Palace, and he couldn’t say goodbye in person. Therefore, he put his thoughts into the letter to avoid any misunderstandings.

As for the jade Ruyi, it was a Magic Artifact that Wang Chen had specially crafted for Xi Yun.

It was both a Body Protection artifact and the controlling device for the Mountain River Great Array, sufficient to ensure Xi Yun’s safety!

After Wang Chen returned to the Haotian Realm, this body would still remain here and also required protection.

Entrusting the Hanhai Taoist Palace and the Mountain River Great Array to Xi Yun was what Wang Chen felt most at ease with!

In fact, within this jade Ruyi, Wang Chen had hidden a little trick.

It might not be necessary to use, but caution is the parent of safety!

After helping Xi Yun refine the jade Ruyi, Wang Chen sent her out of the cultivation secret room.

Then he sealed the secret room and activated the protective array!

Wang Chen set up an additional array within this secret chamber, embedded within the core of the Mountain River Great Array. Even if the Mountain River Great Array were to be completely destroyed, this array could still operate for a significant period on its own.

It served as the last line of insurance.

After all the preparations were completed, Wang Chen sat down cross-legged, closed his eyes, and sensed the deepest part of the Sea of Consciousness–a trace of spiritual thoughts.

That was the beacon of the Haotian Realm!

[Fate-1000], [Fate-1000], [Fate-1000]…

His fate value plummeted at an alarming rate.

In the next moment, Wang Chen’s Divine Soul suddenly detached from his body, blinking through thick strata and the Taoist Palace, shooting straight towards the Firmament!

He once again touched the origin of this world, and amid the boundless chaos, followed the spiritual thoughts from his Sea of Consciousness, continuously ascending towards the Nine Heavens.

Half a month later, Wu Zhao rushed from Daye to the Hanhai Taoist Palace.

Upon receiving the news, the Empress of Great Zhou immediately abandoned her court duties and rushed over at top speed.

But she could only meet Xi Yun, who was guarding the Taoist Palace.

After reading the letter left by Wang Chen, the increasingly authoritative empress shed tears of emotion.

Although Wang Chen did not mention it in the letter, her intuition told her that Wang Chen might be leaving her for a very, very long time!

For Wu Zhao, Wang Chen was both a teacher and a brother, and the person in whom she placed her most genuine and purest emotions.

Being an empress was already lonely enough, without Wang Chen’s company, protection, and guidance, Wu Zhao did not know if she could persist through the uncertain future.

Although over the years she and Wang Chen had spent more time apart than together, this time was really different.

At the same time, Ling Zhiyuan, having completely eradicated the southern barbarians and returned to the north, was leading a massive army into the Northern Border Prefectures, which had previously been ceded to Great Qi.

He held a long spear and gazed at the distant majestic city, showing a faint smile.

Behind Ling Zhiyuan, laden carriages and forests of long rifles stretched out, and thousands of soldiers marched forward in neat steps.

The earth trembled; a new storm was on the horizon!

Yet, all of this no longer had anything to do with Wang Chen who had returned to the Haotian Realm.

In the underground Cave Mansion of the Nameless Valley, Wang Chen slowly opened his eyes within the secret chamber.

A profound and mysterious aura permeated through him, instantly dispersing into the surrounding space, then a Vast Majestic Power suddenly descended, enveloping his entire being.

The Qi-Blood in Wang Chen’s body that had been stagnant for nearly a year boiled instantly, and the bones throughout his body made a series of dense noises. The Golden Core in his Qi Sea whirled swiftly, continuously absorbing the powerful forces from the outside world.

At this moment, Wang Chen completely lost control over himself.

Yet, his Cultivation Level was climbing at a shocking rate.

Golden Core second tier, Golden Core third tier, Golden Core fourth tier…

Wang Chen’s Golden Core visibly expanded, breaking through levels rapidly, to an extent that even he felt uneasy.

He feared that this continuation would lead to a loss of control over his power and explosion resulting in his death!

Fortunately, this frantic upgrading halted after breaking through the seventh tier, and did not progress further.

Nonetheless, Wang Chen, who had regained control over his body, still felt as if he had been filled with thousands of pounds of immortal wine; not only was his head dizzy, but also his movements were heavy and slow.

Yet the Spiritual Power inside him brimmed to the brim, almost bursting his Dantian and meridians!

Wang Chen could only activate the Innate Five Elements Skill, gradually dissipating the forcefully infused pure Spiritual Power.

It took him a full six hours to adjust himself to a state ready for battle.

Although during this process, Wang Chen sensed disturbances from the outside world, he did not disrupt his steps.

———

First update delivered.