Chapter 751 – "The Shield's First Test"
Deep within the Celestial Paradise, far from the lily-covered glade where Alex and Yu Mei lingered, one of the Heavenly Sect's elders was moving carefully through a dense grove. The trees here were ancient — bark blackened like obsidian, branches hung with translucent vines that dripped a faint, glowing nectar.
He pushed past a curtain of vines and stopped short.
Nestled in the hollow of a fallen trunk was a single fruit the size of a clenched fist, its skin shimmering with alternating ripples of jade and silver. Even without touching it, he could feel the condensed spiritual energy radiating from it — a treasure that could elevate a cultivator's strength by leaps in a single bite.
His breath caught. "A Heaven's Core Fruit… here?"
Glancing around to ensure he was alone, the elder reached down and plucked it from its resting place. The moment his fingers closed around it, the forest went silent.
A low, resonant growl rumbled through the air.
His head snapped up in time to see a shape moving between the shadows — a beast larger than any he'd encountered here so far. It stepped into the light, fur the color of midnight, eyes burning with gold fire. Its aura hit him like a wall.
Level 9.
The elder's pulse spiked. He had no illusions about his odds. Even with his decades of experience, facing such a creature head-on was suicide. Clutching the fruit to his chest, he took a single step back.
The beast lowered its head and lunged.
The elder's mind flashed with memories — the sect, the faces of his juniors, and the certainty that he wouldn't see another sunrise. He shut his eyes, bracing for the tearing pain of claws and fangs.
But… nothing came.
Instead, there was a sudden thrum of energy, a deep hum that resonated through his bones. The impact hit — but not him. It slammed into an invisible wall just inches from his body, sparks of blue racing across a curved barrier.
His eyes snapped open.
The black bar at his belt was glowing, the thin blue circuits flaring bright as they absorbed the full force of the attack. The beast recoiled with a furious roar, shaking its head as if confused.
The elder's shock gave way to dawning realization. "Alex's… shield."
It struck again, claws like blades, but the barrier held firm, the shimmering dome around him unyielding. The creature circled, snarled, and finally, with a frustrated huff, turned and melted back into the trees.
The glow around him slowly dimmed.
Only then did the elder realize his hands were trembling — but the fruit was still secure in his grip. Looking down at the black bar, his expression hardened with renewed respect.
"I owe you my life, Alex," he murmured. Then, pocketing the Heaven's Core Fruit, he set off to rejoin his group, steps quickening.
The beast lunged again, its claws shrieking across the invisible dome, blue sparks rippling through the barrier like lightning across glass. The elder staggered back a step under the force of the impact, heart pounding, but the shield held.
Snarling, the creature circled, muscles bunching before it struck again — and again. Each blow was enough to crush stone, each strike accompanied by the ringing hum of the barrier absorbing and dispersing the force.
Minutes stretched into a grueling stalemate. The elder could only stand inside the glowing dome, the Heaven's Core Fruit still clutched tight in one hand, watching as his would-be killer poured its strength into every attack.
The forest rang with the sounds of battle: the shattering crack of claws against the barrier, the deep whump of the beast's body slamming into it, the low, feral roars that shook leaves from the branches above.
Half an hour passed. Then an hour. Still the shield held, unblemished.
Sweat rolled down the elder's back, not from exertion, but from the tension of standing frozen inside his sanctuary. He knew — if not for Alex's gift — he would already be nothing but scraps of flesh scattered across the grove.
The beast was relentless, its golden eyes blazing with the kind of primal fury that refused to admit defeat. It snapped its jaws, unleashed bursts of raw spiritual force, even tried to dig beneath the barrier — all in vain.
At last, two hours into the assault, the creature's pace began to slow. Its breathing turned ragged, its movements less precise. One final, half-hearted swipe glanced off the shield before it stepped back, chest heaving.
The elder met its gaze through the shimmering dome. For a heartbeat, man and beast simply stared at one another.
Then the creature gave a sharp, frustrated huff, turned away, and padded back into the shadows of the forest. The sound of its departure faded until the grove was silent once more.
The blue glow of the barrier dimmed, retreating into the black bar at his belt.
Only then did the elder's knees weaken. He let out a long, shaky breath and glanced down at the Heaven's Core Fruit in his palm. "Two hours… and it still couldn't break through," he murmured.
With renewed respect for Alex — and a far deeper understanding of just how valuable the gift truly was — he turned and made his way back toward the Heavenly Sect's rendezvous point, the treasure secured.
The elder returned to the Heavenly Sect's designated gathering point just as the golden haze of evening settled across the Celestial Paradise. Sect Master Tian and Lady Xia were reviewing maps drawn by the other search groups when they saw him approaching — robes scuffed, hair slightly disheveled, but still clutching something tightly in his hand.
Lady Xia's sharp eyes swept over him. "You've been gone longer than expected."
"I found something," the elder said, opening his palm to reveal the shimmering Heaven's Core Fruit. Its surface caught the light like liquid silver and jade, drawing a low murmur from the nearest elders.
Tian's gaze narrowed. "And?"
The elder's jaw tightened. "A Level 9 beast came for me the moment I picked it up."
The nearby disciples stiffened. Lady Xia leaned forward. "And you're standing here with not so much as a scratch."
His fingers brushed the black bar at his belt. "It was this. The shield. It held."
Sect Master Tian's brows rose slightly. "For how long?"
The elder's voice was steady, but the weight of his words carried clearly. "Two hours. It attacked without pause. Full force. It tried everything — physical strikes, spiritual bursts, even digging — and it never broke through. In the end, it walked away in frustration."
A silence fell over the group. Even the breeze seemed to pause.
Lady Xia was the first to speak, her voice quieter now. "Two hours against a Level 9… without a single breach." She looked to Tian. "Do you understand what this means?"
Tian's expression had already shifted into something darker, more calculating. "It means that as long as we carry these bars, the lives of our top fighters are all but guaranteed in here. That protection alone changes everything. No other sect has it. Which means—"
"—we can take risks they can't," Lady Xia finished, a spark of understanding in her eyes.
The elder bowed his head toward Alex, who was standing a short distance away speaking with Yu Mei. "If not for you, I'd be dead. There's no doubt."
Alex glanced over, meeting the elder's eyes for a moment before giving a small nod, as if to say it was nothing. But Tian and Lady Xia exchanged another look — one that said they both knew just how far from "nothing" this gift truly was.
Chapter 752 – "One Month Apart"
The Heavenly Sect gathered one last time at their meeting point, the evening light in the Celestial Paradise bathing the valley in soft gold. The air was heavy with the scent of rare flowers and the hum of untapped treasures waiting to be claimed.
Sect Master Tian stood at the center, hands clasped behind his back. "We've mapped the nearby terrain. There's no sign of anything beyond Level 9 in this realm, and with Alex's bars, we can take more risks than any other sect. But we must cover as much ground as possible."
The elders nodded, already aware of what this meant.
"We separate," Tian continued. "For a full month. Each of you will go your own way — no fixed groups. Work alone, avoid unnecessary fights with other sects, and use your bar if danger becomes unavoidable. When the month ends, we'll meet here again before the gate closes."
Lady Xia's gaze swept over the assembled cultivators. "This isn't just about treasures. Watch the movements of other sects. The Celestial Paradise is also a battlefield of information."
One by one, they voiced their assent. Packs were adjusted, weapons checked, and the group began to dissolve into individual paths — some vanishing into the distant mountains, others heading toward shimmering lakes or deep forest canopies.
Only two figures didn't break away.
Yu Mei stood beside Alex, her expression calm but unreadable. "We're not separating."
Tian gave her a knowing look. "I suspected as much."
Lady Xia's lips curved faintly. "Just don't get so distracted you forget why you're here."
Yu Mei's answer was a smooth smile. "I won't. But there are some treasures worth more than anything we'll find in this realm."
Alex didn't argue. He simply adjusted the strap of his pack and nodded toward the path leading deeper into the Celestial Paradise. "Then let's go."
They left together, the soft glow of the lilies fading behind them, swallowed by the winding trails and shadowed groves of a realm that would soon test every sect within it.
Far from where Alex and Yu Mei wandered, one of the Heavenly Sect's elders pushed through a cluster of flowering shrubs into a small clearing.
At the center of the clearing stood an ancient stone pedestal, an orb of polished silver resting on top. Beside it, a hulking guardian beast crouched — eyes glowing faintly, claws sunk into the dirt as if ready to pounce.
The elder froze for half a heartbeat… then sighed in relief, fingers brushing the black bar at his belt. "Right. Alex's shield."
He strolled forward at a leisurely pace. The beast's ears flattened, a low growl rumbling in its throat. It lunged — and slammed straight into the shimmering blue dome that flared around the elder. Sparks danced along the barrier, but he didn't even slow down.
"Excuse me," he said politely, sidestepping the beast as if it were an overexcited dog. He plucked the silver orb from the pedestal, gave it a quick once-over, then tucked it into his bag.
The beast roared again, battering the barrier with everything it had, but the elder just waved over his shoulder. "You're doing a great job, keep it up."
Another elder not far away was having an equally surreal experience. She found a pair of jade bracelets on an altar surrounded by a swarm of venomous spirit snakes. They struck repeatedly, fangs scraping uselessly against the barrier while she hummed to herself, slipping the bracelets into her pouch like she was shopping at a street market.
By midday, the Heavenly Sect elders had collectively gathered more high-tier treasures than in any expedition of their careers — and none of them had even broken a sweat.
One elder leaned against a tree, examining a crystal blade he'd just "liberated" from the claws of a furious griffon. "You know," he said between bites of a snack from his pack, "I don't think I've ever had such a relaxing treasure hunt."
The others nodded in agreement, their voices overlapping in dry amusement:
"Feels like cheating."
"Because it is cheating."
"Best cheating I've ever done."
Somewhere in the distance, the sound of another enraged guardian beast's roar was followed by the cheerful, utterly unconcerned whistle of yet another Heavenly Sect elder walking away with its prize.
On the far side of the Celestial Paradise, a loose alliance of elders from three different sects crouched behind a ridge, peering down into a wide basin.
At the center of the basin stood a jagged black spire, and at its base rested an ancient chest banded in gold. Even from their position, they could see the faint aura leaking from it — a treasure worth risking blood for.
The problem was the guardian.
It was a colossal, six-legged beast with overlapping plates of dark stone for armor, its molten eyes scanning the area with unblinking patience. Every so often, it let out a low, earth-shaking growl that made the rocks under the elders' boots tremble.
"That thing's stronger than anything we've faced so far," muttered one of the alliance elders. "We'll need all sixteen of us to keep it distracted while two grab the chest."
"Agreed," another said. "We'll spread out, attack from multiple angles. On my signal—"
He never finished.
Down in the basin, a lone figure in Heavenly Sect robes strolled into view. The elders stiffened in disbelief as the man — a middle-aged Heavenly Sect elder they vaguely recognized — walked straight toward the chest.
The guardian's head snapped toward him instantly.
"This is going to be a bloodbath," one of the alliance whispered.
But instead of being torn apart, the Heavenly Sect elder kept walking. The beast roared and charged, slamming into a sudden blue dome that shimmered into existence around him. Sparks danced across the shield as the guardian battered it again and again, but the man didn't even look up.
He reached the chest, crouched down, flipped it open, and calmly began sorting through the contents as if browsing a market stall. Selecting what he wanted, he closed the lid, tucked the prize under his arm, and walked away without so much as glancing at the raging monster still clawing at his barrier.
The sixteen alliance elders just… stared.
"…What the hell was that?" one finally said.
"Is he… shopping?" another asked in disbelief.
"I think… he is."
They watched in stunned silence as the Heavenly Sect elder hummed a tune, stepping lightly over the cracked ground while the beast behind him roared in helpless frustration. He vanished into the trees, leaving the alliance still crouched in their hiding place, plans completely derailed.
After a long moment, one of them muttered, "…We might be in trouble."
The alliance elders weren't the only ones who saw it.
Farther up the slope, hidden among the branches of a giant blossom tree, several disciples from the Radiant Sun Palace had been keeping watch on the basin, hoping to report back to their elders when the guardian left.
They, too, saw the Heavenly Sect elder stroll in without hesitation, watched the barrier flare to life, and then… nothing. The beast's furious assault broke harmlessly against the glowing dome while the man casually claimed the treasure.
"Did you just see that?" one disciple whispered, gripping the trunk for balance.
"I'm still seeing it," another said flatly. "He's… he's not even fighting."
Closer to the opposite ridge, two members of the Ghostfire Abyss Sect were frozen in place. They'd been considering a stealth approach, waiting for nightfall — but now they could only gape as their intended target walked away under Heavenly Sect colors, prize in hand, without so much as a scratch.
"That was a Level 9 guardian," the older one muttered, eyes narrowed. "It didn't even slow him down."
Similar scenes were unfolding elsewhere. From the Ocean Soul Sect, a scouting pair returning from the river path had paused on a cliff edge just in time to see another Heavenly Sect elder strolling away from a collapsed shrine. Behind him, a giant winged serpent lay coiled, hissing and striking at the impenetrable shield that had just protected its would-be prey.
By the time word began to spread — through quick messenger talismans, hushed conversations, and wide-eyed whispers — one fact was already clear in every witness's mind:
The Heavenly Sect was doing something no other sect could.
For the moment, most chose to keep the sighting to themselves, hoping to puzzle it out or turn it to their advantage later. But suspicion was growing like cracks in ice — and more eyes were turning toward Alex's people.
Deep within the temporary camp of the Northern Continent delegation, the Sect Master of Ghostfire Abyss Sect listened in silence as two of his disciples breathlessly relayed what they'd seen — a Heavenly Sect elder walking into a guardian's territory, taking the treasure, and leaving untouched while the beast raged helplessly.
When they finished, the Sect Master's eyes narrowed, a faint, calculating smile tugging at his lips. "So… the Heavenly Sect walks through danger as if it isn't there. Then let's see if their luck holds when the danger is me."
The very next day, one of the Heavenly Sect elders found himself shadowed by the Ghostfire Abyss Sect's strongest fighters. They didn't bother with subtlety — the Sect Master himself led the group, stepping into the open sky with a flare of dark-red spiritual fire.
"Hand over what you've taken," he called, his voice carrying easily.
The Heavenly Sect elder, already mid-flight over a wide canyon, glanced back once… then continued flying without so much as a word.
The Sect Master's smile tightened. "Attack."
Bolts of compressed fire tore through the air, shattering stone spires below. Spears of shadow and arcs of corrupted flame followed, all slamming into the Heavenly Sect elder — or rather, into the flawless, shimmering barrier that had burst to life around him.
The elder didn't even turn his head. He adjusted his grip on the small chest in his hands and hummed to himself, gliding over the canyon with leisurely ease while the shield absorbed every strike without a flicker.
Minutes passed. Then an hour. The Ghostfire Abyss Sect pressed harder, their attacks growing more desperate.
Two hours. Four. Six.
By the eighth hour, even the Sect Master's breath had grown heavy, his finest techniques spent in clouds of fire and shadow that broke uselessly against the unyielding dome.
By the tenth hour, the Heavenly Sect elder was still flying at the same unhurried pace, the same faint hum in his throat, the same prize in his hands. The shield remained as perfect as when it had first appeared.
At last, the Ghostfire Abyss Sect fighters faltered, their energy spent, eyes wide with something dangerously close to disbelief.
The elder glanced over his shoulder for the first time, gave a small, polite nod, and then simply kept flying — leaving them hanging in the air, the taste of frustration heavy in their mouths.
Far below, the canyon winds carried the faint sound of his relaxed humming until even that was gone.
Chapter 753 – "Ten Hours Wasted"
The Ghostfire Abyss Sect's failure should have been a warning. Instead, it was a challenge.
Within days, word had spread across the Celestial Paradise — whispered accounts of Heavenly Sect elders strolling through guardian territories, taking treasures under the noses of beasts and enemies alike, and emerging untouched.
Some scoffed, insisting it was exaggerated. Others, especially the more prideful sect masters, decided to test it for themselves.
The first was the Radiant Sun Palace. Their Sect Master, clad in golden robes and radiating a heat that warped the air, intercepted a Heavenly Sect elder who was casually crossing a wide meadow with a bundle of herbs in one arm.
"Leave the herbs and go," the Radiant Sun Palace Master commanded, unleashing a wave of searing solar fire before the elder could answer.
The flame struck the same flawless blue dome. The Heavenly Sect elder didn't even flinch — he just kept walking, carefully adjusting the herbs in his arm so they wouldn't get singed. Ten hours later, the Radiant Sun Palace Master was drenched in sweat, his voice hoarse from shouting orders, and the elder was a small dot in the distance.
The second attempt came from the Ocean Soul Sect. A squad of their strongest water manipulators ambushed a Heavenly Sect elder mid-flight, unleashing colossal waves and frozen lances of ice. For ten relentless hours, they hammered at the barrier, the sound of water and ice crashing against it echoing through the mountains. The elder inside? He lounged midair, reclining slightly as if enjoying the view, even fishing a small snack from his pack.
The third was the Serpent Song Sect. Their Sect Master brought out their deadliest venom beast, letting it spit clouds of corrosive poison at a Heavenly Sect elder who had just claimed a gleaming spear from a temple ruin. The poison hissed and bubbled against the shield, but after ten hours of effort, the Sect Master had to drag the exhausted beast away. The elder simply slung the spear over his shoulder and continued down the path, humming.
By the end of the week, the pattern was undeniable.
No matter the sect, no matter the strength, the result was always the same — ten hours of wasted effort, and a Heavenly Sect elder leaving at the same calm pace they'd arrived.
The Celestial Paradise was supposed to be a land of fierce competition. But against the Heavenly Sect, it was starting to feel like the rest of them were just spectators.
That night, in a secluded stone hall carved into the side of a cliff, the leaders of several top sects gathered in secret. The flicker of spirit lamps cast long shadows across the polished floor, their faces grim but tinged with frustration.
The Ghostfire Abyss Sect Master broke the silence first. "We all saw it. We all tried. Ten hours of full-force attacks, and their elders walk away without a bruise."
The Radiant Sun Palace Master scowled. "I burned through half my core reserves chasing one of them. It didn't even slow his flying speed."
The Ocean Soul Sect Master crossed his arms. "We brought our best water manipulators and froze the air solid. They had the nerve to eat while we attacked."
A few chuckles rolled through the room, not from humor, but from the absurdity of it all.
The Serpent Song Sect Mistress shook her head. "It's pointless. Whatever those black bars are, they make them untouchable. You could throw the combined force of five sects at them and it wouldn't change a thing."
The Blood Moon Sect Master leaned forward, his crimson eyes narrowing. "Then what? Do we just let them take everything?"
The Celestial Dragon Sect Master, silent until now, spoke in a low, even tone. "Yes."
That drew a ripple of disbelief.
"They're not here to hunt us," he continued. "They're here to gather treasures. If we can't touch them, then wasting energy on them only makes us weaker for the final days. Better to ignore them and focus on what we can take."
One by one, the other sect masters gave reluctant nods.
The Ghostfire Abyss Sect Master sighed. "Fine. Let them have their fun. We'll keep our people away from them."
The meeting broke apart quietly, the leaders disappearing into the shadows of the Celestial Paradise. Word spread quickly through their sects:
Do not engage the Heavenly Sect. It's a waste of time.
And so, from that night onward, the Heavenly Sect moved freely through the realm, their elders collecting treasures without interference, while the rest of the sects turned their focus elsewhere.
While most sects split up to cover more ground, one group refused to scatter — the Blood Moon Sect.
All twenty of their representatives moved as a single unit, a dark crimson tide cutting through the forests and valleys of the Celestial Paradise. At the head walked their Sect Master, a towering figure whose aura was like a blood-red storm cloud — unmistakably Level 9.
Behind him, nineteen elders, each a honed predator in their own right, radiated the solid, crushing presence of Level 8 cultivation. Their combined killing intent was so heavy that even the wild beasts of the realm seemed to sense it, slinking away long before the Blood Moon Sect came into view.
"Why split our strength?" the Sect Master had said when others questioned their formation earlier. "We came to dominate, not to play scavenger. Let the rest run in all directions like frightened rabbits. We will take what we want, together."
And so they did.
When they found a treasure guarded by a Level 9 beast, the Sect Master would stride forward, blade in hand, while his nineteen elders moved as one, their attacks timed with terrifying precision. The guardians fell, and the spoils were claimed, without hesitation or mercy.
Their strategy was slower than the others' — they covered less ground than lone hunters — but every prize they took was of the highest quality, and no one dared to challenge them directly.
For now, their crimson banners moved as a single shadow through the Celestial Paradise, leaving only silence and ruin in their wake.
The Blood Moon Sect weren't the only ones who saw the value in moving as one.
The Celestial Dragon Sect marched through the Celestial Paradise like a disciplined army. At its head was their Sect Master, his golden eyes sharp as blades, his Level 9 aura restrained but ever-present. Beside him strode their most promising prodigy — a young man whose cultivation was already so fierce it surpassed many elders, his movements coiled with the tension of a dragon ready to strike. Around them, the strongest of their elders formed a shield wall of power, each a veteran fighter chosen for both skill and loyalty.
The Emerald Jade Sect took a different approach to the same tactic. Their group glittered with beauty and deadly grace, led not by their absent Sect Master but by their most dangerous Level 9 elder — a woman with a voice as smooth as silk and a mind sharper than poison. Alongside her walked several prodigious disciples, each brimming with the kind of raw talent and cultivated charm that made them dangerous in ways far beyond simple combat. The rest of their group was filled with elders whose reputations were well-earned through decades of scheming victories.
The Frost Moon Palace was perhaps the most intimidating to see in formation. At their center, the Palace Mistress glided forward with the serene poise of falling snow — but her eyes were glacial, her presence enough to freeze the air in her path. Her chosen disciples were the cream of their generation, talents so refined they eclipsed the strength of many elders outright. The Palace's most formidable Level 8 elders moved in lockstep with them, the combined aura of their cold intent turning the air brittle.
Like the Blood Moon Sect, these three sects valued overwhelming force over speed. Every time they moved, they moved as one — Sect Master or top elder at the center, surrounded by their strongest fighters and most promising heirs. Treasures that might have taken others days to claim were seized in minutes, any guardian beasts crushed under the sheer weight of their combined power.
For the scattered hunters of lesser sects, stumbling across one of these formations was like finding a mountain blocking their path — immovable, impossible to challenge, and utterly unconcerned with anyone else's presence.
Chapter 754 – "The Ruins of Certain Death"
The morning mist clung to the valley floor as the sound of boots on stone echoed faintly through the air.
From one direction, the Blood Moon Sect's crimson tide emerged, their Sect Master at the head, nineteen elders flanking him like wolves on the hunt.
From the opposite ridge, the Celestial Dragon Sect descended in formation, their Sect Master's golden eyes scanning the terrain, the prodigy at his side radiating restless energy.
The Frost Moon Palace appeared next, their Mistress's steps silent on the frost-hardened grass, her entourage a wall of cold beauty and deadlier intent.
And finally, the Emerald Jade Sect swept into view, their leading elder's faint smile hiding calculations in every glance, disciples moving like shadows at her back.
They all stopped at the same time.
Before them, shrouded in the morning mist, rose the broken archways and shattered spires of an ancient ruin. The air shimmered faintly with the condensed aura of treasures within — enough to make even the most disciplined cultivators feel their pulse quicken. Gold light flickered between the crumbling walls, and the scent of rare herbs and spiritual metals drifted on the wind.
But between them and the treasures… moved the guardians.
At least a hundred in number, each one radiating the crushing pressure of Level 9 cultivation. Massive stone-skinned beasts with burning eyes patrolled the outer perimeter. Winged serpents coiled along the high walls. Blade-limbed constructs shifted restlessly, their movements sharp enough to cut the air itself.
The Blood Moon Sect Master let out a low whistle. "A hundred Ninth Level guardians…"
The Frost Moon Palace Mistress's gaze remained steady. "This isn't a treasure vault. It's a grave waiting to be filled."
The Celestial Dragon Sect Master smirked faintly. "Going in there is the stupidest way to die I've ever seen."
The Emerald Jade Sect's leading elder laughed lightly, though her eyes never left the guardians. "Whoever tries first is writing their own epitaph."
No one stepped forward. Even the prideful Sect Masters knew that one misstep here meant annihilation. The air between the four factions was thick with unspoken agreement: this ruin wasn't worth the cost.
For now.
The four great sects lingered at the edge of the valley, still discussing how suicidal it would be to approach the ruins. The guardians prowled in the mist, each movement radiating enough killing intent to make the ground seem heavier beneath their feet.
No one dared take a step closer.
That's when movement caught their eyes.
From the opposite path, Sect Master Tian and Lady Xia of the Heavenly Sect strolled into view. No formation, no army of elders at their back — just the two of them, walking side by side as if they'd taken a wrong turn on the way to a tea house.
The gathered leaders went still, expressions tightening.
The Blood Moon Sect Master muttered, "What in the hell are they doing?"
Without so much as a pause, Tian and Lady Xia stepped into the perimeter. The moment the first guardian noticed them, the valley erupted in a chorus of roars, metallic screeches, and the beat of massive wings. A hundred Level 9 guardians converged instantly.
And then… nothing happened.
The guardians slammed into a glowing blue dome that flared around the pair, each impact sending harmless ripples through the air. Tian gave Lady Xia a sidelong glance. "Do you want that one?"
She looked at a chest resting beneath the claws of a winged serpent and shrugged. "Why not? It would look nice in the main hall."
They strolled past the raging guardian, plucked the chest from the ground, and kept going. Occasionally they paused to point out a particularly shiny trinket or rare herb, picking them up like they were browsing market stalls, completely ignoring the storm of attacks raining down around them.
On the ridge, the four sects stared in frozen disbelief.
The Frost Moon Palace Mistress was the first to speak, her voice flat. "…Did I just hallucinate?"
The Celestial Dragon Sect Master rubbed his eyes once, then twice. "No. They're… shopping."
The Emerald Jade Sect's leading elder pressed a hand to her forehead. "I feel like my entire cultivation career has been a lie."
The Blood Moon Sect Master just watched in silence as Tian and Lady Xia, arms now full of treasures, casually turned and walked back out the way they came — still chatting about which herbs would make the best tea blends.
Not a scratch on them.
As Tian and Lady Xia reached the edge of the valley, they finally seemed to notice the silent crowd of sect masters and elites staring at them like they'd just watched the laws of reality bend in half.
Tian smiled warmly, as though greeting old friends at a banquet. "Ah… what a pleasant surprise. I didn't expect to see all of you here."
Lady Xia adjusted the ornate box in her arms and inclined her head politely. "We hope you've been well."
The Blood Moon Sect Master's mouth opened, closed, then opened again — no words came out.
The Frost Moon Palace Mistress managed to say, "You… went in there."
"Of course," Lady Xia replied lightly. "It's quite lovely inside. The lighting could use a little work, but the treasures are displayed rather nicely."
The Celestial Dragon Sect Master stared at the pile of artifacts tucked under Tian's arm. "…You didn't fight them?"
Tian tilted his head slightly, as if puzzled by the question. "Why would we? We just walked in and collected what we wanted."
The Emerald Jade Sect's elder gave a brittle laugh. "And the hundred Ninth Level guardians?"
"Oh, they were very enthusiastic," Lady Xia said with a faint smile. "But we didn't want to trouble them, so we simply let them tire themselves out while we browsed."
The four sects could only stand there, expressions caught between disbelief and the creeping realization that they had just spent half an hour calling this place a deathtrap… while the Heavenly Sect treated it like a weekend shopping trip.
Tian gave a genial nod. "Well then, we won't keep you from your… careful observations. Good luck with your hunt."
With that, he and Lady Xia strolled off down the trail, their voices drifting back as they discussed whether to stop by a certain lake for more herbs before nightfall.
Silence reigned over the valley once more — broken only by the Celestial Dragon Sect Master muttering, "…I hate them a little bit right now."
Chapter 755 – "A Lustful Departure"
Far from the ruins, deep in a valley lined with flowering spirit trees, Elder Mei Suhua of the Emerald Jade Sect walked in silence behind her team. On the surface, her expression was as serene as ever — but inside, her thoughts were far from calm.
She had been watching. Watching the Heavenly Sect's elders walk untouched through the Celestial Paradise. Watching Sect Master Tian and Lady Xia stroll past a hundred Ninth Level guardians as if they were nothing. And most of all… watching him.
Alex.
It wasn't just the memory of the mystery box incident, when she had shamelessly offered herself in exchange for a single night with him — it was the way he had refused without hesitation, as if her beauty and experience meant nothing. That refusal hadn't discouraged her. If anything, it had turned her want into an obsession.
Mei Suhua was a woman who had built her cultivation not only on talent and cunning, but on an unabashed embrace of desire. She was completely, unapologetically lustful — and made no effort to hide it. She took what she wanted, when she wanted it, whether that was a treasure, a position, or a man. Especially a man.
And Alex was no ordinary man. His power, his presence, the way even the strongest sect leaders treated him as an equal or better… it made her hunger burn hotter.
Every step she took with the Emerald Jade Sect felt like a step in the wrong direction. Her Sect Master was absent, her fellow elders dull in comparison, and the treasures they gathered seemed meaningless next to the thought of being in Alex's orbit.
She slowed her pace, letting the others drift ahead. In her mind, the decision was already made.
"I think," she murmured to herself, lips curling into a slow, sultry smile, "it's time I stopped wasting my time here."
Mei Suhua trailed behind the Emerald Jade Sect group, her gaze unfocused as her mind wandered into far less proper territory.
Finding Alex was her priority, yes — but once she had him in front of her, what then? A normal woman might ask for a private evening. She, however, was not a normal woman.
Her smile turned slow and wicked as a particularly scandalous thought crossed her mind.
I wonder… would he mind if I asked for something a little more… unusual?
She pictured it in her mind with decadent clarity — a foursome, three men and one woman… herself, naturally, at the center of it all. The idea was enough to make her steps quicken. She'd been with multiple partners before, but the thought of Alex involved in something so brazen, so indulgent, made her pulse race.
If he's as strong as they say, she mused, he could handle it. And if he says no… well, I can be very convincing.
The corner of her mouth lifted into a knowing smirk. Mei Suhua had never been shy about pursuing her desires, and the more outrageous they were, the more determined she became to see them fulfilled.
Mei Suhua's smirk lingered as the rest of the Emerald Jade Sect continued along the narrow forest path, talking in low, practical tones about their next treasure target. She didn't even bother pretending to listen.
Her decision was already made.
Slipping to the side of the trail, she let the tall ferns and low-hanging branches swallow her from sight. None of her companions noticed; they were too focused on their route. Even if they did notice later, she doubted they'd come looking — they all knew she did as she pleased.
Once the last of their voices faded, she straightened and looked toward the distant mountain ridge. The faint scent of rare herbs drifted on the wind, but she was searching for something else — a certain presence, one that had stood out to her from the moment she'd first seen him without his mask.
"Alex…" she murmured under her breath, the name almost tasting like honey.
She activated her movement technique, her figure blurring as she began weaving between trees and over streams, ignoring the usual caution one would use in the Celestial Paradise. The guardians didn't matter. If she found trouble, the challenge would be a thrill — but the real prize was ahead.
With every step, she imagined how their meeting would go. Would he be surprised to see her? Amused? Annoyed? She hoped for that last one — because the more he resisted, the more she'd enjoy bending him to her will.
The idea of asking him for that daring foursome made her smile widen as she vanished into the twilight forests, leaving the Emerald Jade Sect far behind.
As Mei Suhua darted through the glowing undergrowth, her mind kept circling back to one truth she couldn't quite explain — a feeling that pulsed deep in her core.
It wasn't just desire pushing her toward Alex. It was instinct.
Ever since she had seen him fight — and more importantly, felt the sheer weight of his presence — a certainty had lodged itself in her heart: if she could take him to bed, if she could draw even a fraction of that power into herself, she could break through the wall she had been facing for years.
Level 9.
Her lips parted slightly at the thought. So many cultivators clawed their way toward that level with decades of blood, sweat, and desperate chance. But she… she could taste the shortcut, and it was sweeter than any wine.
Of course, the pleasure of the act itself was more than enough motivation for her lustful nature — but now it came with the promise of advancement, the kind of leap that could secure her dominance in the Emerald Jade Sect or beyond.
Her eyes burned with renewed determination as she vaulted over a fallen log. Alex Elwood… you're going to be mine, even if I have to chase you to the farthest corner of this paradise.
And when she caught him, she would not let go until she had taken both the man and the power she craved.
As Mei Suhua raced through the glowing forest, her hand brushed the small jade vial hidden in her sleeve. The cool surface sent a ripple of satisfaction through her — because inside was the most potent aphrodisiac she had ever crafted.
Years of experimentation, rare ingredients collected from every corner of the Eastern Continent, and her own intimate understanding of the human body had gone into its creation. A single drop could make even the most disciplined cultivator lose their composure.
She had never dared to use it before. No one had been worth it.
Until now.
Alex was different. He wasn't just another man to satisfy her desires — he was the key to her next breakthrough. And if coaxing him with words and charm wasn't enough, she was prepared to… tilt the odds in her favor.
Her fingers lingered on the vial as she leapt over a stream, her lips curling into a sly, anticipatory smile. "If I can't make him mine with skill alone," she murmured, "then I'll make sure he can't say no."
The thought sent a shiver of excitement down her spine, her pace quickening as she followed the faint trail of energy she was certain belonged to him.