Jadesun Palace.
“I never expected a child of the Liu family to awaken the Phoenix Divine Body bloodline.” Marquis Southcloud was fair and beardless. His amiable smile resembled an ordinary scholar. “Speaking of which, nobody from the Gongsun family has awakened a Phoenix Divine Body bloodline for the past five centuries. Including Liu Qiyue, the two people with phoenix bloodlines aren’t from the Gongsun family. This world is truly unpredictable.”
Liu Yebai sat by the side and smiled as he looked at his daughter. He then said, “Our Liu family had a marriage alliance with the Gongsun Family during my grandmother’s generation.”
“I know.” Marquis Southcloud nodded. “For the sake of their phoenix bloodline, the Gongsun family had forbidden marriage with outsiders. Only after centuries of no descendants awakening the bloodline—along with the threat of demons—did the Gongsun family finally begin allowing marriages with outsiders. Haha, once these marriages happened, it brought us Godfiends with Phoenix Divine Bodies.”
“Can I become a Godfiend?” Liu Qiyue couldn’t help but ask. “I reached the Unity realm last year.”
“It’s not bad for you to reach the Unity realm at the age of sixteen.” Marquis Southcloud nodded. “Don’t worry. You will definitely succeed if Archean Mountain wants to nurture you.”
“Qiyue, since you have awakened your phoenix bloodline, you should become a Godfiend,” Liu Yebai said.
Marquis Southcloud continued, “The news of your Phoenix Divine Body bloodline has long reached Archean Mountain. They have already sent someone over. They should arrive in Eastcalm Prefecture today! When the time comes, you will have to leave and head to Archean Mountain.”
“I’m leaving today?” Liu Qiyue felt like everything was happening too suddenly.
“That’s right.” Marquis Southcloud nodded. “It’s impossible for me to stay in Eastcalm Prefecture forever. There’s no way Archean Mountain can send a powerful Godfiend as protection. Therefore, it’s safest for you to enter Archean Mountain immediately.”
Liu Yebai also said, “Qiyue, now that you have awakened a phoenix bloodline, you have to cultivate hard and make yourself stronger.”
“Yes.” Liu Qiyue nodded solemnly.
When she personally witnessed the demon invasion, she yearned to become stronger and vanquish those demons.
...
Meng Chuan and his father arrived at Jadesun Palace.
“Young Master Meng, please stay here for a moment. The Marquis is currently talking to Young Master Yan.” An elder led the way, and Meng Chuan and Meng Dajiang could only wait by the side. They also saw Liu Yebai and Liu Qiyue sitting in a pavilion.
“Ah Chuan.” Liu Qiyue was even more surprised. After the demon invasion, she had not seen Meng Chuan. After Meng Chuan killed two demon commanders at Blazing Sun Dao Academy, he had led Demon Monarch Poison Pool away and escaped... As for Liu Qiyue, she was quickly brought to Jadesun Palace. They hadn’t managed to speak with each other.
“Qiyue.” Meng Chuan ran over happily. “Are you alright? You seemed to be quite injured back at Blazing Sun Dao Academy.”
“It was after casting a forbidden spell for too long.” Liu Qiyue smiled and shook her head. “I just need to rest for a month.”
Meng Chuan nodded slightly.
“Ah Chuan, I-I...” Liu Qiyue whispered, somewhat reluctant to part with him. “I might be leaving Eastcalm Prefecture today.”
“You’re leaving Eastcalm Prefecture today?” Meng Chuan was surprised. He suddenly recalled the flaming arrow that Liu Qiyue had shot.
“Why are you leaving all of a sudden?” Meng Dajiang couldn’t help but ask. Qiyue had come to live at Mirror Lake Meng Manor when she was very young. After all these years, it was as if she was his own child. Meng Dajiang couldn’t bear to part with her.
Liu Yebai said, “Qiyue awakened a Phoenix Divine Body bloodline. Archean Mountain wants to take her away immediately. In the future, she will cultivate at Archean Mountain.”
“She awoke a phoenix bloodline and will be entering Archean Mountain?” Meng Dajiang was somewhat astonished.
He obviously knew about the phoenix bloodline.
There were many types of divine bodies. Generally speaking, divine bodies like thunder and lightning were very powerful and difficult to cultivate. The top Lightning Divine Body could be said to be extremely difficult to begin cultivating, but the Phoenix Divine Body was even more strict on its conditions. Outsiders were unable to cultivate it at all. Only those who had awakened the phoenix bloodline could cultivate it. Godfiends who cultivated Phoenix Divine Bodies were extremely rare. The Gongsun family which was known as the Phoenix clan hadn’t had any descendants awaken the bloodline for five centuries.
Currently, there was only one person who was a Phoenix Divine Body Godfiend. Liu Qiyue would be the second.
“It’s our dream to enter Archean Mountain.” Meng Dajiang immediately reacted and smiled at Liu Qiyue. “We must be happy for Qiyue.”
“Ah Chuan.” Liu Qiyue was very reluctant to part with him.
“I will also enter Archean Mountain this December,” said Meng Chuan with a smile. “When the time comes, we will meet again.”
“Yes.” Liu Qiyue nodded, but there was still much reluctance in her heart.
...
While Meng Chuan and Liu Qiyue were chatting, Marquis Southcloud was talking to Yan Jin in the hall.
“King Calm Sea’s sword mark saved Eastcalm Prefecture.” Marquis Southcloud sighed. “This is fate. If you weren’t in Eastcalm Prefecture, Eastcalm Prefecture might have already been annihilated by the demons.”
Yan Jin stood there, listening obediently.
“However, the demons will definitely investigate the reason for their failed invasion carefully,” said Marquis Southcloud. “King Calm Sea is constantly watching over Calm Sea Pass. With the power of the Heavenly Tribulation Sword being only ten or twenty percent of King Calm Sea’s might, the demons will easily deduce that it was only a sword mark. The sealing of a sword mark is very difficult. It requires a huge price. King Calm Sea has only sealed them in a few of his children.”
“King Calm Sea has seven children. Five of them have become Godfiends. Only the youngest two are mortals. The sixth child is cultivating at Calm Sea. Only you came to Eastcalm Prefecture,” said Marquis Southcloud. “Although your identity was kept a secret, the demons will still be able to figure this out from their investigations. Once they find out that you are King Calm Sea’s son, they will send the Skydemon Sect to assassinate you. Therefore, you have to leave Eastcalm Prefecture.”
“Leave?” Yan Jin was stunned.
“You might die here.” Marquis Southcloud said, “You can follow me to the state capital. There, I can ensure your safety. You can also return to Calm Sea Pass! There’s nothing to worry about there.”
“No.” Yan Jin shook his head. “I want neither Calm Sea Pass, nor the state capital.”
Marquis Southcloud frowned. “Why are you so insensible?”
“Don’t worry, Lord Marquis. I will leave Eastcalm Prefecture. The demons won’t be able to find me so easily,” said Yan Jin.
“You...” Marquis Southcloud shook his head. Thinking back to the letter, he recalled that this Seventh Young Master of King Calm Sea’s family was a loner and rather extreme in his ideals. It was indeed the case.
“How about this? You will be participating in Archean Mountain’s entrance examination this year, right?” Marquis Southcloud asked.
“Yes.” Yan Jin nodded.
The rules of Archean Mountain were strict. Unless one was truly a peerless genius, everyone else was required to participate in the entrance examination. Regardless of whether they were the children of King Calm Sea or the princes of the Great Zhou Dynasty, it was the same for all. Those who were lacking were eliminated.
Liu Qiyue was the second person in the world who possessed a phoenix bloodline. There was no need for her to take the test. Archean Mountain immediately accepted her.
Yan Jin still had to take the test.
“In that case, you can head straight to Archean City. You can directly participate in Archean Mountain’s test in December,” said Marquis Southcloud.
Yan Jin thought for a moment and nodded. “Alright.”
He didn’t like Calm Sea Pass, much less the state capital. These two places had the most number of clansmen from King Calm Sea’s family.
“There will be people from Archean Mountain coming to fetch Liu Qiyue today. When the time comes, you can head to Archean City with them,” said Marquis Southcloud with a smile.
“Yes.” Yan Jin nodded.
...
Moments later, Meng Dajiang and Meng Chuan entered the hall and paid their respects to Marquis Southcloud.
“Marquis Southcloud.” When Meng Chuan saw Marquis Southcloud, his heart was filled with shock.
His senses had always been effective, but he couldn’t sense Marquis Southcloud’s existence at all! In fact, even while being in the same hall and being within a hundred feet of each other, his hundred-foot domain couldn’t sense him at all.
He could only see him with the naked eye.
Such a strange situation alarmed Meng Chuan. He also came to a realization. There is always someone stronger than you. Although my senses are special and mysterious, it is clearly useless in front of Marquis Southcloud. The other party was one of the most terrifying Godfiends in Wu State, after all. It was understandable that his “sense” failed completely.
“Greetings, Lord Marquis.” Meng Dajiang and Meng Chuan bowed.
“Have a seat, both of you.” Marquis Southcloud instructed as he curiously looked at Meng Chuan. After he sat down, he asked, “Meng Chuan, I heard that you killed two demon commanders one after another at Blazing Sun Dao Academy?”
“Yes,” Meng Chuan immediately replied.
“Have you reached the realm of Saber Intent?” inquired Marquis Southcloud.
The fusion of body, mind, and technique was the first realm—Unity.
When one formed a unique Force, their strength would increase tremendously. They could even guide the Heaven and Earth powers. Force was the second realm.
If one took a step further, Saber Force could become an embodiment. That was Saber Intent—something one could call their own. Saber Intent was mysterious and unfathomable. Many Godfiends would pursue the Intent realm their entire lives. Saber Intent was the third realm of saber arts.
“No, I haven’t comprehended Saber Intent yet,” said Meng Chuan immediately.
“Oh.” Marquis Southcloud was a bit disappointed.
It was said that a young man named Meng Chuan in Eastcalm Prefecture had killed a demon commander with a single slash. He had also killed two in quick succession.
Marquis Southcloud’s first thought was that Meng Chuan had comprehended Saber Intent and reached the third realm of saber arts. Comprehending Saber Intent at 18 would make one a peerless genius who would shock Archean Mountain. He would be recruited immediately and didn’t need to participate in the entrance examination.
Unfortunately, he had over-thought things.
“Then how did you kill the demon commanders?” asked Marquis Southcloud in puzzlement.