C798 They Competed for Beauty

Aboard the Roam Ship, Shen Yan from the Sword Sect, tasked with guarding Chen Qingyan, wore a grimace. Throughout their journey, he had incessantly cautioned her: should she encounter Yu Yuan, she must stay level-headed and keep her distance.

Chen Qingyan had given her word—no stirring up trouble. Yet, upon meeting Yu Yuan, she was already causing a commotion, insisting on entering the Evil Cauldron. All her previous promises seemed to have slipped her mind, clean forgotten.

In that moment, Shen Yan realized that Chen Qingyan hadn't taken his warnings to heart; her agreement was merely lip service, oblivious to the gravity of the situation.

The Divine Soul Sect's reputation had been shrouded by the five great forces for years, leaving few in the know. A newcomer like Chen Qingyan had never even heard of the sect, unaware of its profound legacy and formidable strength.

Only those who had forged a Yang God and wandered the Outland Star River were privy to the Divine Soul Sect's history.

Now, this fearsome sect, which had once vanished from the Star River, was openly reaching into the Boundless Land.

The Fallen Moon Forbidden Area, Desolate Swamp, Luan Bird Empire... Numerous enigmatic locales were in upheaval due to the sect's return. Smaller, venerable factions were rumored to be covertly aligning with the Divine Soul Sect.

Figures of might, like the Desolate God and Zu Ann, were either secretly or openly aligning with the sect.

The future unrest in the Boundless Land was set to intensify.

Shen Yan doubted that even the three upper sects, along with the Demon Palace and Devil Palace, could repel the returnees of the Divine Soul Sect.

A protracted, grueling battle to the bitter end loomed ahead.

With Yu Yuan allied with Zu Ann and implicated with the Divine Soul Sect, any further association between him and Chen Qingyan seemed ill-advised.

"This girl has no clue what the Divine Soul Sect signifies," Shen Yan lamented, his headache intensifying.

With a whoosh, Chen Qingyan's Yin God slipped through the light shield and into the Evil Cauldron.

Almost simultaneously, another figure, this one swathed in purple, gracefully floated into the cauldron as well.

A figure in white and a purple soul shadow settled on either side of Yu Yuan.

Suddenly, the small Evil Cauldron, which already housed Yuan Lianyao, was graced with two additional beauties, instantly drawing all eyes to Yu Yuan and the cauldron.

"This kid's got some serious charm!"

In the majestic palace, a practitioner from the Spirit Void Sect peered down at the Evil Cauldron and the trio of enchanting silhouettes within, clicking his tongue in admiration.

Many onlookers nodded in agreement, their envy palpable.

Yuan Lianyao of the Red Devil Sect was known as the Blazing Red Lotus, a beauty who had stirred up her fair share of whispers and rumors back in the Devil Moon Empire.

Sultry and captivating, Yuan Lianyao had been spotted by the Bright Sect's sages at a young age, a testament to her exceptional allure.

Since arriving on the Quietus Continent and being nurtured by Faang Yao of the Red Devil Sect, her fame had spread far and wide.

Ann Ziqing of the Blood God Cult had become another miraculous figure in recent years.

Her beauty was unparalleled, and her methods were ruthlessly cruel!

The deeds she accomplished after leaving Darkmoon City and returning to the Quietus Continent sent shivers down the spines of many seasoned cultivators.

Chen Qingyan, on the other hand, was the Chen family's most distinguished member since the era of the Luan Bird Queen and Chen Liangquan.

From her birth, she had been the focus of countless gazes, with numerous young talents whispering her name in their dreams.

"Hello, Brother Yu, Sister Yuan. I've long admired your reputations and have been eager to meet you."

Upon entering the cauldron, Chen Qingyan greeted Yu Yuan and Yuan Lianyao with a warm smile. "Brother Yu, I apologize for my master's unfriendly behavior towards you in the Desolate Swamp. I'm aware you ventured into the Sword Prison on my account."

Ann Ziqing's mouth twisted into a sardonic smile as she interjected, "That might not be entirely true."

"What would you know, Witch Ann?" Chen Qingyan shot her a contemptuous look and huffed dismissively. "Don't get ahead of yourself just because you've reached the Soul Wandering Stage. You ought to realize that despite the Blood God Cult's Spiritual Spells allowing for swift progress, they come with their own set of thorny issues down the line."

"The refinement of the Yang God is a significant milestone, and I might just breeze through the subsequent breakthroughs even faster," Chen Qingyan boasted with a triumphant curve of her lips. "The Sword Sect's foundation is unshakable, and our lethality is unmatched."

Ann Ziqing responded with a smile, "Put simply, we're peers in age, yet I currently stand at a higher realm than you. Whether here or in the wider world, should we cross swords, victory would be mine. As for the future, who can say? Who's to say you won't fall to someone else's blade?"

"Kill me? The Blood God Cult wouldn't dare," Chen Qingyan scoffed.

"Do you honestly believe the Blood God Cult fears your Sword Sect?" Ann Ziqing stood her ground, facing Chen Qingyan head-on, even with Yu Yuan and Yuan Lianyao between them. "Use your head. Consider the vast changes that the Boundless Land might undergo. It's entirely possible that the Blood God Cult will rise to the ranks of the Devil Palace or Demon Palace on the Quietus Continent."

"And it's not out of the question for your Sword Sect to be relegated to a lower sect on the Heavenly Source Continent."

"Remember, you ascended from a lower sect to an upper one."

"In this era, nothing is set in stone. Should your master fall in the coming bloodbath, your path ahead, Chen Qingyan, will be anything but smooth," Ann Ziqing taunted.

Chen Qingyan shot back, "And you might perish during the Yang God refinement, driven mad by the process. With all the misdeeds your Blood God Cult has committed, extinction could be imminent."

These two women, strangers until now, were the brightest prodigies in the realm of cultivation. One, born into the Chen family of the Luan Bird Empire, was selected by the Great Sword Immortal Ji Ningshuang to join the Sword Sect amidst a symphony of a thousand swords. The other emerged like a comet a few years prior, her ascent to the leadership of the Blood God Cult heralded by a brilliance that captivated all.

Ann Ziqing's ascent to the Soul Wandering Stage outpaced that of Zhou Cangmin, cementing her status as a legend among her generation.

These two remarkable women, with relatively brief cultivation histories and no prior acquaintance, found themselves in the Evil Cauldron, instantly at odds as if they were archenemies from a past life, their words sparking conflict.

Caught in the middle, Yu Yuan was left without an opportunity to utter a single word.

He methodically wiped the sweat from his body, his gaze lost in the midst of the two women who were at each other's throats. He couldn't help but wonder to himself, Have these two lost their minds?

With that thought lingering, an idea sparked within him, and the Evil Cauldron began its slow ascent into the sky. Soon enough, it leveled with the floating palace that Cao Jiaze was controlling.

From this vantage point high above, he could clearly see the sprawling black cloud dozens of miles away. Inside the cloud, the battle involving white bones, the Black Staff, and Qianjie was already underway.

Yet, neither the people outside nor the soul spirits could peer through the black cloud to witness the clash of the three Ghost Kings, nor could they sense it with their souls.

He deliberately tuned out the squabbling between Ann Ziqing and Chen Qingyan, taking comfort in the pills within him that nourished his Qi and blood, which had already begun to release their power. He felt a bit more at ease.

Surviving the lightning tribulation was no small feat... Each swing of his sword, each execution of the Fallen Moon Slash, had drained him of too much blood and spiritual energy.

His soul consciousness, however, was fully recharged, protected by the source of Yin energy and filled with pure Yin Qi before he had left the silver-gray microcosm.

His spirit was unscathed, but his physical body bore the brunt of exhaustion.

"I need some time to replenish my blood and spiritual energy before I can confront Mingdu," he mused, scanning his surroundings and noting the absence of Jiang Xingwen.

In his eyes, Jiang Xingwen represented Mingdu, and he was confident that Mingdu's influence could persuade Jiang Xingwen, Su Yan's master, to join his cause.

"Would you two please be quiet!" Yuan Lianyao from the Red Devil Sect suddenly burst out, unable to bear it any longer.

Yu Yuan, snapped out of his reverie by the outburst, massaged his temples and addressed the two quarreling girls, "Didn't you come here to speak with me? If not, then leave. There's no point in staying. Besides, being around me for too long isn't good for either of you."

"So what if we're associated with the Evil Devils?" Ann Ziqing replied with a sweet smile. "I'm not concerned about gossip or judgments. After all, the reputation of our Blood God Cult and my own are already less than stellar."

As she spoke, her gaze swept over Chen Qingyan with a hint of scorn. "And you?"

"I was here first. Scared? Why would I be? Do you really think my master would be concerned about something like this?" Chen Qingyan retorted with a sneer. After a brief pause, she continued, "Yu, it turns out that the Cold Abyss Ghost King has ties to our Sword Sect."

"At last, we're getting down to business," Yu Yuan exhaled in relief.

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