Chaotic World Book-Chapter 283 - 278: Anniversary

The night was deep and quiet.

Yuan San Niang sat at the house offering stakes in her own inn’s gambling den, the dice shimmering a rosy hue as they tumbled.

Her subordinates were used to this. Of course, she would be presiding over the gambling den in the middle of the night. It was only that one day, for some inexplicable reason, she spent ages in an empty tavern talking with that sallow-faced man, and no one knew what they were up to.

An ethnic shaman entered the gambling den, staring straight at her.

San Niang lost her enthusiasm for hosting the game under his intense gaze, casually dropping the dice and flashing a charming smile, "Come with me."

The shaman followed her to the VIP room next door and finally said slowly, "The Great Shaman is cooperating with Ying Wu to exchange news about various secret realms, tolerating a person from the Central Plains like you to stay in this significant market. You can engage in some information trading as long as you do not go too far, we can turn a blind eye. But you providing us with false information and inciting discord between us and the Great Khan, isn’t that going too far?"

San Niang said, "Don’t talk nonsense. My information trade has nothing to do with military intelligence; it’s just my personal side business to make some pocket money and save for a dowry. It has nothing to do with Lord Wu."

The shaman’s face remained stern and he did not speak.

Is this the point of accusation?

How much dowry you save to court a man is none of our business!

San Niang said, "On what basis do you accuse me of incitement? Because Wu Balu claimed he found nothing in the lake?"

"Because that couple vanished in the Northern Mountains, and the secret realm has nothing to do with Yellow Sand Lake. Then you saying Wu Balu found some secret key in the lake is naturally false."

"Is there a possibility that there is another secret realm in the lake?"

The shaman was momentarily stunned.

"By now, I can roughly determine that either there actually are two unrelated secret realms here and there, but everyone’s thinking was misled, focusing attention on the lake. Or our previous idea was not wrong, just that this lake is an exit, not an entrance."

The shaman frowned and thought for a while before saying, "Since the lake is here, how we study it can be discussed later. About the mountain entrance, do you have any solution?"

San Niang said irritably, "Thousands of you have been researching around the mountain for so long without any solution, what use is there in finding me, a frail woman?"

"You are hardly a frail woman... If you truly were, we might respect Ying Wu’s reputation and not touch you, but other warriors from the grasslands don’t know who Ying Wu is... Their ashes have been scattered, haven’t they?"

"Just like Wu Balu claiming to be at the Mystical Gate Sixth or Seventh Layer when actually no one knows exactly?"

The shaman was also irritable, "You’re clashing with Wu Balu? Now we’re talking about the mountain issue, why do you keep bringing him up!"

San Niang sneered, "Of course, I’m clashing with him; he thinks he can play me? He should look in the mirror first."

The shaman was speechless. You, a charming woman in the Great Desert, of course, the local authorities would think it normal to play with you.

Why does this conversation keep getting sidetracked?

San Niang was also speechless within. Calling me here to solve your riddles? I’m not a scapegoat.

I’ve been a scapegoat for several years now. There’s no secret realm in this lake; I’ve been clashing with Wu Balu here for a full five years. Do you know how I’ve been living during these years?

And then suddenly, they said the secret realm is in the mountains.

Why did they find it as soon as they came? Damn it, it infuriates me!

Her eyes swirled around, and once again she flashed a charming smile, "Is there a possibility, that you do nothing and just guard by the Yellow Sand Lake to catch the hare? When the time comes, how to enter and capturing them, aren’t you afraid you won’t be able to interrogate them?"

The shaman was stunned, and thought to himself, if this lake is indeed an exit, this idea might not be wrong.

"Are you sure this is an exit?"

"I didn’t say that; it’s just a suggestion. The choice is up to you."

The shaman had a headache.

Wu Balu was obviously somewhat unwilling to search any longer. Searching for secret realms is something Sects and Martial Artists love, but the leaders of the tribes galloping across the grasslands may not care so much. Besides, he was more concerned about capturing the two Central Plains people stirring up trouble in the rear, as well as the actions of the Battle Lion Tribe.

The tribes nearby were undergoing changes, and as the leader guarding this area, deploying troops in the mountains for a long time to catch just two people was clearly unwise. Wu Balu’s previous statements had already shown a clear intent to retreat.

The Divine Hall in the Northern Desert...this Southern Desert territory of the Divine Hall has very few staff; perhaps it really can only choose a likely exit to guard and wait.

The shaman frowned and thought for a long time, finally sighing, "I hope your guess is correct."

San Niang’s eyes whirled around several times, and she said with a giggly smile, "May the earth bless you."

...

There are no sun and moon in the mountains.

A day equals a month.

Within the jelly wrap, a hand as white as jade slowly stretched out, pushing aside the jelly covering it, revealing the scene below.

The man sat cross-legged, while the woman wrapped around him.

It was a very seductive position, yet it oddly projected a dignified aura.

It was indeed the core secret technique of Dual Cultivation from the Maitreya Sect.

Yue Hongling glanced at Zhao Changhe, who was in meditation, pouted her lips, and then lazily stood up, running her hands through her hair.

The once naive heroine had bloomed into a captivating rose, her whole being exuding charm.

Her pale, slender legs touched the ground, her red clothes wrapped around her body, and her long hair tied into a ponytail—her allure contained, the heroine returned.

After countless days of Dual Cultivation and the aid of treasures, Yue Hongling had broken through the First Secret Treasure and peered into the gateway of the heavenly beings.

If previously the "Human List" was only about picking the tallest among the short in the Mystical Gate Ninth Layer, now she was truly a Grandmaster.

In the entire world, the ones who had glimpsed into the Secret Treasure were merely about a hundred.

Many found the threshold that they had hesitated at all their lives, shattered here.

Yue Hongling sighed lightly, turned around, and gently caressed the cheek of Zhao Changhe, who was still in meditation. Soft emotions involuntarily flickered in her eyes.

She had never imagined that the most crucial point in her life would be through Zhao Mansion... The boy from back then not only advanced with her today but also brought her the Martial Arts opportunity she had pursued all her life. More unexpectedly, she found herself willingly conquered and welcoming.

Even finding flavor in the marrow, their nights filled with joyous songs.

Sometimes, Yue Hongling would faintly feel, was there a hint of destiny?

But looking at his tranquil face in meditation, her heart swelled with tenderness, and she felt that if there was destiny, she should thank this matchmaker’s kind intentions.

Zhao Changhe opened his eyes and met her tender gaze. The two exchanged looks and both smiled.

Zhao Changhe said, "Why are you wearing old clothes... Are you planning to leave?"

Yue Hongling asked, "How do you feel?"

Zhao Changhe introspected for a moment; he had to admit the effects of the prolonged Dual Cultivation were terrifying indeed.

Yue Hongling had transformed her body, seemingly not towards the direction of the "Innate Taoist Body". She didn’t fully embrace the gem’s baptism, mainly absorbing energy – it was more like using jelly than using gems. As a young Grandmaster, she had her direction and understanding of Martial Arts, long past the stage of being led by Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, needing only an energy supply to convert for her use.

In other words, the transformative effect of the gem’s Taoist Body was still present, merely the energy reduced.

The energy, after being absorbed and utilized by Yue Hongling, became her own and was cycled through Dual Cultivation with Zhao Changhe. It never directly subjected Zhao Changhe to the raw physiques baptism of the gems, tactfully transferring it through intermediaries, avoiding conflict with his "Blood Shura Body" while extracting its essence to enhance his innards.

The Blood Shura Body involved changes to muscles and bones, whereas Taoist Body transformation focuses more on Dantian and meridians.

Over time and synthesis, Zhao Changhe’s meridians, which had always lagged, had finally expanded to match the standard of normal martial artists, albeit slightly finer, with no significant difference anymore.

While he couldn’t compare to a genius, he was finally normal.

Once the meridians became normal, the resultant chain reaction was terrifying.

His Six Harmonies Divine Skill cultivation speed was already extremely fast, only limited by his frail meridians that kept him from advancing. As his meridians expanded, it was as natural as Six Harmonies Divine Skill climbing from the Sixth Layer to the Seventh Layer. When his meridians reached a normal level, he directly broke through to the Eighth Layer.

The Inner Strength, which had always been lagging, now unexpectedly surpassed the External Skill.

Blood Evil Skill seemed reluctant, as if saying, how the hell could the secondary Six Harmonies Divine Skill surpass it now?

Thus, Blood Evil churned fiercely and surged intensely.

The energy contained in the "jelly" was sucked out like by a pump, strands entering the skin and seeping into the bones and organs. The cave, previously almost filled with jelly, had now significantly reduced, leaving only some used for beddings...

The foundation of Martial Arts cultivation ultimately comes down to energy, from initially competing for food to later using supplemental Elixirs, all for this purpose. Once supplied with massive energy, breaking through became much easier.

Blood Evil Skill Eighth Layer, breakthrough announced.

The ready-to-burst Evil Qi exploded fiercely during their Dual Cultivation, directly poured onto Yue Hongling... then it was pressed back down by the lotus platform, like nothing had happened.

Cultivating both internally and externally, truly reaching the Mystical Gate Eighth Layer.

They were in the mountains without a sense of time, unaware of how long it had been.

In reality, it had been over twenty days since they entered the mountains... outside, it was already October.

October, apart from signaling the transition from autumn to winter, held a special significance.

That was the time Zhao Changhe crossed over, precisely one year from today.

————

PS: Remember that iconic scene, and don’t forget to vote again~

New novel chapters are published on fr(e)ew𝒆bnov(e)l.com