Chapter 398 – Nine Stars, Nine Luminaries, Celestial Immortal Capital

“Fellow Daoist Lu, this decision of yours… even now, I still can’t quite figure it out.”

Not far from the Two Realms Passage of Nine Luminaries Celestial Capital.

Standing on the Celestial Ark, Xiao looked at Lu Chen beside her, his expression calm.

After pondering for a long time, she finally voiced the doubt that had been buried in her heart for days.

Three days had already passed since she relayed the news of the Eternal to the other Star Lords within the Heavenly Capital.

Although these three days seemed peaceful in the Heavenly Capital, with no apparent turmoil arising from it,

as the saying goes, the calm before the storm is the most ordinary.

It was precisely this tranquility that made Xiao feel their journey to the Heavenly Capital would inevitably be fraught with unexpected events.

After all, even if those Star Lords harbored no ulterior motives,

upon learning of the Eternal’s appearance, they should have immediately contacted her to discuss how best to escort this Eternal into the Sanctuary.

Yet, three days had passed, and not a single person from the Heavenly Capital had reached out to her.

Undoubtedly, this meant that within the Heavenly Capital, something was being plotted regarding this matter.

But whether these plans were for good or ill, Xiao, being outside the Heavenly Capital, had no way of knowing.

Apart from her concerns about the current attitudes of the other Star Lords,

what Xiao cared about most was actually the sudden decision Lu Chen made three days ago.

In Xiao’s words, Lu Chen had many ways to resolve this matter.

But he had chosen the most difficult and potentially conflict-escalating option.

That is, Lu Chen neither concealed nor reported the matter to the Immortal Alliance.

Relying solely on himself, he would ascend to the Heavenly Capital alone.

Among all the solutions Xiao could think of, this was the worst and most risky.

Because it meant Lu Chen would have to face multiple extraordinary Deity Transformation Stage cultivators alone.

It must be understood that Star Lords were different from those who had just achieved a Breakthrough into the Deity Transformation Stage.

Every single one of them had stabilized their respective Daos for hundreds or even thousands of years.

They were Great Divine Power wielders among Great Divine Power wielders.

The reason for saying this was that these individuals had mastered at least three Great Divine Powers.

For the vast majority of Deity Transformation Stage cultivators who had only mastered one Great Divine Power, this was undoubtedly a significant advantage.

Although Xiao now knew that Lu Chen had also mastered more than one Great Divine Power,

and for Lu Chen to accomplish this at the Nascent Soul Stage, and at such a young age,

it would not be an exaggeration to call him unparalleled in history.

However, no matter how talented Lu Chen was, his greatest and nearly irreparable disadvantage was the shortness of his cultivation time.

Although he had achieved heights others couldn’t reach in sixty years or even several lifetimes in less than half a jiazi,

compared to those veteran Star Lords whose cultivation was measured in millennia,

Lu Chen’s cultivation time didn’t even amount to a fraction of theirs.

No matter how one looked at it, it was hard to see Lu Chen as a match for those individuals.

Moreover, this time, Lu Chen might have to face multiple Deity Transformation Stage Star Lords at once.

The situation could only be described as extremely perilous.

And yet, Lu Chen had better options.

For instance, having Xiao contact others to open the Heavenly Capital Gate,

allowing Lu Chen to enter the Heavenly Capital secretly with her.

But for some reason, Lu Chen had ultimately abandoned this choice.

And this was what Xiao couldn’t understand.This was a decision she had pondered for several days without finding a reason.

Just what was Lu Chen thinking?

Faced with Xiao’s inquiry, Lu Chen smiled and said, “What’s meant to come will come. Rather than dealing with it later, why not take this opportunity to settle everything at once? What do you think?”

“…”

What do I think?

I think you’re utterly insane!

Though Xiao disliked overthinking, it didn’t mean she was incapable of it.

Lu Chen’s meaning was crystal clear.

He intended to use this opportunity to discipline the Star Lords within the Heavenly Capital.

This would also facilitate his future control over the entire Nine Luminaries Celestial Capital.

Xiao had considered many possibilities, but never this one.

Because it required Lu Chen to possess absolute strength.

Yet, in Xiao’s view, Lu Chen’s greatest disadvantage was precisely his lack of such power.

But now that things had progressed this far, aside from believing Lu Chen could accomplish it, she had no better alternatives.

After all… she had already relayed the message. Could she possibly retract it?

Was this some children’s game where one could casually change their mind?

Shortly after their conversation, the Celestial Ark carrying them drew increasingly closer to the Heavenly Capital’s gate.

As one of the Immortal Alliance’s four Holy Lands, the Nine Luminaries Celestial Capital lived up to its name—built upon a sea of clouds.

However, this sea of clouds wasn’t literal but existed in a Small World-like realm.

To enter the Heavenly Capital, they first needed to cross the boundary between reality and the capital—Cloudedge Cliff.

The so-called Cloudedge Cliff was merely a poetic name.

The reality was quite simple.

This Cloudedge Cliff was actually the convergence point between the clouds above Wildlands Province and the Nine Luminaries Celestial Capital.

Being the boundary between reality and a Small World, everything here appeared bizarre and surreal.

Time, space, and even the angles of light and shadow flowed with varying degrees of distortion.

Thus, it created a spectacle resembling a precipice.

The reason Xiao and the Immortal Alliance knew the Heavenly Capital was closed was because they could directly see its main gate with their naked eyes.

A massive celestial gate stood at the end of this cloud sea cliff.

Upon closer inspection, one would notice this gate was extraordinary.

The gate had only a frame, no panels.

At its center was a colossal spacetime vortex.

So vast was its area that it could even accommodate Solar Luminaries-class Celestial Arks.

From a distance, the gate seemed to sever the horizon of the cloud sea.

Inside lay an unfathomable abyss.

Outside stretched an endless expanse of clouds.

Hence the name, Cloudedge Cliff.

The vortex led to the location of the Nine Luminaries Celestial Capital.

But before their Celestial Ark could reach the celestial gate, the space around them began to warp.

Almost simultaneously with this change, Lu Chen spoke.

“It seems some friends are too impatient to wait for us to enter.”

Xiao immediately noticed the shift in their surroundings.

Though her cultivation ranked lowest among the nine Star Lords,

she was still a Great Divine Power practitioner at the Transformation Soul Stage.

Her perception of the Dao far surpassed that of ordinary Cultivators below the Deity Transformation level.

In an instant, she realized someone had long ago unfolded their ‘Palm World’ here.Their Celestial Ark had now entered the other party’s “world.”

To dare unleash one’s Great Divine Power so brazenly before the gates of the Heavenly Capital—the identity of the one who deployed this power was self-evident.

Xiao surveyed their surroundings, finding the environment around them utterly transformed.

The original sea of clouds had completely vanished, replaced by an endless flower field.

Witnessing this scene, Xiao’s expression grew complicated.

She had wondered which Star Lord they would encounter first on this journey.

But she had never imagined it would be this one.

After all, this Star Lord was famously amiable among all the Star Lords.

She had even considered this Lord as one of the few who might offer them assistance.

Never did she expect reality to differ so drastically from her expectations.

Indeed, attempting to fully comprehend the thoughts of a Star Lord was nothing short of a fool’s dream.

And the Divine Abilities of the Nine Star Lords, much like their titles, were easily discernible.

That boundless sea of flowers made the newcomer’s identity clear at a glance.

Lu Chen gazed at the woman seated amidst the flower field in the distance, a tea table already set before her, and calmly remarked, “This must be the Jupiter Star Lord Hua Ling you mentioned.”

Xiao nodded, then looked with a complex expression toward the woman in the distance who sat with closed eyes, a gentle smile gracing her features, her demeanor remarkably approachable.

After the Celestial Ark advanced a short distance further, it was obstructed by the flowers and plants below.

At this point, Lu Chen and Xiao had no choice but to proceed on foot.

Lu Chen showed little concern about this, stepping off the Celestial Ark directly.

He seemed entirely unperturbed by the possibility of Hua Ling attempting any tricks.

Xiao followed Lu Chen, and together they arrived before the tea table Hua Ling had prepared.

Shortly after Lu Chen and Xiao drew near, Hua Ling, who was warming the tea, unexpectedly spoke.

“The plants… they are afraid.”

Lu Chen continued forward nonchalantly. Strangely, though he stood amidst a sea of flowers, the plants beneath his feet recoiled as if encountering something terrifying, clearing a path wherever he stepped.

Only after he passed did the vacant patches in the flower field fill in once more.

“Seeking advantage and avoiding harm—this is innate nature. Even flowers, grass, and trees are no exception.”

As he spoke, Lu Chen seated himself on the ground before the tea table Hua Ling had arranged.

Though Hua Ling’s eyes remained closed, the teapot in her hands did not tremble in the slightest, steady as still water.

She filled a cup with floral tea and pushed it toward Lu Chen and Xiao.

“Movement is inferior to stillness. Possessing wealth but fearing the loss of life… you have come too early.”

“Turn back. There is still time if you return now.”

In response to Hua Ling’s advice, Lu Chen lightly lifted the teacup before him.

The moment Lu Chen picked up the cup, a cluster of Samadhi True Fire materialized out of thin air, igniting the floral tea within.

Under the influence of the Samadhi True Fire, certain elements within the tea seemed to be effortlessly eradicated.

Hua Ling, seated across from him, appeared unbothered by this, her hands continuing their motions without pause.

Lu Chen then took a sip of the floral tea and placed the cup back on the table.

“Always thinking there is time… eventually, there will be none. The timing now is just right.”

Hearing Lu Chen’s words, Hua Ling, who had been steeping tea, finally stilled her hands.

She sighed softly and said, “Do you know how many people await you behind me?””They come with good intentions or ill, but without exception, they are all individuals capable of shaping the future of the Heavenly Capital.”

“Because of you, they have argued repeatedly over this period, yet no resolution has been reached after much time.”

“If I weren’t standing guard here, they might have long lost patience and resorted to violence.”

“I had no desire to involve myself in this matter, for I hold no regard for the Celestial Capital Lord.”

“Who enters the Sanctuary, who becomes the Sacred Lord—it matters not to me. But such is human nature; there are always times when one is compelled by circumstances.”

As she spoke, Hua Ling slowly opened her eyes.

And from that moment onward, the once-tranquil sea of flowers began to grow restless.

A terrifying, intense malice emanating from countless flowers and plants.

Like a tidal wave, it surged overwhelmingly toward Lu Chen.

Within Hua Ling’s opened eyes, two azure lotuses were distinctly swirling.

This scene was not only familiar to Lu Chen but something he understood deeply.

For he possessed these very eyes as well.

This was the ocular technique originating from the Azure Cloud Sect—the Azure Lotus Eye.

The Lotus Eyes are divided into three grades: Low Grade Gray Lotus, Medium Grade White Lotus, and High Grade Azure Lotus.

Lu Chen himself had expended considerable effort to finally cultivate the Azure Lotus Eyes.

And now, Hua Ling before him was clearly also a rare possessor of the Azure Lotus Eyes.

However, unlike Lu Chen, Hua Ling had refined her Azure Lotus Eyes into one of her Great Divine Powers.

It was her Origin.

Since learning of the connection between reality and the game world,

Lu Chen had witnessed things that should only appear in the game manifest in reality more than once.

Thus, he was not surprised that Hua Ling possessed the Azure Lotus Eyes.

With the Azure Lotus Eyes activated, Hua Ling’s demeanor underwent a dramatic transformation.

If she had previously appeared like a harmless, beautiful woman next door,

now she was like an unapproachable flower on a high peak, her aura icy and aloof.

“Someone asked me to test your capabilities, and since my Divine Ability happens to excel in this area, I ultimately agreed.”

“However, I made it clear to him beforehand that if you turn back now, I will not take action.”

“So, are you certain you wish to proceed?”

Meanwhile, Xiao, who stood nearby, chimed in with a reminder: “Fellow Daoist Lu, Aunt Hua may not be the strongest among the Star Lords, but she certainly possesses the most varied methods.”

“Given the complexity of the current situation, perhaps it would be better—”

Before Xiao could finish, Lu Chen interrupted with a light laugh.

“Since I’ve come all this way, what sense is there in turning back at the doorstep?”

As he spoke, Lu Chen’s pupils also began to change.

An Azure Lotus Eye highly similar to Hua Ling’s, yet with subtle differences, appeared before Xiao and Hua Ling.

At this sight, both Xiao and Hua Ling were stunned.

After all, the Azure Lotus Eyes are an exceptionally unique secret technique and Divine Ability even within the Heavenly Capital.

Not only are there few cultivators of it, but those who achieve Major Achievement are exceedingly rare.

And Lu Chen’s lotus-shaped pupils clearly indicated he had reached Major Achievement.

Yet this ocular technique is a secret transmission of the Heavenly Capital, inaccessible to outsiders.

Although Lu Chen had used the Azure Lotus Eyes multiple times before,

he had often relied on his Swordsmanship in combat.

The power of his Swordsmanship far surpassed his other skills,

causing most to focus solely on his terrifying sword techniques and overlook his eyes.

Coupled with the fact that few are aware of the Azure Lotus Eyes,

even Xiao had failed to notice this detail.Hua Ling stared at Lu Chen’s Azure Lotus Eyes, her face as cold as frost.

“These eyes… who taught you?”

Though her tone wasn’t heavy, compared to her previous gentle and soft speech, she was clearly angered now.

After all, the leakage of Heavenly Capital’s secret techniques was no trivial matter.

In response, Lu Chen said meaningfully: “That’s exactly what I should be asking you. Your ocular technique… who taught it to you?”

(End of Chapter)