Chapter 2214 – Tasteless
Lin Yun sat in the Iris Secret Realm as he circulated the Dragon-Phoenix World Annihilating Sword Canon. It didn’t take long for a heavenly dragon and divine phoenix to appear beside him as spiritual energy began pouring into his body.
The Blue Dragon Bone on his chest released a blue dragon aura that coursed throughout his body, while going through the paths that the Azure Jade Saint Liquid was coursing through. This was to ensure that there weren’t any hidden injuries left behind.
Since he suffered a loss at the Ancient Barren Battlefield, Lin Yun was concerned about this issue, and he wouldn’t let his cultivation get restricted or stopped ever again.
While Lin Yun was treating his injuries, Qin Cang arrived in the Divine Dragon Empire. He was nervous because the Heavenly Dragon’s blood was with him, and this might be the only one left within the Kunlun Realm. So, there was naturally nothing to say about how precious it was.
Qin Cang was donning a cloak as he kept a low profile. When he finally stepped on the Divine Dragon Empire’s territory, he recalled that his master didn’t tell him whom to give it to. His master said to give it to whoever asked for it. As a result, he waited there for three days until someone appeared.
The other party also maintained a low profile, donning a cloak. When she removed her cloak, it was revealed that this person was Zi Ling, who was beside Mu Xueling during the Blue Dragon Record, the first-grade official of the Divine Dragon Empire.
She had a unique temperament and deep cultivation. When she appeared before Qin Cang, this made the latter become nervous. He had many questions, such as how Zi Ling found him or how he could verify if this person was the one his master was talking about.
“Give it to me, then you can leave,” Zi Ling smiled. She continued, “I know you have many doubts, but keep them in your heart. Don’t ask, and don’t care about what comes after. You only need to know that I was the one who tasked your master to retrieve it.”
She looked proud and aloof even when mentioning someone like Tian Xuanzi.
This naturally made Qin Cang unhappy, but he didn’t dare to hesitate, since it was Tian Xuanzi instructs. He took out the crystal bottle and respectfully handed it to Zi Ling.
Zi Ling squinted with joy on her face. She smiled, “You’ve done a pretty good job. Are you interested in cultivating in the Profound Imperial Palace? I can give you a quota as a saint disciple.”
“Not interested.” Qin Cang glanced at Zi Ling before he cupped his hands and left.
Zi Ling merely smiled and wasn’t too bothered about that. She only talked about it casually and didn’t care about Qin Cang’s thoughts. She was already used to being aloof. There were many geniuses in the world, but in her eyes, those geniuses were pale in comparison to the Divine Dragon Empire’s geniuses.
“Her Majesty should be happy about this.” Zi Ling looked at the Heavenly Dragon’s blood with excitement. She wanted the Heavenly Dragon’s blood back during the Blue Dragon Record to give it to the Empress. She had stayed beside the Empress for a long time and heard the Empress mention it more than once.
This was why she decided to get Tian Xuanzi to seize the Heavenly Dragon’s blood, and she knew that Tian Xuanzi wouldn’t refuse. If something really happens, Tian Xuanzi would definitely be willing to bear the blame.
Half a day later, Zi Ling met the legendary Empress in the Profound Imperial Palace. Before an ancient throne were two pools, and a woman was soaking in the bath. The fog blocked her appearance, so only her outline could be seen.
This was the forbidden ground of the Profound Imperial Palace, and only a few people were qualified to come in here. It had been many years since the Empress last showed herself. There were rumors that she had fallen, there were also rumors that she lost her cultivation when she failed to make a breakthrough to the Divine Realm, and there were also rumors that she was heavily injured in her fight with the Blood Moon Sect’s sect master. There were many rumors, but the Empress had no intentions of explaining.
“The Heavenly Dragon’s blood…” After hearing what Zi Ling said, eyes opened within the fog, instantly making Zi Ling feel great pressure.
As the fog dissipated, an exquisite figure walked out. This was a n.o.ble beauty. She was the woman with the strongest authority in the current era, the Empress!
She took the golden crystal bottle and looked at the Heavenly Dragon’s blood that was in it for a long time.
“Your Majesty…” Zi Ling said nervously.
“Are you sure that Tian Xuanzi gave it to you himself?” The Empress suddenly asked.
“I… I’m certain…” Zi Ling’s face changed with her tone trembling.
The Empress let out a sigh. Before Zi Ling could speak, a slap flew over that made Zi Ling throw out a mouthful of blood as her body slammed against a pillar, her face distorted with pain.
“Tian Xuanzi won’t take the initiative to do anything, and he would think that it’s my intention if you ask for it,” the Empress said calmly, but the atmosphere in the hall became cold. She gave off a powerful pressure like she was one with heaven, unleas.h.i.+ng an emperor aura with her every action.
“I don’t mind if you’re taking things into your hands, but you’re helpless if you’re stupid. I might have talked about the Heavenly Dragon’s blood before, but it does not affect me. What I need is the Heavenly Dragon Bone. It would have been considered a merit if you could get me a Heavenly Dragon Bone.” As the Empress spoke, she would slap Zi Ling whenever she paused her tone, not giving the latter to explain herself.
“But it’s a pity that you’re so stupid. Even the Southern Emperor didn’t dare to barge the Heavenly Fragrance Divine Mountain, so what makes you think that I dare?!” Zi Ling’s face collapsed with another slap; her flesh tore apart, and her bones s.h.i.+fted. But the Empress didn’t even glance at Zi Ling from the beginning.
Zi Ling quickly held onto the crystal bottle that was tossed over to her.
“Return it to that Saint Elder at the fastest speed possible and get her to punish you.” The Empress turned around, entering the fog as her voice resounded once more, “It’s best if you commit suicide before her.”
Zi Ling wore a bitter expression as she looked at the crystal bottle in her hand. She never expected that this matter would develop in this manner, and she never expected that the usually calm Empress would become so furious.
Seven days later, Lin Yun opened his eyes within the Iris Secret Realm, enveloped in saint radiance. The power within his body felt like a volcano that would erupt at any moment, and Lin Yun was surprised because his bottleneck loosened up after his injuries recovered.
He swiftly made his breakthrough and reached the Sacred Fire Stage of the Heavenly Origin Phase, and a lump of golden flames appeared in his violet palace. This was his sacred flame, with Wind and Thunder Daos enveloping it. The flames wriggled, looking as though they were alive.
“I made a breakthrough just like that?” Lin Yun was surprised. The Quasi-Saint Realm was divided into three phases: the Azure Origin, Indigo Origin, and Heavenly Origin Phases. Each breakthrough should be difficult, but Lin Yun never imagined his breakthrough would be so smooth without having to do anything. He couldn’t even control it if he wanted to because the energy coursing through his limbs was too terrifying.
“My saint aura has gotten much stronger with the empowerment of the sacred flame, and even the saint daos seem to have gotten stronger…” Lin Yun’s comprehensive strength had grown.
“There’s not much hope in facing a Saint… just saint energy is enough to suppress me, not to mention the dipper aura of saint energy…” Lin Yun felt a headache just thinking about it. As his strength increased, the enemies he had to face would increase. He wouldn’t have to think of Saints in the past, but he would probably run into them in the future.
If it was a year and a half ago, he would probably find himself insane, wanting to face a Saint. But he didn’t have a choice now.
“Just saint energy alone is terrifying, not to mention dipper aura. Even the Astral Sword Intent can’t break through that.” Lin Yun frowned as he recalled his fight with the Horizon Hawk Saint Lord, with beads of sweat rolling down his forehead. If not for the Azure Dragon Sun-Moon Umbrella, he might not have had a chance to escape.
“Looks like I have to ask my senior brother about fighting with Saints.” It would be futile for Lin Yun to keep thinking about it here. He didn’t even know what the dipper aura was nor how many stages there were in the Saint Realm, as well as the difference in strength for each stage.
He had no concept of a Saint Lord’s strength, and what was of the utmost importance was to figure out the Horizon Hawk Saint Lord’s strength amongst Saint Lords.
Lin Yun took out his great saint disciple medal and injected his saint aura into it. A brief moment later, Ye Guhan appeared within the Iris Secret Realm. Lin Yun decided not to hide it from his senior brother.
“A time-s.p.a.ce treasure? A secret realm? Wait… Holy s.h.i.+t, what the h.e.l.l is this place?” Ye Guhan wasn’t bothered initially but was dumbfounded when he came here. “Why do I feel that it’s a time-s.p.a.ce treasure?”
“Is that so? I don’t know about it either. I can only be sure after all the Sovereign Saint Runes are meant to be gathered here,” Lin Yun smiled.
“Junior Brother, how rare is a Sovereign Saint Rune? Yet, you want to gather all of them?” Ye Guhan chewed on the Divine Dragon Fruit, wanting to pluck a leaf off the Phoenix Tree.
“Senior Brother, that’s the Phoenix Tree. So don’t touch it.” Lin Yun called out to Ye Guhan just when the latter wanted to pluck off a leaf. If Ye Guhan really plucked off a leaf, Lil’ Purple would probably go insane over it.
“The Phoenix Tree?” Ye Guhan stopped, then smiled, “Junior Brother, you really know how to joke around. If this is the Phoenix Tree, don’t tell me that this is the Iris Secret Realm. What a joke, hahaha!”
As he spoke, he patted on the Phoenix Tree.
“Great guess! This is, indeed, the Iris Secret Realm,” Lin Yun smiled.
Ye Guhan’s face became uncertain, and he asked, “The realm of that Iris Sword Saint who slew deities while being at the Saint Realm?”
“That’s right,” Lin Yun replied.
Ye Guhan observed Lin Yun’s expression, but the latter didn’t seem to be joking. When he turned around and looked at the tree he had just patted, the tree gave off a green glow as a response, and this insignificant tree suddenly became mysterious.
The two Sovereign Divine Runes shone in the sky as they brought thunderstorms to this secret realm.
As Ye Guhan chewed on the Divine Dragon Fruit, he continued to look around. The more he observed, the more shocked he became because the Iris Secret Realm was desolate, and there was a terrifying aura here that even he was afraid of.
With a bitter smile, Ye Guhan finally felt that the Divine Dragon Fruit was tasteless as he looked at Lin Yun with resentment.