Chapter 336: Celestial Surge Amidst the Storm

Rain and snow pelt down as the gale intensifies.

Chill approaches from near and far!

The Nine-Layer Yellow Dragon Xuanmu Treasure Ship hurtles along the Grand Canal. Though the massive vessel is heavy, it skims atop the water at an astounding speed, its hull slamming the waves and sending sprays cascading to either side.

A deafening roar of explosions rings out over the chaotic winds and crashing waves!

Li Che sits cross-legged at the bow, completely still as if frozen in time—a living statue. Yet the billowing black robes on his body flit wildly in the storm.

They flutter unceasingly.

It seems he has entered an extraordinary, mystic state!

Inside the inner realm of his forehead’s Mud Pellet, a cataclysmic transformation takes shape.

Golden Pills glitter brilliantly as they orbit two exceptionally radiant cores—the Golden Pill of Luminous True Primate and the Golden Pill of Six Desires Lv Xuan Sword Immortal. Their quality clearly surpasses that of the other Seven-Emotion Golden Pills.

By frenziedly absorbing the Temple Spirit’s divine essence, Li Che rapidly accelerates the accumulation of his Golden Pill’s divinity, even though the absorption rate for the other Seven-Emotion Golden Pills remains comparatively slower.

Though many Golden Pills have reached the Breath Retention Transformation stage, breaking through to the Divine Embryo remains nearly impossible due to an immature foundation and missing opportunity.

Breathing steadily, Li Che sits at the bow, bathed in the howling wind, as clarity gradually fills his heart.

Within his chest, the Pure Heart Dao Fruit races with a vibrant pulse.

Among the Dao Fruits tied to divinity, the Pure Heart stands supreme—even though Li Che now gains more Dao Fruits as his daughter grows.

Yet it is the Dragon Elephant Vajra and the Pure Heart that truly bolster his cultivation.

The former unleashes his innate martial talent, ever raising his prowess to the Saintly Martial realm, even triggering the second breakthrough to the Martial Saint realm and tapping into the vast Chi Sea.

Of course, the Pure Heart also lends significant aid to his divine nature.

Still, Li Che has always felt his divine potential lagged behind his martial prowess. Fortunately, over time he has managed to steadily catch up in his divine cultivation.

That progress is inseparable from the many divine abilities derived from the Pure Heart Dao Fruit.

After summoning divine guidance and absorbing the Temple Spirit’s divine essence, he can extract divinity from Divine Crystals at an astonishing pace far beyond ordinary practitioners.

This is Li Che’s greatest asset in his cultivation of divinity.

However, he has truly endured a long trial in his divine cultivation.

Now, he is nearly ready to attempt a breakthrough to the Divine Embryo.

But what is the Divine Embryo? Although it mirrors martial cultivation in many ways, divinity is far more elusive and ethereal, unlike the tangible blood and qi nurtured by the body.

Divinity emerged when the Bizarre Temple broke through the earth—a product born of the land.

It permeates creation, offering mortals a new path to cultivation.

In the past, martial arts had only Pure Martial techniques, with arduous paths yielding few Martial Saints. Nowadays, although Martial Saints remain rare, the infusion of divinity makes body refining significantly easier, resulting in far greater numbers.

Divinity has revolutionized the world.

And it has given Li Che hope for his divine cultivation.

Li Che’s breakthrough in the Divine Essence Golden Pill depended greatly on absorbing the Temple Spirit’s divine essence.

In a casual flick, a Divine Crystal floated before him, shimmering brilliantly—a Four-Yu Lower Divine Crystal.

For Li Che now, a Four-Yu Lower Divine Crystal is more than sufficient.

The Four-Yu Upper Divine Crystal, taken from the Dao Master Yue Huanglong of Qianyuan, would be overkill at this moment—practically a waste.

Sitting at the bow, he absorbs divine energy!

As heaven and earth stretch on, divine power rushes in from every direction, coalescing above Li Che into a massive vortex of divinity.

The vortex starts small, but as time goes on and more divine energy accumulates, it swells larger and larger.

Astonishingly, it grows ever more immense!

Huuu—

Li Che exhales deeply.

With each long, measured breath, Li Che’s entire body begins to glow, as though cloaked in divine radiance, with tens of thousands of pores emitting streams of sacred light.

This luminous divinity spreads outward from his forehead, flowing into his limbs as if replicating and connecting with every inch of his body.

Suddenly, one of his five fingers clamps down as a Four-Yu Lower Divine Crystal is seized. His palm radiates a powerful suction, frantically drawing out its divine energy that slithers like a thin snake into his Mud Pellet’s inner realm.

The crashing winds around him continue to howl!

In truth, Li Che’s divine power clashes with his corporeal form—after all, the pure martial body refined by Dragon Elephant Furnace hardly fuses with divinity. Yet divinity need not force a merge; it re-creates, echoing…

As if sculpting a miniature doppelganger of Li Che within the Mud Pellet’s inner realm.

‘The Divine Embryo is the transformation of the Divine Essence Golden Pill into a divine embryo, which, after four divine metamorphoses, gives birth to the organs, the limbs, the entire structure, and the head—’

‘Much like a ten-month pregnancy, but instead of being nurtured by mortal womb fluids, the embryo is fostered by the divine essence of heaven and earth!’

In that instant, Li Che’s mind resounded like a great clarion call!

Boom, boom, boom!

Divine energy radiated from Li Che like a vast, overflowing pool—dense and majestic beyond measure.

His dark, vigorous hair whipped wildly, lashing through the void with a piercing sound!

Li Che’s mastery of the Divine Essence Technique only extends to the realm of Divine Essence, for the further path of the Divine Embryo remains unrevealed.

Yet even if the subsequent divine embryonic method is unknown, for Li Che it hardly matters now.

A subtle stirring of his mind.

Within the Cosmic Chessboard, the two Qi Tian Faces shimmered softly as they erupted, coating Li Che’s primordial spirit seated within the chessboard.

A signal—

In a fog of revelation, Li Che’s mind became crystal-clear.

Though unaware of the Divine Embryonic method, he sensed as if a divine primate had awakened in the void, its eyes opening to gaze across heaven and earth, each breath like a thunderclap from the Luminous True Primate!

Invisible forces guided his Divine Essence Golden Pill into a frenzied consumption of divine energy, with countless streams surging in!

The entire Nine-Layer Yellow Dragon Xuanmu Treasure Ship seemed engulfed by this divine torrent, as if shrouded entirely in sacred light.

Onboard, the many prodigies could not help but lift their heads in astonishment and gaze at the swirling vortex of divine power!

“Is that… a divine vortex?”

“How can there be such overwhelming, rich divinity—almost as if it were all drawn by Elder Li himself!”

“Did Elder Li really manage to attract all that divine energy? It looks like he’s on the verge of a breakthrough!”

The prodigies were dumbfounded.

Visionaries like Tie Shancai and Jin Taisui, along with others, were clearly astounded—two children were utterly unable to remain composed!

“This immense divine energy far exceeds what a Divine Essence Golden Pill can handle!”

“He’s attempting a breakthrough to the Divine Embryo!”

Tie Shancai exclaimed in disbelief.

XiXi’s father—could it be that he is about to break through to the Divine Embryo?!

What on earth?!

Tie Shancai had been shadowing XiXi lately, well aware of her circumstances.

Li Nuǎnxi, six years old, was born in Yunzhou on Lingnan Path, in Feilei City of Jingguang Prefecture!

Before XiXi was born, her father Li Che was merely a laborer at a modest woodcarving shop—a commoner of the lowest rank, deemed utterly insignificant!

After XiXi’s birth, Li Che began receiving martial guidance and later, divine teachings, gradually embarking on his cultivation path.

Though records exist in the Jingguang Prefecture’s Divine Sect Branch…

XiXi’s father, whose divine nature is so pure, is suspected to be a prodigy reincarnated from the Temple Spirit—

Yet how could someone who began cultivating divine nature so late, after merely six years, be ready to break through to the Divine Embryo?!

What a freak!

Even XiXi’s natural talent pales in comparison to her father’s!

Tie Shancai’s face reddened in exasperation and confusion.

Jin Taisui also looked bewildered—practically the epitome of kindness and humility, Elder Li was now dazzling them with his divine aptitude!

No wonder he could sire a child with such astonishing gifts as XiXi!

In that moment, many prodigies accepted XiXi’s natural talent with a sense of relief.

“Elder Li—he’s breaking through to the Divine Embryo?”

Nie Yang, sword in hand, stood on the deck, his eyes alight with both admiration and disbelief.

He recalled the first time he saw Elder Li—back when Li Che was but a mere foundation practitioner, wasn’t it?

How little time had passed!

It felt as though the passage of time had transformed everything!

Lü Taibai emerged from the Grand Pavilion; with one gesture his sword aura spread like an immense net, shielding many prodigies from the brunt of the divine onslaught.

Only a slight trickle of divine energy leaked through—as gentle as a spring rain.

XiXi’s eyes went wide. Once she understood what was happening, a broad smile broke across her face!

She knew then that her father was simply extraordinary!

Even with all her strength, she could never defeat him!

But XiXi still needed to grow stronger!

A pair of adorable dimples blossomed on her cheeks as she sat cross-legged and began channeling the Divine Essence Technique.

Buzzz—

The Eight-Armed Three-Faced Yulian Invincible Divine Vision manifested behind her.

XiXi started absorbing the gentle divine energy that had been filtered by Lü Taibai—like a soft spring breeze.

The other prodigies gradually regained their senses, sitting cross-legged one by one as they began to capture the divine energy coursing through the cosmos.

After all, this was the moment when a Divine Practitioner at the Breath Retention Transformation stage, breaking through to the Divine Embryo, unleashed an incredibly active surge of divinity—a golden opportunity for cultivation.

At this moment, the entire Yellow Dragon Xuanmu Treasure Ship had transformed into a blessed sanctuary.

Though Zhang Ya’s own divine cultivation was modest, she joined in, sitting cross-legged like her daughter to absorb the blessings showered by her husband.

Silence fell over the entire ship as if death itself had descended.

Only the sound of the great vessel’s steady movement and the low, thunderous breathing of an enormous beast could be heard.

With each heave and sigh, the ship’s progress continued—a rhythmic, booming cadence!

Time in cultivation passes in the blink of an eye; before anyone knew it, three days had elapsed.

On the night of the third day,

Heavy clouds blanketed the sky, obscuring even the faintest stars.

Departing from Daocheng, the Yellow Dragon Xuanmu Treasure Ship of Qianyuan Divine Sect steamed north along the Grand Canal, finally arriving at the dock of the Ninth City of Divine Capital.

The Great Divine Capital sprawls across the central region of the Divine Capital Way, covering vast lands.

At its heart stands the Imperial Divine Palace and Temple, perched atop a revered treasure mountain.

In the distance, one could see a divine temple standing tall like a razor-sharp spear on the mountain peak, seemingly set to pierce the heavens—a wave of imposing divine authority rolling in.

Legend has it that this temple was once a Bizarre Temple transformed by the founding emperor of the Great Realm, who with a legion of formidable warriors seized the Four-Yu Bizarre Temple. The Temple Spirit of that old temple was then jointly suppressed and sealed by those mighty fighters.

Thus began the numbering of the cities—from the First City down to the Ninth.

The nine cities are arranged like steps, clearly delineating social strata.

Though the cities are theoretically connected, in truth, only the elite truly travel between them, while commoners might spend their entire lives under the shadow of just one city.

In the Ninth City, the architecture is remarkably lavish—even though it’s considered the poorest of the nine, its building quality rivals that of Daocheng. In Divine Capital, properties are rare and exceedingly expensive.

Even a master from a far-off land would find it exceedingly difficult to acquire property within Divine Capital.

With a thunderous rumble in the dead of night,

Raging winds whipped the river, rippling the water’s surface.

Near the dock, the river widened as the wharf and channels were grandly constructed. Numerous small boats were moored, but now they had been herded aside, leaving vast emptiness.

The Ninth City’s dock buzzed with life. Even in the dead of night, the clamor of voices filled the air as countless ordinary souls seized upon a lucrative opportunity.

An array of exquisite treasure ships, rarely seen on normal days, were docked, with practitioners from various Divine Sects disembarking:

The commoners of the Ninth City knew that these Divine Sect disciples had come to attend the upcoming Paotao Victory Celebration hosted by the Empress of the Great Divine Capital. For them, the celebration was a rare chance to temporarily escape their hard lives.

It promised vibrant entertainment—and sometimes even bargains to be snatched up.

If the elite families from the upper cities were in a good mood, they might even bestow generous amounts of Gold Leaf, ensuring a few months of good fortune for the commoners.

“That’s the treasure ship of the Tian Dan Divine Sect from Guangling Dao! Tian Dan Divine Sect—they’re reputed to be the second wealthiest Divine Sect in the world! The oily fortunes dripping from their fingertips could feed us all abundantly!”

“Second richest? Then who is the richest?”

“Obviously the Seven Treasure Divine Sect of Dragon Abyss Path! Rumor has it that their sect master wields a divine cauldron that spits out Gold Leaf—richer than any nation!”

“Incredible! Isn’t that the Xuanfu Divine Sect of Qingyun Dao? I’ve heard their female disciples are breathtaking beauties, like celestial fairies.”

“Here they come—also, the Haoran Academy of Jiangnan Dao! They’re all scholarly elites, imperial exam champions from Jiangnan Dao!”

At the dock, the crowd surged in a frenzy. Even the frigid night air could not dampen the fervor of the people of the Ninth City in Divine Capital.

They swarmed toward the Divine Sect disciples disembarking from the treasure ships.

Some offered to guide them, some sought lodging, others wished to serve as slaves, or even be taken in for protection—

It was clear that the commoners of Divine Capital were utterly desperate to survive.

Suddenly,

A colossal Xuan Dragon Warship leisurely approached, slicing through the thick fog of night to dock at the shore.

All at once, an overwhelming, oppressive aura swept over everyone.

The commoners of the Ninth City fell silent.

Those who had lived for generations in the Ninth City certainly recognized that the Xuanmu Warship belonged to none other than Ji Mo Li, one of the Eight Great Viceroys!

“Is that… King Ping Luan Ji Mo Li?”

“Who knows how many Viceroys will attend this Paotao Victory Celebration—rumor has it many have already rebelled.”

“Sounds like the most hyped rumor around—after all, isn’t King Ping Luan the one most often mentioned in such tales?”

The commoners murmured in hushed tones.

As the ship’s gangway descended, Ji Mo Li appeared clad in dark armor without a helmet. His towering, intimidating presence exuded a fearsome aura.

Behind him marched four robust figures wearing striking azure masks—these were his four most formidable sons. One carried a pipa, another wielded a long sword, and another hefted a treasure umbrella.

Each stood over three meters tall, exuding oppressive might and a palpable scent of blood that surged like tidal waves.

Tragically, one of his sons, Ji Li Shou, had already perished, and among the remaining four, one was an impostor—a disguise by Ji Mo Li’s eldest disciple.

All the commoners trembled in fear under his overwhelming presence, too intimidated to resist.

Ji Mo Li’s reputation was legendary—known for his ruthless, cold-blooded nature.

Striding with his hands behind his back, he paid no heed to the insignificant masses; they were invisible in his eyes.

“Prince Ji, long time no see,”

Gu Changqing, the sect master of Tian Dan Divine Sect, clad in a flowing robe waved in greeting toward Ji Mo Li with a formal bow.

Ning Caishen, the sect master of Seven Treasure Divine Sect, also greeted him with a bow.

However, the other Divine Sect masters did not spare Ji Mo Li any pleasantries.

“Has the treasure ship of Qianyuan Divine Sect not arrived yet?”

Gu Changqing squinted and smiled, though a flash of pain crossed his eyes.

His Tian Dan Vajra had fallen into Lü Taibai’s hands—three fourth-stage Tian Dan indeed!

Ji Mo Li cast him a glance, as if understanding, and then chuckled.

Suddenly, his smile faded.

In a cool, detached tone he said,

“Isn’t it here now?”

“Huh?!”

Ji Mo Li halted his stride, donned in dark dragon armor, and turned around.

Behind him, his four burly sons cleared a path.

Ji Mo Li raised his eyes toward the expanse of the Grand Canal beyond the dock.

Gu Changqing of Tian Dan Divine Sect, along with Ning Caishen of Seven Treasure Divine Sect and Xuanfu Divine Sect’s master Xuan Jiu Zhuan, all turned to gaze at the canal, their eyes flashing with various emotions.

Qianyuan Divine Sect has been showing off its splendor lately…

“Qianyuan Divine Sect’s Yellow Dragon Xuanmu Treasure Ship—what’s that glow on the vessel?”

Gu Changqing squinted.

“It isn’t glowing. Someone is breaking through to the Divine Embryo with overwhelming force, absorbing divine energy on an immense scale.”

Xuan Jiu Zhuan of Xuanfu Divine Sect murmured as he stared.

The Divine Talisman master, whose perception of divine power is unparalleled—strictly speaking, Divine Talismans are merely a means of harnessing divine energy for one’s own use.

“Such tremendous commotion! Breaking through to the Divine Embryo must be of an extraordinary caliber!”

Many powerful figures stared in amazement and uncertainty.

Much like Ji Mo Li, they too admired the spectacle—even as they noticed the young man seated at the bow of the ship.

Ji Mo Li’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“Li Che.”

Though his voice was soft, it echoed in the ears of the assembled Divine Sect masters.

“Li Che? Is that the new Divine Condor Half-Saint of Qianyuan Divine Sect—the same one who bested Huang Tuo of Xiao Lingyin Temple?”

“It really is him. And at only twenty-five—after just six years of cultivation—he’s already advancing to the Divine Embryo stage? How did he do it? Even a reincarnated Temple Spirit would hardly progress so swiftly!”

Gu Changqing, Ning Caishen, Xuan Jiu Zhuan and the other sect masters looked on in utter astonishment and despair.

Breaking through to the Divine Embryo isn’t unusual for many—but for Li Che, so young and with so little cultivation time, it is astonishing!

When the extraordinary occurs, there must be something otherworldly at work!

Originally, many of the Divine Sect masters planning to leave the Ninth City paused in their tracks, standing silently in the night wind as they watched the Yellow Dragon Xuanmu Treasure Ship, aglow and summoning divine energy from heaven and earth.

“We’re in Divine Capital now.”

Lü Taibai stood atop the Grand Pavilion, flanked by Zhao Fangzhou and Hong Shifo, his white sleeves billowing in the night wind, his silver hair streaming.

“All the major Divine Sect masters have nearly arrived—”

Lü Taibai’s gaze immediately fell upon the familiar faces assembled at the dock.

As a leader among the Divine Sects, they had all met before, and communication between sects was common.

“Surely, Li Che’s breakthrough to the Divine Embryo has caught everyone’s attention—after all, even Divine Sect masters are curious about a six-year cultivation breakthrough.”

Lü Taibai remarked lightly.

Hong Shifo chuckled, stroking his beard, his eyes half-closed. After the initial shock, calm had settled over him.

“I wonder how many Viceroys will attend this Paotao Victory Celebration. Ji Mo Li is here—surely the other Viceroys will follow?”

As the treasure ship slowly sailed toward the dock, Li Che, with divine energy thickening around him and just a step from completion, captured Hong Shifo’s attention as he shifted the conversation.

“That’s hard to predict—rumor has it that several Viceroys are secretly plotting rebellion. Unlike us Divine Sect masters, they lack the backbone. Once their leaders crumble, the army will fall apart.”

“After all, which Divine Sect doesn’t have an ancestral patriarch? Once those old ancestors hide in a mysterious sanctuary, even misfortunes and calamities can be evaded—the Great Inspector’s calculations even fail to determine whether those patriarchs live or die…”

Lü Taibai smiled knowingly. He was not overly anxious about stepping into Divine Capital.

The Imperial Court might as well be considered the largest Divine Sect in the world.

The Grand Inspector, the National Teacher, and that Grand Governor of the Temple Guardian Division—while all immensely powerful—are no match for a Divine Sect with verified ancestral lineage.

To openly confront the Divine Sect masters would cause an earthquake large enough to shake the entire Great Realm.

For the Imperial Court, maintaining stability is enough.

Although the Court frowns upon the Divine Sects and has long tried to restrict their development, in truth it only fears the rise of another Qitian Temple.

The rise of Qitian Temple compromises the very foundation of the Imperial Court.

However, even if the Great Realm is not as mighty as in its prime, it is far from collapsing into the twilight of a dynasty.

For the Court, rebel Viceroys plotting in secret pose the real threat to equilibrium.

“Our Divine Sect masters are only drawn by the allure of that ten-thousand-year Paotao from the Bizarre Temple of Western Queen Mother. Inside the temple, there stands a solitary, ancient Paotao tree—bearing a pair of fruits every hundred years. One fruit was left by the Great Emperor, and the other is to be fiercely contested among the Divine Sect masters…”

“The Imperial Paotao Victory Celebration is just for show—the Court wants only face. Besides, what’s the harm in presenting a ten-thousand-year Paotao as a gesture?”

Lü Taibai and Hong Shifo exchanged casual words.

Hong Shifo listened with furrowed brows, while Zhao Fangzhou, a simple martial man, scratched his head—unable to fathom the circumlocutions.

Soon, the Yellow Dragon Xuanmu Treasure Ship slowly made its way into the dock.

The captain dared not shout “dock,” for atop the ship Li Che, in his ink-black robes with his wild, raven hair and colossal divine energy, was at the precipice of absorbing all the divine power of heaven and earth.

At that crucial moment, the captain quietly initiated the docking procedure.

Thud, the entire Yellow Dragon Xuanmu Treasure Ship came to rest against the dock.

Countless gazes were fixed upon it:

Ji Mo Li and his four massive, azure-masked sons, along with Gu Changqing, Xuan Jiu Zhuan, Ning Caishen and the other Divine Sect masters, all stared at the radiant figure seated at the bow—whose skin now seemed as transparent as glazed crystal.

Nobody disembarked from the treasure ship.

Everyone waited silently.

Suddenly, from the opposite side of the dock came an uproar.

The clanging of armor sounded, as the Divine Guard Army—clad in golden armor—rushed from the Ninth City, assembling into neat arrays.

A lavish sedan chair, borne by eight burly warriors, advanced as if gliding on firm ground.

Behind the sedan were innumerable celestial treasures, and even boxes of red containing divine weapons, talismans, eagle sculptures, and divine pills—

All adorned with brilliant red flowers, exuding festivity.

“Consort Ji has arrived!”

A bald, white-faced, elderly eunuch in a black robe shouted sharply, his voice piercing the heavens.

At the dock, the formidable figures of the Divine Sect masters all paused in astonishment.

Consort Ji? Ji Yan? Was she not the woman most favored by the Great Emperor?

Even the empress seemed to pale in comparison to her favored consort.

Wasn’t she supposed to be luxuriating in the Imperial Divine Palace of the First City?

Ji Mo Li turned slowly, his gaze sweeping over the Divine Sect masters, who collectively looked momentarily stunned.

Of course, everyone recognized Consort Ji.

A scion of the illustrious Ji family—a lineage as enduring as the Imperial Court itself, a family with profound heritage that rivals even the Divine Sects. Even the Court can only hope to win them over through arranged marriages, as the relationship between the Great Divine Court and the three great ancient families is deeply entangled.

Observing the sedan’s imposing formation, many wore perplexed expressions.

The sedan halted at the dock. The Divine Guard Army unceremoniously cleared the bustling crowd, carving out a broad path.

The sedan touched down, sending up a cloud of dust.

In an instant, all around fell into an eerie silence. The commoners, gripped by fear, knelt in supplication, too terrified to lift their heads.

In that moment, a pristine, translucent hand emerged from the sedan’s drapery, drawing aside the curtain as a pair of luminous eyes slowly scanned the scene.

Those eyes fell upon the Yellow Dragon Xuanmu Treasure Ship, and then upon the young man at the bow—who seemed to be engulfed by a transformative surge of divine power.

For an instant, a flash of unusual color danced in her watery eyes.

But as quickly as it appeared, the hue vanished. Within the sedan, a stately, elegant woman rose gracefully with the help of her maid, stepping out.

Her face was veiled, concealing her features; only her eyes shone like full, brilliant moons.

Behind her strode Lu Chi in a red robe, his head bowed like a wooden puppet.

Onboard the Yellow Dragon Xuanmu Treasure Ship, the prodigies from Qianyuan Divine Sect and Daocheng dashed across the deck, clustering at the ship’s edge to gaze down at the dock.

XiXi leaped from the crowd, gripping the sturdy hull with both hands, tilting her head to peer down.

“What are they doing?”

Curiously, XiXi asked the children hanging on the ship’s railing.

Tie Shancai frowned, Chubby Kid Zhou Peng’s face was strange, and Yun’e’s eyes glimmered with worry—

“It seems they are here to propose a marriage.”

Chubby Kid Zhou Peng declared.

XiXi looked puzzled. Propose a marriage?

Then she spotted Lu Chi, who had stepped out from the sedan behind the graceful woman.

Her bright eyes widened instantly, her little face flushing like steam from a pressure cooker!

Lü Taibai soon descended to XiXi’s side, gently ruffling her hair.

He then surveyed the scene at the dock, his silver eyebrows raising slightly.

“Consort Ji… what schemes are you up to?”

But then Consort Ji smiled lightly, her clear, melodious voice resonating through the air:

“Master Taibai, welcome to Divine Capital. I’ve heard that you’ve accepted an excellent disciple—my son Lu Chi once forged bonds with your disciple in Feilei City and Jingguang Prefecture. I hold him in high regard, so I have come bearing the Three Letters and Six Rites to propose a marriage, setting a betrothal for our children.”

“My son is a Great Realm Prince, personally bestowed with a prestigious title by the sect master—he is utterly suitable.”

“Let us settle this matter. In a couple of days, my palace will formally ask His Majesty for an official marriage proposal. What say you, Master Taibai?”

Consort Ji’s silk garments flowed gracefully as she spoke with a smile.

Lü Taibai’s frown softened as the gentle night wind rustled his wide sleeves. He replied in a measured tone,

“Although I am XiXi’s master, I am not her parent. This is not something I can decide alone—matters of life and marriage should be left to the parents.”

Then Lü Taibai raised his hand and pointed toward the bow where Li Che sat.

There, Li Che’s dark, flowing robes and wild, raven hair swirled in the wind as colossal divine energy, like torrents of waves, was drawn into his inner realm by his Mud Pellet.

In the next instant, behind Li Che, a radiant, magnificent Golden Pill appeared as if suspended in midair. Beyond the Golden Pill, a terrifying and awe-inspiring virtual image of the Luminous True Primate roared skyward!

The Golden Pill shone with boundless light, its exterior translucent like flesh, revealing within a pulsating, living heart!

Boom, boom, boom—

The heart pounded, its beat echoing like crashing waves!

From the Divine Essence Golden Pill came a metamorphosis of divinity—a new organ born from the cosmic transformation!

A tremendous rumble ensued!

Above the heavens, amidst brooding clouds and sudden lightning, the celestial power surged!

This was the calamity of the Divine Embryo in the making!

Li Che slowly opened his eyes, thousands of golden specks radiating from within!

His gaze fixed steadily,

first on the veiled woman, then on Lu Chi in his red robe.

His eyes turned icy, cold enough to seem indifferent to a stranger.

“As for this marriage proposal—

I, as a father,

do not consent.”