Enduring humiliation for three years, seizing the elixir, the treasure, and the holy maiden.

"There's something..."

Lin Zhiya hesitated for a long time before speaking.

After Xiao Dingyue's marriage proposal was rejected, he didn't pursue it further and never mentioned it again.

"But every time the council hall holds a meeting, Xiao Dingyue stands on Elder Tiandu's side."

Lin Zhiya was well aware of Xiao Dingyue's intentions.

She just didn't want Su Chen to feel that she was using Su Chen's name to intimidate him.

"understood."

Su Chen picked up his teacup and took a sip.

The tea is good, but it's a bit weaker than it was seventy years ago.

...

Outside the gate of Pianfeng Mountain, a person stood for a long time.

As soon as Lin Zhiya came out, Han Yue went up to her and handed her a cloak.

"Senior sister, it's windy up the mountain."

Lin Zhiya took it, but instead of draping it over her arm, she walked away.

Han Yue followed three steps behind.

Seventy years later, the person my senior sister was waiting for has returned.

Han Yue knew he should step down.

But I just can't back down.

The day before yesterday, Elder Xiao privately approached Han Yue and asked if he wanted to help his senior sister "see that person clearly".

Han Yue neither agreed nor refused.

Han Yue knew exactly what Elder Xiao was planning.

I understand it clearly, but I just can't let go of that lingering resentment.

...

The lamps in the council hall burn eternally, and the gold patterns on the pillars are dazzlingly bright.

Su Chen stood in the hall and bowed to the head of the hall.

"This disciple requests the sect to select an auspicious day for the Holy Maiden and this disciple to perform a dual cultivation ceremony."

The elders in the hall looked at each other.

Li Changfeng is not here.

In the past seventy years, that madman has gone on several long trips, but this time he didn't even return via the communication stone.

In this battle, Su Chen can only rely on himself.

The old man from Tiandu stroked his beard and spoke slowly.

"The ceremony for the Holy Maiden is a matter of the sect's reputation."

"There will be another great battle between good and evil in thirty years. The sect has also gained several new guest elders. We must keep people's hearts at ease."

The old man from Tiandu paused and looked at Su Chen.

"The true master secluded himself for seventy years and missed this great battle, so there is not a single record of his achievements."

"If we hold such a grand celebration at this time, the disciples below will inevitably gossip."

Every sentence is reasonable and flawless.

The old man of Tiandu endured for seventy years when this kid snatched a prescription from him.

Now, instead of confronting Su Chen head-on, they only talk about rules and people's hearts.

No one can find fault with it.

Xiao Dingyue stood up from the row of guest ministers.

"I am an outsider and should not have said anything."

Several elders in the hall looked over.

"It's just that so many Hao Ri Sect disciples died in the Shattered Star Cluster, and the true disciple is holding a wedding as soon as he comes out of seclusion."

"I feel indignant on behalf of those disciples."

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the elders who had come down from the Shattered Star Cluster changed.

One of his junior disciples was buried on the broken star near the Broken Bone Stone.

Master Yunmeng glanced at Su Chen.

"This matter will be discussed further."

Su Chen has merged with the body; it is a blessing for the sect.

However, Xiao Dingyue's retainers were the foundation laid for the battle thirty years later, and they cannot afford to be neglected now.

With Li Changfeng absent, Master Yunmeng could only try to smooth things over.

The old man of Tiandu talks about rules, while Xiao Dingyue talks about people's hearts. They sing in harmony and work together seamlessly.

Su Chen did not argue.

"This disciple will obey the sect leader."

After the meeting adjourned, everyone left the hall one after another.

Upon reaching the palace gate, Su Chen turned around and smiled at Xiao Dingyue.

He smiled very gently.

Looking at that smile, Xiao Dingyue's heart sank.

...

The enormous town of immortal cultivators was exceptionally magnificent, especially on a cloudy day like today, shrouded in spiritual mist.

In addition, there were countless spirit lanterns in the city.

It was even more spectacular.

It's still that familiar little bridge...

"Brother Chen!"

Cheng Mo waited at the bridgehead for a long time.

"Senior Su... Senior Su."

Seeing the immense spiritual pressure emanating from Su Chen, he realized he had said the wrong thing.

It's no longer appropriate to address each other as equals.

After all, the person in front of them is now a powerful being in the Integration Stage.

"Over the years, I haven't missed a single task that Brother Chen asked me to do."

Cheng Mo leaned closer and lowered his voice.

"Not a single one of those spiritual materials from the lower realm has been sold."

"That old codger Gu Sanchou comes to urge me every day, and I haven't missed a single word."

Su Chen patted Cheng Mo on the shoulder...

The meaning is self-evident; it's clear that they think he's very good.

Su Chen naturally wanted to meet the gentle and graceful woman...

A pot of spiritual tea, its steam rising gently...

Gently holding the teapot and pouring tea...

Privately, he also asked many people about Su Chen's background.

More than ten years ago, a cultivator who had just arrived in the Upper Realm.

Thanks to Li Changfeng, he directly secured the position of a true disciple of the Haori Sect.

Later, I heard that several renowned cultivators had suffered losses at his hands during the war between the righteous and the demonic forces.

Moreover, it is said that in just a few years, he progressed from the early stage of the Void Refinement Realm to the late stage.

Now, in just seventy years, we have entered the period of integration.

Their future is limitless.

"Fellow Daoist wishes to inquire about Xiao Dingyue?"

Wenwan pushed the tea over...

"This news of mine is not cheap."

Name your price.

"The Listening Rain Pavilion wants 30% of the spiritual materials from the lower realms."

"Twenty percent."

"25%."

"If the original poster is unwilling to accept 15%, then I will ask elsewhere."

Wen Wan covered her mouth and laughed out loud.

"Seventy years have passed, and you are still so unforgiving, fellow Daoist."

"One and a half percent it is."

Wen Wan put down the teapot and composed herself.

"Xiao Dingyue's former sect was called Xingyan Sect, which was considered a major sect in this star field three thousand years ago."

"Later, they were wiped out by a group of people working together."

"On the night of the massacre, the Starry Sky Sect's treasury was emptied."

Su Chen's finger paused on the rim of the cup for a moment.

"It's being said in the spirit world that an elder surnamed Wang escaped into the lower realm with the sect's treasury and a boundary token that the Star Evolution Sect had kept hidden."

"Xiao Dingyue is a direct descendant of the Xingyan Sect. For the past three thousand years, the Xiao family has been searching for the Boundary Token."

Wen Wan took a sip of tea, which meant she had said everything she needed to say.

Star divination?

An elder surnamed Wang.

Su Chen thought of Wang Qiushan from the Xuanhuang Continent.

Back in the Shattered Star Cluster, Su Chen felt that the magic treasures of the Demon Flame Sect were somewhat similar to Wang Qiushan's style, but he didn't think too deeply about it at the time.

There was also the Heaven-Mending Pill sent by the Starry Sky Dao Sect at Li Tianqi's Dual Cultivation Ceremony.

That kind of thing is something a sect in the lower realm shouldn't be able to show off.

But that's absolutely impossible.

Wang Qiushan is a well-known figure in the lower realm.

Most of the cultivators at the Void Refinement stage knew each other well.

not to mention.

A cultivator in the Void Refinement stage once sought to break through to the Upper Realm.

He wants to compete with me for a woman.

There must be some misunderstanding here.

"If you are interested in the Star Evolution Sect, you should be careful."

"Xiao Dingyue is not a fool. He has not been able to go to the lower realm for the past three thousand years, not because he is incompetent."

...

Upon exiting Tingyu Tower, the fog was so thick it seemed impossible to dissipate.

A cold aura blocked Su Chen in the mist.

Gu Qingwu was dressed in plain clothes, and the cuffs of her clothes were damp with mist.

"So you still know to come looking for me?"

"As I mentioned in my letter, I wanted to come and have tea with you, senior."

Gu Qingwu didn't reply and turned to leave.

Su Chen followed.

The small courtyard is tucked away at the end of a narrow alley in the west of the city, with a clump of angelica growing in the corner of the wall, in full bloom.

Gu Qingwu boiled water and brewed tea, his movements slow and deliberate.

Her long, slender, and fair fingers held a teaspoon as she meticulously scooped tea leaves into the teapot.

"They've combined?"

"Um."

"Have those two strands of law merged into one?"

Su Chen nodded.

Gu Qingwu's fingers trembled slightly inside her sleeve.

Back when they were drawing in Qi, the power of the Heavenly Tribulation left a connection between them.

On the day Su Chen and Gu Qingwu merged, Gu Qingwu was in seclusion in Juque City.

The wisp of heavenly tribulation power in his sea of ​​consciousness suddenly surged, almost causing Gu Qingwu to suffer a qi deviation.

For the past seventy years, I've always felt an emptiness in my heart, a longing for one person.

Whether it was due to the cultivation technique or something else, Gu Qingwu himself couldn't say for sure.

The water has boiled.

Gu Qingwu poured tea from the teapot, the steam covering his face.

...