“Strange occurrences?”

Piao Genshuo stroked his chin, his eyes lighting up with a wretched, knowing gleam. “Ah, I see what you’re getting at. I actually just heard from Lady Murong of the Joyous Union Sect. Apparently, sales of their… specialized literature have skyrocketed within the Exquisite Sanctuary recently.”

He leaned in, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial, lecherous whisper. “It looks like spring is truly in the air, my friend. It’s the season for even the most aloof fairies to feel the itch of mortal desire. If our luck holds during this ceremony, who knows? We might just stumble into a sweaty, unforgettable romantic encounter…”

Piao Genshuo’s eyes glazed over as he drifted into a detailed fantasy, likely visualizing a horde of Exquisite Sanctuary beauties throwing themselves at him in a frenzy of repressed passion.

I must be brain-damaged.

Qi Yuan took a deep breath, physically restraining the urge to punt this man into the stratosphere.

He had come here hoping to extract useful intelligence from Piao Genshuo regarding the Exquisite Sanctuary. Instead, he was being subjected to the hormonal ramblings of a degenerate. It was a complete waste of oxygen.

Qi Yuan cursed internally and turned to leave. But just as he pivoted, Piao Genshuo seemed to recall something actually relevant.

“Oh, right! There is another oddity,” Piao added, snapping out of his daydream. “I heard from my little grandaunt that the Exquisite Sanctuary’s Supreme Elder—the one who just broke through to the Great Ascension realm—should have been dead. He exhausted his lifespan surviving the first round of the Dao Tribulation. By all logic, he had zero chance of surviving the next two.”

Piao shrugged. “The Sanctuary was already picking out his coffin. But then, a miracle happened. Not only did the old man survive, but he also broke through perfectly, becoming their fourth Great Ascension Patriarch.”

Lu Changfeng, who had been listening nearby, chimed in with a thoughtful nod.

“I’ve heard similar rumors. The Exquisite Sanctuary used to be the tail-ender of the Seven Great Sanctuaries. But in the last few millennia, it’s like they’ve toggled on a cheat code. Three Tribulation Crossing elders have successfully ascended in a row. Their success rate is statistically absurd compared to everyone else.”

Lu Changfeng’s expression turned solemn. “With four Great Ascension Patriarchs, they now rival our Supreme Mystery Sanctuary in raw firepower. They’re firmly in the top three.”

Qi Yuan frowned slightly, his mind racing as the pieces clicked together.

The Cheng Huang.

According to Stone Elder, that innate divine beast hidden within the Exquisite Sanctuary was a Cheng Huang.

If the rumors were true, that dying elder’s miraculous survival was almost certainly due to the beast. In ancient folklore, the Cheng Huang was an auspicious creature of longevity. Legend claimed that a single ride on its back would grant the rider two thousand years of lifespan.

Legends are usually exaggerated, but there’s no smoke without fire, Qi Yuan mused. Even if it’s not a full two thousand years, the beast definitely has life-extending properties.

This was precisely why Qi Yuan had agreed to Stone Elder’s request. He was a pragmatist, and nobody in their right mind complained about having too much HP.

Two thousand years… even a hundred would be nice. Heck, if I can ride it multiple times, I’ll strap myself to its back until I’m immortal.

…

Two days later. The Exquisite Sanctuary.

The sky was awash with auspicious, multicolored mists, while illusionary celestial flowers drifted down like rain.

Outside the mountain gate, a magnificent seven-colored rainbow bridge unfurled across the void, guiding guests deep into the sanctuary’s heart.

The massive Supreme Mystery Treasure Ship tore through the clouds, gliding along the rainbow bridge with unstoppable momentum. Qi Yuan stood at the bow, hands clasped behind his back, his white robes fluttering in the wind. To an observer, he was the picture of an aloof immortal inspecting the mortal realm.

Below him, the Exquisite Sanctuary revealed itself—a sprawling range of majestic mountains bathed in rosy light, adorned with crystalline towers and jade pavilions that pierced the clouds. It was a scene of breathtaking, opulent cultivation.

The rainbow bridge was crowded. Flying chariots, spirit boats, magical artifacts, and tamed beasts carried cultivators from thousands of sects. Yet, as the mountain-sized shadow of the Supreme Mystery Treasure Ship loomed over them, the vessels of the medium and small factions scattered like frightened fish, hurriedly clearing a path.

“Hiss… look at that display. The Supreme Mystery Sanctuary doesn’t do subtle, does it?”

On a humble, inconspicuous flying boat nearby, a young disciple stared up at the colossal hull, clicking his tongue in envy. “We could sell the entire Wind Fire Fortress—building, furniture, and disciples included—and we still couldn’t afford a single rivet on that ship.”

His companion nodded, equally shock-awed. “Who do you think is on board? That’s a heavy-duty entourage.”

An elder standing beside them stroked his long beard, seizing the opportunity for a lecture.

“I have told you repeatedly: there are skies beyond skies, and people beyond people. Do not let your meager cultivation swell your heads.”

The elder adopted a profound, teaching tone. “You must travel and broaden your horizons. If you stay cooped up in the sect, staring at the sky from the bottom of a well, you will remain nothing but laughable frogs.”

Seeing his juniors bow their heads in mock humility, the elder pointed toward the massive ship.

“Observe the male cultivator at the bow. His robe is embroidered with nine distinct Daoist patterns. That signifies a status of supreme reverence. He is, in all likelihood, the newly appointed Holy Scion of the Supreme Mystery Sanctuary.”

“The Supreme Mystery Holy Scion?”

The two young disciples gazed up, their eyes filled with hero worship. “A true man should live like that!”

SCREEE—!

Before the awe could settle, a series of piercing cries shattered the atmosphere. A massive chariot, pulled by nine exotic auspicious beasts, roared across the sky, leaving a trail of thunder in its wake.

The chariot was cast from solid purple gold and encrusted with enough priceless gems to bankrupt a small nation. It was the definition of aggressive luxury.

The mermaid-silk curtains fluttered open, revealing a young man lounging inside. He wore a lofty crown and broad sash, his eyes half-closed in a state of feigned slumber. Yet, the aura radiating from him was terrifying, like a slumbering beast from the Primordial World waiting to bite someone’s head off.

“Ji Tianpeng! The Holy Scion of the Purple Sun Sanctuary!”

The knowledgeable elder on the small boat paled, his composure cracking. “I didn’t expect him to come personally!”

“Uncle-Master,” the young disciple asked, confused. “We just saw the Supreme Mystery Holy Scion. Why are you freaking out over the Purple Sun guy?”

“Ah… you youngsters don’t know the history.”

The elder sighed, his expression turning complicated. “If either one appeared alone, it would be a festive occasion. But when both appear at the same time? It means we are about to witness a dragon-tiger struggle.”

“Why?” The other disciples on the boat gathered around, hungry for gossip.

“The Supreme Mystery Sanctuary is the oldest of the Seven Great Sanctuaries. There is an old poem: ‘The sword emerges from Li Yuan, the Dao arises from Supreme Mystery.'”

The elder lowered his voice. “Years ago, Supreme Mystery dominated the entire world. But then, one generation produced two peerless prodigies. They were equals in every way. They fought for the position of Sect Leader, battling dozens of times, but every duel ended in a draw.”

“Eventually, the rivalry threatened to tear the sect apart. The ancestors stepped in and forcibly appointed one of them as the Sect Leader. The other… didn’t take it well.”

The elder shook his head ruefully. “In a fit of rage, the loser defected. Because his prestige was so high, he took a massive chunk of the disciples with him. To prevent a civil war that would destroy them both, the ancestors allowed him to leave and found his own sect, on the condition that he never joined the Demonic Path and acknowledged Supreme Mystery as the orthodox origin.”

“That man founded the Purple Sun Sanctuary. So, while they are technically ‘family,’ the relationship is… awkward. Whenever their disciples meet, they don’t kill each other, but they absolutely beat the hell out of each other to prove who is superior.”

“So that’s how it is,” the disciples murmured, enlightened.

“Uncle-Master,” a youth asked excitedly, “if they fight, who wins? The Supreme Mystery Holy Scion or the Purple Sun Holy Scion?”

“Ji Tianpeng. No question.”

The elder answered without hesitation. “The Supreme Mystery Holy Scion is new. His cultivation is merely at the Nascent Soul stage.”

“But Ji Tianpeng? He is the strongest among the current generation of the Seven Great Sanctuaries. It is said that when he broke through to the Soul Formation stage, he triggered a hundred bolts of lightning—a ‘Hundred Tribulations Soul Formation.’ His power is freakish.”

The elder looked up at the ships with a sigh. “Even if Ji Tianpeng suppresses his cultivation to make it ‘fair,’ the Supreme Mystery Holy Scion doesn’t stand a chance.”

The disciples nodded, looking at the distant figure of Qi Yuan with newfound pity.

“Hundred Tribulations Soul Formation… damn. Looks like the Supreme Mystery Holy Scion is about to get publicly humiliated.”