Dual Cultivation System: The Villainous Servant’s Rise

Chapter 256: The Ancient Desolate Emperor! First Entry into the Central Plains

“Where are we going, Sect Leader?” Han Lie asked, his interest piqued.

Although his life within the Heavenly Void Sect was comfortable—luxurious, even—he was not one to stagnate. Staying within the sect forever was no different from being a frog at the bottom of a well, seeing only a patch of the sky. As a cultivator, one had to roam the world to broaden one’s Dao.

“The Central Plains,” Ye Qingxuan replied, her voice cool and melodious. “The Ancient Desolate Heaven.”

“The Ancient Desolate Heaven?” Han Lie blinked. It was a name he had never heard before.

Ye Qingxuan explained that the Ancient Desolate Heaven was a “Super Grotto-Heaven” located in the heart of the Central Plains. It was the dominion of the Chen Family, a traditional aristocratic powerhouse.

According to legend, in the distant epoch of antiquity, the Chen Family had birthed a supreme existence known as the Ancient Desolate Emperor.

While the Emperor’s ultimate fate remained a mystery lost to time, his legacy had catapulted his bloodline to the apex of the Tianyuan Continent. The Chen Family of the Central Plains was the direct continuation of that imperial lineage.

Over the eons, the family had declined from its mythical peak. However, a starved camel is still bigger than a horse.

Even in their twilight, the Chen Family remained a hegemon. They commanded countless vassal sects, clans, and merchant associations. While they might struggle to dominate the cutthroat environment of the Central Plains—where dragons and tigers fought for supremacy—in any other region, they would be gods descending to crush mortals.

“The Chen Family…”

Han Lie rested his chin on his hand, falling into deep thought.

If he remembered correctly, Xiao Yuruo had mentioned coming from a prestigious clan in the Central Plains. Could this Chen Family be her origin? Perhaps “Xiao” was an alias, or her maternal line?

It was mere speculation. Without Xiao Yuruo in front of him, he couldn’t verify it.

“Go back and prepare,” Ye Qingxuan instructed. “We depart in three days.”

“No need for preparations. I can leave anytime, Sect Leader,” Han Lie grinned. Then, a thought struck him. “But… what about Xiao Zi? If we both leave, who will feed her?”

“Hm? Who is Xiao Zi?” Ye Qingxuan raised a delicate eyebrow, puzzled.

“Ah… that’s your Hell Nine-Tailed Cat.” Han Lie realized he hadn’t actually told her the name he’d bestowed upon the beast.

“Oh.” Ye Qingxuan nodded, understanding dawning on her. “She is currently in secluded cultivation, on the verge of breaking through to the Nascent Soul Stage. She won’t need tending.”

She paused, looking at him curiously. “But why ‘Xiao Zi’?”

“Uh… well.”

Han Lie gave an awkward yet polite smile. He decided to explain the logic he had used back then. “I took a piece of my identity and combined it with yours. ‘Xiao’ as a diminutive, and ‘Zi’ from the Violet Heaven Palace, your domain.”

“You named her after us?” Ye Qingxuan mused, a faint, unreadable smile playing on her lips. “Why isn’t the reference to me placed first?”

“Ahem… Sect Leader, details, details!” Han Lie gave a tactical cough, hastily changing the subject. “So, uh, how about we leave right now?”

“No rush. This Palace still has arrangements to make. Come to the Violet Heaven Palace in three days.” Ye Qingxuan didn’t press the naming issue further.

“Understood, Sect Leader. I have some goodbyes to say as well.”

Over the next few days, Han Lie visited Zhuo Hongyi, Qin Lan, and Xiao Qingge, informing them of his impending long-distance travel with the Sect Leader.

Three days later, at the Violet Heaven Palace.

Everything was ready. Han Lie stood beside Ye Qingxuan, prepared to embark for the Central Plains.

Suddenly, a tremor ran through the spiritual atmosphere.

From the direction of the Violet Cloud Palace, a heavy, oppressive aura surged upward, like a volcano rumbling before an eruption.

“That direction… is it the Saintess?” Han Lie looked toward the Violet Cloud Palace, surprised.

“Hmph. At least she knows to strive for progress,” Ye Qingxuan said, her tone indifferent but with a hint of satisfaction. “The ten-year deadline This Palace gave her is nearly up.”

“By the time we return, we might be greeting a Saintess who has attained the Nascent Soul realm,” Han Lie chuckled.

He was genuinely happy for Bai Ling. Judging by the stability of the aura, her breakthrough was no longer a question of ‘if’, but ‘when’. She had crossed the threshold; the rest would follow like water flowing into a canal.

With Bai Ling’s quasi-ninth-grade spiritual veins, breaking through before the age of forty was a feat that outshone even many true ninth-grade geniuses.

Of course, her rapid progress wasn’t just talent. The opportunities from the Buried Immortal Mountain Range, the baptism in the Spiritual Qi Heavenly River, and—crucially—the nourishment from Han Lie’s Pure Yang Sacred Body had all played vital roles.

If they didn’t have urgent business in the Ancient Desolate Heaven, Ye Qingxuan might have stayed to observe the process.

“Let’s go,” Ye Qingxuan said, withdrawing her gaze.

She raised a jade-like finger and sliced through the air. Space tore open like silk, revealing a swirling void beyond. She stepped into the rift with elegant grace.

Han Lie followed close behind.

The Heavenly Void Sect, Sun Moon Sect, and Myriad Sword Pavilion were located in the southern periphery of the Tianyuan Continent. To reach the Central Plains—the heart of the world—one had to traverse 30 million miles of treacherous terrain.

Furthermore, a vast ocean spanning millions of miles separated the Central Plains from the four cardinal domains (East, West, South, North). This massive body of water served as a natural barrier, further cementing the Central Plains’ status as the isolated, superior center of the continent.

However, for cultivators at the level of Han Lie and Ye Qingxuan, distance was merely a concept.

Whether it was the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains or the endless ocean, nothing could impede their steps. Ye Qingxuan tore open spatial tunnels one after another, each leap crossing millions of miles in an instant.

After a dozen such jumps, they emerged from the void for the final time.

Below them lay a sight that made Han Lie catch his breath.

A super-city stretched out across the horizon, extending for 10,000 miles like a colossal dragon crouching upon the earth.

Han Lie gazed into the distance. The sheer scale of the architecture, the complexity of the formations, and the majestic layout far surpassed Dragon City. It was like comparing a palace to a hut.

This was Guqing City.

It was dozens of times larger than Dragon City and served as the gateway to the Chen Family’s domain. To enter the Ancient Desolate Heaven, one had to pass through the teleportation arrays located deep within this metropolis.

And not just anyone could enter. The Chen Family’s screening process was notoriously strict.

Standing in the sky above Guqing City, Han Lie took a deep breath. The spiritual qi here was thick, heavy, and vibrant—significantly richer than the thin air of the Southern Domain.

“Follow This Palace,” Ye Qingxuan commanded, descending toward the city gates.

………