Chapter 613 - 343: Pie in the Sky

On the crystal bridge in mid-air, a handsome youth in magnificent purple robes, exuding a deep and mysterious aura, walked hand-in-hand with a world-toppling beauty. Their sleeves fluttered in the wind.

Around them, hundreds of Great Power Cultivators—men and women, young and old—floated in the air, following closely behind.

Even farther away in the sky, more Cultivators watched from a distance. Unfortunately, their strength was a notch below, so they didn’t dare approach, content to spectate in silence.

Xue Qingtan glanced around. All who dared to get close to Ling Changqing at this moment were prominent, powerful figures in this world.

Right now, these great figures wore fervent expressions as they relentlessly tried to persuade Ling Changqing, making all sorts of wild promises:

"...Fellow Daoist Ling, I know your true body must be hidden somewhere in these Immortal Mansion Ruins. You... you should be able to hear me, right?"

"Fellow Daoist Ling, our Buddhist Pure Land on the Qingluo Continent is vast and boundless. As long as you are willing to join us, the Pure Land has trillions of Buddhist followers at your command and countless celestial beauties for you to enjoy!"

"...Fellow Daoist Ling, don’t listen to the ramblings of those damned monks! My Minghuang Divine Dynasty is desperate for talent. If you join us, the throne of the Divine Emperor will be yours! Not only can I marry you, but countless noble ladies of the Royal Family will be yours for the choosing!"

"Fellow Daoist Ling, our Meng family is a top-tier clan in this world. We possess multiple Ancient Heavy Artifacts and numerous lost Cultivation Technique Divine Techniques. If you are willing to come, you may choose any of these great treasures..."

"Fellow Daoist Ling, your arrival on the Qingming Continent must be the work of fate. If you’re willing to join my Chiying Demon Sect, I am willing to cede the position of Sect Leader to you. There are also countless world-toppling beauties within the Sect for you to take..."

"Fellow Daoist Ling, I do not yet have a Dao Companion. If you are willing, I am yours! Furthermore, I have sixteen fellow sisters, all of them devastating beauties. You can take a look at them too..."

"Fellow Daoist Ling..."

"Fellow Daoist Ling..."

...

No matter how these great figures tried to entice him with their various promises and commitments, Ling Changqing simply turned a deaf ear, his expression not changing in the slightest.

As for Xue Qingtan beside him, who had already altered her appearance, she was selectively ignored by all the great figures.

’If I dared to respond with even a single word, or even just a trivial expression, these guys would probably start fighting on the spot, wouldn’t they?’

Ling Changqing silently communicated with Xue Qingtan.

’Definitely. The moment you show any intention of joining a particular faction, they would most likely be targeted and even besieged by all the other factions combined!’

Xue Qingtan responded with her Divine Thought, holding back her laughter.

A flicker went through Ling Changqing’s mind. His gaze fell upon the Sect Leader of the Chiying Demon Sect, a middle-aged man in red robes with a long, handsome beard and a rather distinguished bearing. He finally spoke, asking:

"Are you, by chance, Sect Leader Lin Jianchuan of the Chiying Demon Sect, the premier lineage of the Qingming Continent?"

The surroundings suddenly fell silent, and the atmosphere instantly turned delicate.

These powerful figures hadn’t held much hope initially. After all, the Child of Destiny before them was just a projection and might not be able to communicate with them at all.

But now that he had actually responded, didn’t that mean they all had a chance to persuade the Child of Destiny?

The Chiying Demon Sect’s Sect Leader, Lin Jianchuan, looked slightly stunned for a moment before becoming overjoyed.

"So, Fellow Daoist Ling knows of my name? It seems my Chiying Demon Sect of the Qingming Continent shares a deep connection with you..."

The moment he spoke, the temperature in the air seemed to plummet. Numerous suspicious and distrustful gazes shifted uncertainly between Lin Jianchuan and Ling Changqing.

The Child of Destiny had finally spoken, yet he only showed a hint of interest in Lin Jianchuan of the Chiying Demon Sect, ignoring everyone else. What did this mean?

The three graceful and beautiful women from the Sea Race couldn’t hold back any longer. The beauty in the center quickly stepped forward, her expression urgent.

"Fellow Daoist Ling, the Chiying Demon Sect is nothing but a vile Demon Path faction! Its disciples are cruel, violent, and utterly devoid of conscience. They act without any shame or bottom line. How can you be swayed by him? Why don’t you..."

Lin Jianchuan shot them a sideways glance and sneered disdainfully, "Is that so? I belong to a vile Demon Path? At least we are still part of the Human Race. You outsiders from the Sea Race dare to dream of getting your hands on the Human Race’s Child of Destiny?"

The beauty’s willow-like brows arched. She gritted her teeth and said angrily, "We are also descendants of a Great Power from the ancient Human Race. How can we not be considered of human blood?"

Lin Jianchuan chuckled. Just as he was about to refute her again, he caught sight of a swirling vortex of light appearing in mid-air. The end of the crystal bridge led directly into its depths.

"Fellow Daoist Ling, you..."

It wasn’t just this major figure of the Demon Path; the other Great Powers present also grew anxious.

If they missed this opportunity with Ling Changqing, finding another chance to contact him would be incredibly difficult.

"What a coincidence!"

Ling Changqing glanced at the vortex at the end of the crystal bridge, then turned back to Lin Jianchuan and said:

"After I emerge from this Ancient Immortal Mansion, I’ll pay a visit to your sect when I have the time!"

With that said, ignoring the expressions of the other Great Powers, Ling Changqing took Xue Qingtan’s arm, and they flew into the depths of the vortex with their robes fluttering, disappearing from sight.

Immediately after, the entire crystal bridge and the vortex dissolved into streams of light and vanished, as if they had never been there at all, leaving the crowd of Great Powers to stare at each other in mid-air.

"Fellow Daoist Lin?"

A skinny old man with a sinister and fierce expression slowly rubbed the ancient bronze ruler in his hand. A menacing glint flickered in his eyes as he spoke in a low, ghostly tone:

"Don’t you think you owe us an explanation? Why would the legendary Child of Destiny be so... interested in you?"

Countless gazes filled with doubt, scrutiny, and vigilance turned toward him, making the atmosphere in the area even more strangely delicate.

Lin Jianchuan’s eyes flickered. He kept his hands tucked deep inside his sleeves as he discreetly drifted back several dozen *zhang*, his aura quietly beginning to surge.

"Fellow Daoist Zhu, I am not sure of the reason for this myself. Which Cultivator’s faction the Child of Destiny chooses to get close to seems to be his own business. Others can hardly influence his preferences!"

As a titan of the Demon Path, Lin Jianchuan was no harmless, naive fool. He knew all too well what kind of people these Great Power Cultivators were.

Without a sound, dozens of secret treasures and Divine Techniques within his body were already poised to strike, and groups of Chiying Demon Sect’s Supreme Elders materialized around him.

"Is that so? Heh heh..."

A plump, stout man in brocade robes, whose features looked rather auspicious, narrowed his eyes and gave a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

"Your Chiying Demon Sect is indeed the undisputed number one lineage on the Qingming Continent. It’s just that, as for what happens next..."

Before he could finish, Lin Jianchuan and the group of Elders had already transformed into streaks of light and vanished from the spot.

"He sure runs fast!"

The brocade-robed man cursed resentfully, his expression turning icy. "Fellow Daoists, I’m afraid we can’t let a single member of the Chiying Demon Sect we encounter in these Immortal Mansion Ruins leave alive!"

"Mm, we share the same sentiment!"

The three beauties of the Sea Race immediately nodded in agreement, a murderous glint in their eyes.

The other Great Powers exchanged glances and voiced no objections.

Regardless of whether they could win over the Child of Destiny, the Chiying Demon Sect absolutely could not be allowed to.

...

When Ling Changqing’s vision returned to normal, he found himself in a dazzling, magnificent, and unusually grand hall.

Deep, mysterious, and omnipresent starlight filled his view. The dome above was a vast, boundless, and silent sea of majestic stars.

Throughout the hall stood colossal pillars that would take ten people to encircle. At the base of each pillar stood a row of tall, imposing Puppets in silver Armor, wielding Long Halberds and covered in Heavy Armor.

The Armor and Weapons on these Puppets were exceptionally well-crafted. The patterns were exquisite and intricate, every detail a work of art.

The smooth, polished crystal-jade floor was covered in complex Array patterns. A majestic flow of Star Force and Spiritual Qi coursed through the lines, shimmering with brilliant light and exuding a formidable pressure.

"Mm, they’re all Third Grade and Rank Four Daoist Soldier Puppets, and they look to be in remarkably pristine condition."

Xue Qingtan looked delighted. The number of Daoist Soldier Puppets here was immense. If she could bring them all back, the boost to her family’s overall strength would be significant.

The Star Lord Hall was where Immortal Venerable Doumu had once engaged in the Refining of various mechanical devices and War Beast Puppets.

Therefore, the one thing this place did not lack was Daoist Soldier Puppets, along with other mechanical creations, Scriptures, and legacies.

Ling Changqing looked down. The nearest Daoist Soldier was about thirty *zhang* away. He wondered if approaching rashly would trigger an attack.

"Let’s keep heading deeper. Don’t get close to them. We should be able to find the means to subdue them in the core area."

Xue Qingtan made a quick calculation and arrived at a conclusion close to the truth. Combining this with the memories from her past life, she took Ling Changqing’s arm and headed toward the depths of the Star Lord Hall.

As they ventured deeper, the number of Daoist Soldier Puppets in the hall increased, arranged in imposing and spectacular military formations. Their ranks gradually rose.

From Rank Four Middle Grade and Upper Grade, all the way to Rank Five and above, Daoist Soldier Puppets and even Mechanical Puppet War Beasts resembling Ancient Divine Beasts were no longer a rare sight.

According to Xue Qingtan, in her past life, numerous Cultivators had acted on their own, refusing to coordinate, which resulted in a collective siege from all the Daoist Soldier Puppets here.

A chaotic battle ensued between the two sides. The final result was that most of the Daoist Soldier Puppets were destroyed, and tens of thousands of Cultivators also perished here.

But now, with no outsiders present, Ling Changqing felt he should have the chance to act first. ’If I can control the core hub Array of the Star Lord Hall, perhaps I can claim all the opportunities here for myself?’