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Translator: Fate
Translation Checker: Silavin
With the Upper Realm and Immortal Domain now sharing the same border, numerous prodigies from the Immortal Domain would come to the Upper Realm to hone their skills.
During this period of time, this was a common occurrence and not considered unusual. However, this was the first time everyone had seen a young man coming to the Upper Realm in just a high-profile manner. It almost appeared as though he was determined to make his presence known throughout the Upper Realm.
In addition, he had an old servant who was suspected to be a True Immortal, further fuelling speculation about his extraordinary background.
Most people remained intrigued and curious, but trust that he would not dare to act presumptuously in the Upper Realm, even if he had a True Immortal accompanying him. After all, even a legendary Immortal King would not dare to break the rules of the two Realms.
“My Lord, the Mortal Palace lies just beyond this Star Territory. Given my status, it would not be appropriate for me to accompany you any further. Therefore, I shall remain here.” The golden pathway extended from the territories of the Wang Family, traversing several Star Territories until it reached a vast one that was teeming with life. Upon reaching this point, Wang Wushuang, respectfully cupped his hand to inform that he would remain behind instead of proceeding any further.
With his hands behind his back, Ni Chen stood on the golden pathway. As he heard the remark from Wang Wushuang, he cast a glance at him, and frowned. He clearly revealed his displeasure.
Still, not wanting to create a fuss over such a trivial matter, he nodded and said, “Fine, you can stay here if that’s what you prefer.”
The Mortal Palace was just up ahead, so it made no difference whether Wang Wushuang led the way. Ni Chen had come to the Upper Realm with only one purpose in mind—to find Wang Zijin.
“Yes.” Wang Wushuang cast his gaze downwards. Before departing, he cast a final, meaningful glance at ‘Wang Wushang’, then leapt off the golden pathway.
Although he was unaware of ‘Wang Wushang’s’ status and influence in the Immortal Domain, he knew that the Mortal Palace ahead was an extremely unique place in the Upper Realm.
Almost everyone was aware that the Saintess Jiang Chuchu from the Mortal Palace was Gu Changge’s Wife. Moreover, the Mortal Palace always had a rule that prohibited any males from approaching its borders. As a result, all Upper Realm Forces regarded it as a forbidden territory.
Male cultivators, in particular, were wary of approaching, lest they incur any misunderstandings. When they were in the Immortal Wang Family Residence, an Ancestor had attempted to explain the transcendent status of the Mortal Palace, but ‘Wang Wushang’ did not bother to listen and cut him off.
“You’re the one who did this to yourself…” Wang Wushuang gazed upon the golden path that stretched out into the starry sky, and shook his head. [‘Wang Wushang’ claimed that he is searching for Sister, yet she had received no word of this. If she had, she wouldn’t have left the Immortal Wang Family Residence. Clearly Sister isn’t that close with him. Even I, as the Young Master of the Immortal Wang Family, still must tread carefully in the Upper Realm. This was not a place where you can show off.]
The golden pathway soon spilled beyond the borders of Mortal Palace.
Lush mountains and beautiful pavilions seemed to blend harmoniously with the magnificent landscape before his eyes. The Divine City floated high in the sky like a radiant Sun, casting its brilliance in every direction. Boundless Power of Faith and Fortuity streamed in from countless Star Territories, undulating like a majestic wave.
“What an incredible amount of Power of Faith…” Ni Chen was left in awe at the incredible scene before him. The more powerful one’s cultivation was, the more attuned he was to this kind of changes around them.
The entire place was bathed in the shimmering silver light of the Power of Faith. It was clear that if one could harness this power in their cultivation, they would be able to achieve incredible results with ease.
Just as he was about to proceed further, he was met by the sight of several female figures who appeared from the surrounding mountain range. All of them were looking at him coldly.
“Halt, intruder.” These women held slender swords in their hands, but their cultivation was not particularly high. From Ni Chen’s perspective, they were as insignificant as mere ants, yet they had the audacity to stop him.
Perhaps they were oblivious to his immense power and the old man accompanying him. Since Ni Chen was in the unfamiliar Upper Realm, he decided to exercise restraint and chose to avoid conflict.
“I have journeyed from the Immortal Domain in search of Lady Zijin.” He gracefully cupped his fist and spoke gently.
“No outsiders are allowed to set foot in the vicinity of the Mortal Palace. Please return, Young Master.” Upon hearing this, the women frowned but continued to deny his entry.
In the past, the mere mention of someone hailing from the Immortal Domain would have left them stunned. Times had changed in the Upper Realm, but so did the Mortal Palace. It was now backed by the Divine Empire and considered to be Jiang Chuchu’s ‘maiden home’. Its elevated status commanded respect from all Forces in the Upper Realm. Meanwhile, the disciples of Mortal Palace were revered like icons by outsiders and no one dared to show any form of disrespect towards them.
Although the young man claimed to be from the Immortal Domain, mentioned Wang Zijin, and even had an old servant with an unfathomable cultivation in his company, these factors did not matter in the Mortal Palace. Strict adherence to rules was of utmost importance here.
“I am actually Lady Zijin’s Cousin who hails from the Immortal Domain,” Ni Chen revealed with a slight frown. The once gentle expression on his face had now faded considerably, reflecting his displeasure at being stopped by these women who seemed to not appreciate the kindness he had previously shown to them.
“In the Mortal Palace, you will have to abide by the rules, regardless of your status. We hope that you won’t make things difficult for us, Young Master. Even if Saintess Zijin’s Father wishes to meet her, he must also abide by our rules and wait outside. If you truly desire to see Saintess Zijin, you may wait here. We shall inform you once Saintess Zijin departs from the Mortal Palace, or alternatively, you may contact her directly. Should she wish to see you, she will undoubtedly make an appearance.” Despite hearing Ni Chen’s revelation, the women remained steadfast in their decision to have him wait.
“I have to keep waiting here?” Ni Chen frown etched itself deeper onto his face. His time was precious, and his journey from the Immortal Domain to the Upper Realm had been a deliberate and calculated decision. Yet, here he was, being told to waste his time waiting.
“May I request your assistance in reporting this matter to Lady Zijin?” He asked in a low voice, his displeasure quite evident at this point.
The women shook their heads and refused. They were patrollers, it was not their responsibility to do so. The Mortal Palace never had any rules that prohibited communication. Surely, this person had a way to contact Saintess Zijin directly if he needed to see her, rather than relying on disciples like them to pass along the message.
Ni Chen’s face finally fell. He initially came to the Upper Realm without any intention to cause trouble, but these women from the Mortal Palace just had to get in his way and completely disregard his status and background.
While he did not mind his own personal status, he could not ignore the fact that the body he was occupying was a descendant of the Immortal Wang Family. This should make him a highly respected individual, even in the Immortal Domain. It was almost unbelievable for him to face such obstacles one after another in the Upper Realm.
“Then I can only apologise to all of you.” After a deep breath, Ni Chen’s face regained its composure. Before any of the women could react, Ni Chen made his move.
A vibrant purple halo glowed in his eyes, before spreading out like ripples that enveloped the women. In an instant, their minds became clouded, and their eyes glazed over.
Ni Chen and the old True Immortal expert then made their way past the women. Their surroundings grew hazy and both of them vanished into thin air.
Although the power of a True Immortal was suppressed and controlled in the Upper Realm, infiltrating the ranks of a Sect without detection was still an effortless task to them. Only True Daoists with heightened divine senses could hope to detect their presence.
…
Meanwhile at the palace…
The hall was filled with the sweet aroma of wine. The hazy atmosphere made the place seem like a celestial palace, but the two drunk women in the hall destroyed the illusion.
Gu Changge was staring at Jiang Chuchu, who had rolled her sleeves up and was tilting her head backward, gulping down the contents of the wine bottle. He felt an impending headache. Previously, Jiang Chuchu had always projected an image of being reserved and aloof, yet gentle and innocent inside. He never anticipated that she would look like this after drinking.
“Is wine really capable of bringing out one’s true nature?” Gu Changge grinned and swiftly took the wine bottle from Jiang Chuchu’s hand. As he did so, she clung to him like an octopus, nuzzling her head against his chest. The sweet aroma of wine immediately filled his nose.
“Husband… Give me back the wine,” she whined. Her breath reeked of alcohol as she persistently nuzzled against Gu Changge’s neck.
“You’re drunk, Chuchu.” Gu Changge could only rub Jiang Chuchu’s head in defeat.
This was a wine that Immortal Kings drank. While Jiang Chuchu was undoubtedly talented, overindulging had its consequences. He glanced over at Wang Zijin, who seemed to have already passed out on the stone table.
[She’s the one who brought this wine to the Mortal Palace and called me here just to get me to witness Jiang Chuchu’s drunken state. If Jiang Chuchu ever found out about this when she wakes up, she might start a terrible fight with Wang Zijin. That would most likely destroy their fake Sisterhood.]
“Give it to me… I’m not done yet…” Jiang Chuchu was completely intoxicated. Although she recognised Gu Changge standing before her, she could not be certain if she was dreaming. Her head was spinning as she tried to snatch the wine bottle from his grasp.
Despite Gu Changge’s love and affection for her, he knew better than to let her consume any more alcohol. With a swift motion, he rolled up his sleeves and the wine bottle vanished into thin air.
“Huh… Where did it go?” Jiang Chuchu gazed at his palm, but it was empty. She was momentarily stunned, unable to process what had just happened.
Her momentary clarity was short-lived before the alcohol took hold of her senses once again, clouding her mind. Her eyelids grew heavy, and she collapsed into Gu Changge’s arms, completely limp.
“Have a good rest.” Gu Changge gracefully carried her into the one of the bedchambers in the Mortal Palace. He had lived here for a rather long time, so he knew the place like the back of his hand. As he re-entered the hall, Wang Zijin greeted him with a charming smile, propping her face with her hands. She did not seem to be drunk at all.
“Is this how you trick Chuchu?” Gu Changge settled himself down beside her without a hint of surprise on his face.
Wang Zijin had tasted the Immortal King Wine during her time in the Queen Lunar Residence in the Immortal Domain, it was only natural for her to know how strong it was. Given how smart she was, it was impossible for her to get drunk again. She simply pretended to be drunk to trick Jiang Chuchu.
Wang Zijin smiled as she spoke, “How can you call it tricking her? This is the wine that I personally brought back from the Immortal Domain. Even I am reluctant to drink it myself. She actually drank half a bottle of it. Oh, how badly my heart aches. She may even break through after waking up. As her Husband, shouldn’t you compensate me for this?”
She extended her delicate hand and motioned for Gu Changge to return the remaining wine to her.
Gu Changge pretended to not understand the meaning of her gesture and shook his head. “You clearly know that she tends to spout nonsense after drinking.”
“Hmph, you’re feeling sorry for her?” Wang Zijin curled her lips, displaying a clear distaste towards him. “Before you came, Chuchu confided in me about a lot of things. I must admit, I was surprised. I never expected you would deceive Chu Chu like that, Demon Lord.”
Gu Changge did not even blush at the mention of this past incident. He merely responded calmly, “It’s a bit too much to accuse me of deceiving her. Chuchu and I are in love, we’re nothing like how you described.”
“Ever since our first encounter, your shamelessness never ceases to impress me.” Wang Zijin looked genuinely impressed when she heard Gu Changge’s response. Even in his presence, she remained unreserved and unafraid.
“You didn’t ask me to come to the Mortal Palace just to make me see Chuchu in her drunken state, right?” Gu Changge smiled.
“Of course.” Wang Zijin frowned, then extended her hand once again. “Give it back.”
“Fine. Do you really think I’d steal your wine?” Gu Changge shook his head slightly and returned the wine bottle to her. He would never stoop so low as to steal half a bottle of wine from her, even if it was something precious to Immortal Kings.
“I’m in a bad mood. Drink with me.” After Wang Zijin retrieved the wine, she poured a cup for Gu Changge and then poured another for herself.
“Are you sure you want to drink with me, with this particular wine?” Gu Changge’s lips curved into a mysterious smile.
Wang Zijin glared at him. “Why do you care?”
“I think you are trying to use this wine to embolden your timid self.” Gu Changge continued smiling.
Wang Zijin clenched her teeth in frustration as Gu Changge hit the nail on the head, feeling embarrassed and annoyed.
“Who are you calling timid?” She spat angrily, wanting to get up and bite Gu Changge. In the next moment, she felt Gu Changge’s hand gently pressing down on her head as he leaned closer to her with a smile.
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