Chapter 3: Absurd

"If Shen Qingluan caught Senior Su's eye, doesn't that mean… she possesses a Sacred Body?"

An elder of the Xuantian Sect, one of the Five Great Sects, wore a look of pure shock.

The ancestor who founded the Xuantian Sect had once been a disciple of the Xuantian Holy Land, and the sect desperately hoped to return to its fold.

If news of a Sacred Body made it back, that would be a monumental contribution for the Xuantian Sect!

Once confirmed, the moment Shen Qingluan arrived at the Xuantian Holy Land, she'd directly become the Holy Maiden.

"You handle things here. I'm heading back to the sect immediately for urgent business!"

The Xuantian Sect elder rushed off in a panic, dumping his duties straight onto the deacon beside him!

The other four great sects, along with the Imperial Family temple, surrounded Wang Teng, politely asking about the location of the Lingxiao Sect.

Since they were all devoted to the Dao, sending their geniuses over might just let them latch onto this thigh, right?

"Seniors, I don't mean to discourage you!"

"Even my high-grade Gold Spirit Root wasn't qualified. If just anyone goes to bother him, I'm afraid it'll only annoy Senior Su!"

This…

The Imperial Family offered sacrifices and the others exchanged glances, but Wang Teng had already quietly slipped away.

He had to hurry back and tell his father the good news.

…

Meanwhile.

At the mountain gate of the Lingxiao Sect.

"Sect Master!"

Su Kuang had just returned when two Venerable Realm guards respectfully bowed.

Shen Qingluan swallowed hard. Even the gatekeepers… seemed to have the strength of an Imperial Family attendant!

And with such an imposing mountain gate, the inside must be spectacular, right?

【Stay calm! The foundation of an ancient sect like this far exceeds your imagination!】

The Ice Emperor was a peak Great Emperor before her death; she had seen a much vaster world.

This was just because the Lingxiao Sect had recently re-emerged. Otherwise, having a Saint guard the gate wouldn't be anything strange.

After the Ice Emperor spoke, Shen Qingluan was carried by Su Kuang as they flew into the sect.

Looking at the dozen or so main peaks floating illusorily in mid-air, both the Ice Emperor and Shen Qingluan were somewhat surprised.

"Sect Master Peak… materialize!"

Su Kuang dispersed his Dharma Body, his true form appearing before Shen Qingluan, and directly used the Sect Master Peak Materialization Card!

The next moment.

The originally illusory Sect Master Peak gradually became real before the eyes of Shen Qingluan and Li Qingtian, step by step.

By the time it turned into reality, Shen Qingluan was completely stunned.

Creating something out of thin air—what kind of method was this? It completely exceeded her understanding!

"Qingluan, have that fellow Daoist inside your ring come out!"

As expected…

Shen Qingluan's heart tightened. The Ice Emperor sighed softly and drifted out from the ring.

"Xue Weiyang greets Senior Su!"

【System, is there any miracle pill that can resurrect her on the spot?】

[Ding! Target detected as a peak Great Emperor Realm remnant soul. Host recruiting her into the sect will be rewarded with a Nine Revolutions Soul Returning Pill!]

Huh?

Peak Great Emperor Realm?

Su Kuang thought she was some Saint King remnant soul, or maybe a Quasi-Emperor remnant soul. He didn't expect her background to be this huge!

【Wait, this is my first time meeting this Xue Weiyang. If I help her restore her physical body and she runs off immediately, then what?】

Even though Su Kuang was invincible within the sect and could condense a Dharma Body to hunt her down.

But if he really did that, what would he gain?

Xue Weiyang wasn't Li Qingtian, who would be one hundred percent loyal to him!

[Ding! Host, please rest assured. Anyone who successfully joins the Lingxiao Sect will be forcibly erased and denied any possibility of resurrection if they betray the Lingxiao Sect or act against the host!]

Good, good. With that, using the Nine Revolutions Soul Returning Pill would be completely worry-free!

"Senior, did you take a liking to Qingluan's Ice Phoenix Sacred Body?"

Seeing Su Kuang stay silent, Xue Weiyang took the initiative to speak.

If Su Kuang was willing to make a move, then there'd be no obstacles to Qingluan awakening her Ice Phoenix Sacred Body!

Su Kuang nodded, signaling Xue Weiyang to continue.

From her tone, it seemed she knew she also needed to help Shen Qingluan awaken the Ice Phoenix Sacred Body.

"If Senior is willing to act, you'll have to make a trip to Snow Province to retrieve the Ice Soul Snow Lotus and the Profound Ice Essence!"

Snow Province?

That was outside Xuan Province's borders?

"No need for all that trouble. Qingluan, refine this Sacred Body Awakening Pill!"

Huh?

Xue Weiyang's small mouth parted slightly, her remnant soul gently floating.

Sacred Body Awakening Pill?

Just from the name, you could tell it was specifically used to awaken a Sacred Body, but… a divine pill like this, she had never even heard of it!

"This…"

Shen Qingluan glanced at Xue Weiyang. The latter snapped out of her daze and nodded gently.

"If Senior Su wanted to harm us, he wouldn't need to go through all this trouble!"

"Thank you, Sect Master!"

Shen Qingluan respectfully bowed to Su Kuang, then sat cross-legged on the spot to refine the Sacred Body Awakening Pill.

"Fellow Daoist Xue, as you can see, my Lingxiao Sect only re-emerged yesterday. The other Peak Masters are still slumbering!"

"So… are you willing to join the Lingxiao Sect?"

Join the Lingxiao Sect?

Xue Weiyang looked down at her current state and gave a bitter smile.

"Senior Su, in my current state…"

"Don't worry about that. This Seat has a way to restore your physical body!"

Restore my physical body?

Xue Weiyang's eyes lit up. Shen Qingluan had joined the Lingxiao Sect, so there was no way she'd leave either!

It's just…

"It's hard to refuse such kindness. Weiyang has no reason to decline!"

"It's just… my enemies are likely still alive. I'm afraid I'll bring unnecessary trouble to the Lingxiao Sect in the future!"

Trouble?

Just crush it!

Su Kuang was about to speak when a wave of cold air rapidly condensed into ice around Shen Qingluan.

If left unchecked, the entire Lingxiao Sect would turn into a world of ice and snow.

Above Shen Qingluan's head, a hundred-meter-tall illusion of an ice phoenix looked like it was about to come alive.

Su Kuang waved his hand, trapping Shen Qingluan and the cold air together within a hundred-meter radius.

[Ding! Shen Qingluan has successfully awakened her Sacred Body. Rewarding host with a God-level technique: Chaos Dao Scripture · Volume One!]

Seeing Shen Qingluan successfully awaken her Sacred Body, Su Kuang waved his large hand and dispersed the barrier.

[Ding! Shen Qingluan's cultivation has broken through to the tenth layer of Qi Refining. Hundredfold Return triggered. Host's cultivation raised to the late stage of Spirit Gathering Realm!]

Qi Refining had ten layers, but starting from Spirit Gathering, there were only four minor realms: early, middle, late, and peak.

Su Kuang was very satisfied with this realm return. It let him skip Qi Refining entirely!

"She… she really awakened a Sacred Body…"

Seeing Shen Qingluan successfully awaken the Ice Phoenix Sacred Body, Xue Weiyang felt her entire worldview shatter!

"No need to worry. The trouble you mentioned is utterly insignificant to This Seat!"

Su Kuang looked at Xue Weiyang unhurriedly. Without another word, she bowed to Su Kuang in her remnant soul form.

"From today onward, Weiyang's life belongs to the Sect Master!"

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for successfully recruiting a peak Great Emperor Realm remnant soul. Reward: one Nine Revolutions Soul Returning Pill!]

Seeing this, Li Qingtian tactfully retreated.

Leaving behind Su Kuang, Shen Qingluan, and Xue Weiyang's remnant soul.

Su Kuang took out the Nine Revolutions Soul Returning Pill and placed it in front of Xue Weiyang.

"Refine it, and you can restore your physical body!"

Xue Weiyang's eyes burned with fervor. Without a single trace of hesitation, she began refining the Nine Revolutions Soul Returning Pill.

As the Nine Revolutions Soul Returning Pill took effect, gradually, a pair of snow-white, delicate jade feet came into view first.

Immediately after, a stunningly beautiful mature woman wearing a snow-white long dress appeared before Su Kuang and Shen Qingluan.

"Wow! Master, you're so beautiful!"