ISWI Chapter 311-312

Chapter 311: The Protector of the Newly Appointed Holy Son

In the vast expanse of the Great Yan Continent, the Heavenly Evolution Holy Land stood as a realm of boundless wonder. Towering peaks stretched endlessly, piercing the clouds, adorned with countless exotic spiritual flowers and fruits. Majestic waterfalls, thousands of feet high, cascaded like jade dragons, their shimmering mists blending with the pristine blue sky above, clear as crystal, untouched by even a speck of dust.

The interconnected mountain ranges seemed to pulse with an ancient charm, as if they formed a grand primordial formation, exuding an aura of desolate antiquity. Deep within these endless peaks, shrouded in ethereal mist, a colossal Cloud Summit Divine Palace loomed—half-real, half-illusory, floating like a mirage. It inspired awe and longing in all who beheld it.

Li Feihuang, clad in the robes of a direct disciple of the Heavenly Evolution Holy Land, gazed up at the divine palace. Though she had been in the Holy Land for three months and had seen this sight hundreds of times, she couldn't help but marvel from the depths of her heart. It felt as though she had stepped into a celestial realm.

Reflecting on her experiences over the past three months, Li Feihuang, with her graceful figure and flowing red hair, felt a surge of complex emotions. Her talent was far from ordinary. Even in the Holy Land, she qualified as a direct disciple, ranking comfortably in the upper echelons—not some obscure nobody. Yet, the ceiling of talent in the Holy Land was staggering, almost unbelievable.

Take Senior Brother Hua Yunfei, for instance. Not only did he possess a Heavenly Spirit Root, but he also bore the Divine King Body—one of the most formidable constitutions in the cultivation world. Legends spoke of a Divine King Body ascending to immortality in ancient times. It was a constitution with the potential to reach the heavens.

Then there was Senior Sister Dantai Xuan, no less extraordinary. Blessed with an exceptional spirit root, she had also inherited the legacy of an ancient immortal, propelling her to soar to unimaginable heights.

The Holy Land boasted three Holy Sons and three Holy Maidens, and aside from Hua Yunfei and Dantai Xuan, the other four were equally exceptional—peerless prodigies capable of slaying foes across cultivation realms. A Heavenly Spirit Root was merely their baseline; nearly all possessed top-tier constitutions or bloodlines.

But the Heavenly Evolution Holy Land's strength didn't end with its Holy Sons and Maidens. Each generation, only three men and three women among the direct disciples rose to those coveted titles, earned through fierce competition. Yet, even those who fell short were far from ordinary. Several of these near-misses also bore Heavenly Spirit Roots, and some possessed constitutions even more powerful than Li Feihuang's own Moon Phoenix Body.

Since arriving at the Holy Land, Li Feihuang had been thoroughly humbled. The pride she once carried had been tempered, replaced by a grounded resolve. Before coming here, she often dwelled on the humiliating moment when Ye Chen rejected her offer to serve as his attendant, barely sparing her a glance. But after three months in the Holy Land, she had let go of that resentment.

Ye Chen's talent, though impressive, paled in comparison to the gathered geniuses of the Holy Land. Now, as a disciple of a mighty Deity Transformation expert, Li Feihuang saw her path clearly. Surpassing Ye Chen was only a matter of time. Her true rivals were the Holy Land's supreme prodigies. Ye Chen was a relic of her past. If they ever crossed paths again, he would surely regret his dismissal.

With these thoughts swirling in her mind, Li Feihuang arrived at a radiant immortal peak, bathed in blazing sunlight and blooming with springtime flowers. Before a golden palace at the summit, where daylight seemed to converge, she bowed respectfully and said, "Disciple greets Master!"

Li Feihuang had encountered a snag in her cultivation, and today was the monthly guidance session with her master.

"Come in!" A mature, slightly husky voice, laced with an alluring edge, echoed through the hall. The grand doors swung open on their own.

Li Feihuang looked up and saw, seated on a jade cushion in the center of the hall, her master: Lin Qingtan. Even now, Li Feihuang couldn't help but be struck by her master's stunning presence. She considered her own figure impressive, yet compared to Lin Qingtan, she fell short. Her master's form was the epitome of graceful curves, her slender waist like a delicate willow branch bearing abundant fruit—a perfect embodiment of elegance.

But what drew the eye most were Lin Qingtan's legs, revealed beneath her palace gown. They were perfectly proportioned, like twin jade shoots, flawless in every way. The only pity was that her master's face was perpetually shrouded in mist, obscuring her features. Still, Li Feihuang was certain that Lin Qingtan's beauty was unrivaled in the mortal world.

Yet, there was one discordant note: her master's aura was chillingly cold. Despite the immortal peak basking in radiant sunlight, the palace gleaming like gold, Lin Qingtan exuded an icy presence that turned the grand hall into a frozen cavern. When they first met, Li Feihuang's blood had nearly frozen in her veins.

"What troubles you in your cultivation?" Lin Qingtan asked calmly, her gaze averted.

Li Feihuang bowed and sat, ready to speak, when a resonant bell tolled across the Holy Land, its sound reverberating in every heart. Lin Qingtan's misty eyes snapped open, as if receiving some unseen message. After a brief pause, she rose to her feet. Her long, perfectly proportioned legs, framed by her flowing gown, were a breathtaking sight as she stood.

"I must leave. Come back next month," she said.

Puzzled, Li Feihuang asked, "Master, what's happened?"

Lin Qingtan's voice was even. "A new Holy Son has emerged. The Holy Land is sending people to escort him back."

Li Feihuang blinked in surprise. "But aren't the Holy Son positions already filled?" There were only three slots per generation.

Lin Qingtan shook her head. "The Supreme Elders of the Holy Land hold special quotas. If they encounter a peerless prodigy, they may grant a token, instantly elevating the recipient to Holy Son."

Li Feihuang's shock deepened. The Supreme Elders were titans of the cultivation world, existences at the Great Ascension stage. To earn their recognition, this new Holy Son's talent must be extraordinary. But why would her master personally undertake such a task?

Sensing her disciple's confusion, Lin Qingtan didn't hold back. "I wish to become his Protector."

Li Feihuang's jaw dropped. She had never understood why powerful cultivators would choose to serve as Protectors for those weaker than themselves. True, the Holy Land offered incentives, and Holy Sons were undeniably prodigies, but for a powerhouse like her master, wasn't personal cultivation the priority? Constantly protecting someone—wouldn't that hinder one's own progress?

Perhaps because Li Feihuang was the descendant of an old acquaintance, Lin Qingtan showed her some indulgence. With a flick of her mind, she lifted Li Feihuang and soared toward the Cloud Summit Divine Palace. "Come. I'll show you the brilliance of a true prodigy."

The Holy Land's sky ship was preparing to depart. Escorting a Holy Son was a major event, requiring a vessel that could tear through the void at incredible speed. The Holy Land had also alerted nearby powerhouses to the location of the Holy Son's token, ensuring immediate aid if the token had been activated in distress.

Under Lin Qingtan's lead, they boarded the sky ship. Li Feihuang's eyes widened. Several Holy Land experts were already aboard, men and women alike, some with auras even more terrifying than her master's. As a mere late-stage Golden Core cultivator, she felt an instinctive dread in their presence.

Envy stirred within her. Was this the prestige of a Holy Son? A single signal from his token summoned such a host of mighty figures. But her expression soon shifted to disbelief. Were these experts also vying to become the new Holy Son's Protector? Did the powerhouses of the Heavenly Evolution Holy Land care that much for the younger generation?

The idea that these titans would compete to serve as a Protector for a newly appointed Holy Son was absurd. In that moment, Li Feihuang began to question everything she thought she knew.

Chapter 312: Competing to Be a Protector?

The sky ship, resembling a celestial palace, surged to life with unimaginable speed. In an instant, it vanished from the skies above the Heavenly Evolution Holy Land, leaving behind a chorus of gasps from the countless elders and disciples below. Murmurs rippled through the crowd, speculating about the kind of prodigy who could earn the recognition of a Supreme Elder. Could their talent rival that of Senior Brother Hua Yunfei or Senior Sister Dantai Xuan?

Hua Yunfei was absent from the Holy Land, while Dantai Xuan sat in serene cultivation, her exquisite face devoid of emotion. The tolling of the bell elicited no reaction from her, as if she were detached from all worldly concerns, untouched by desire or sentiment.

...

The sky ship tore through the void at a dizzying pace, its velocity exerting immense pressure. Lin Qingtan raised a hand, her skin as pale and translucent as porcelain forged in a snow-capped mountain, shielding the pale-faced Li Feihuang from the crushing force.

Li Feihuang's heart thrummed with awe. Her master's voice cut through the silence, calm and composed. "You guessed correctly. Most of the elders here hope to become the new Holy Son's Protector."

The confirmation left Li Feihuang reeling. She truly couldn't fathom it.

Lin Qingtan's face, veiled in mist, betrayed no emotion, but her voice carried a faint weight. "True prodigies are blessed by the heavens, their fates intertwined with astonishing fortune. Despite their already extraordinary talents, they stumble upon inheritances and treasures that ordinary cultivators could only dream of. It's as if the world's greatest boons are laid out just for them."

She continued, "The tides of destiny itself seem to shape the stage for their rise. This fortune even extends to those around them. Take the Protector of the Eternal Cosmos True Immortal, for example. A ninth-stage Mahayana cultivator, barred from immortality by a broken Immortal Path, he became the Eternal Cosmos True Immortal's Protector out of despair. Yet, while protecting the True Immortal through a dire crisis, he uncovered an impossible opportunity, reforging the Immortal Path. He not only saved Eternal Cosmos True Immortal but ascended to immortality himself."

"Such stories are not rare," Lin Qingtan said. "Many believe the heavens grant these opportunities to Protectors to ensure the prodigies they protect don't fall. But it's not all blessings. Often, Protectors are dragged down by the very prodigies they serve, perishing alongside them, especially when those prodigies stir up trouble. Others fail to reach the pinnacle of the immortal realm, proving themselves unworthy of the title 'true prodigy.'"

"Yet, despite the risks, those whose paths have stalled are still willing to try." Her voice grew quieter. "I am one of them. My path forward is broken, so I seek this chance."

Around them, the other Heavenly Evolution Holy Land powerhouses listened. Some remained impassive, while others nodded with faint smiles.

Li Feihuang's shock mingled with envy. So that was the truth behind Protectors. Perhaps this was the origin of the saying, "When one rises to the heavens, even their dogs ascend." True prodigies didn't just carve their own path to greatness—they could alter the destinies of those around them, compelling even stalled powerhouses to serve as their Protectors. It was an enviable existence, the mark of a supreme prodigy.

Having glimpsed the true heights of the cultivation world, Li Feihuang's thoughts drifted briefly to Ye Chen. But his image in her mind grew fainter. The more she learned, the clearer it became that Ye Chen, who once awed her, was insignificant. He wasn't worthy of being her goal. His shadow quickly faded from her thoughts.

Another question stirred in her mind, tinged with concern. "Master, you're only three hundred years old and already in the early Deity Transformation stage, with seven hundred years of life left. How could your path be broken?"

Lin Qingtan didn't answer. A chill emanated from her, spreading through the sky ship, her icy aura reinforcing her resemblance to a frost-clad beauty.

...

The grand formation guarding the Divine Will Sect's mountain gate shattered with a single grasp. The entire sect trembled as if the heavens had collapsed, the scene resembling an apocalyptic calamity. Yet Tian Mingzi, the one responsible for this devastation, remained utterly indifferent.

Stepping calmly from the sky ship, he walked through the void with unhurried steps. Each stride spanned tens of thousands of meters, and each step sent a tremor through the hearts of those below, as if their very heartbeats were under his control.

When Tian Mingzi finally halted above the Divine Will Sect, the countless cultivators within paled, some coughing up blood under the overwhelming pressure. Even the sect's Nascent Soul powerhouses were no exception. Only An Miaoli, wreathed in a faint mist, stood steady.

In that moment, a single thought gripped everyone's minds: the terror of a Deity Transformation powerhouse was beyond comprehension.

Tian Mingzi, the source of this oppressive dread, gazed down calmly at the crowd. Neither Divine Will Ancestor nor Ancestor Liu, despite their Nascent Soul cultivation, drew his attention for even a moment. His deep, fathomless eyes settled on An Miaoli.

"You possess remarkable talent," he said evenly. "To comprehend the Eternal Cosmos Furnace from a fragmented scripture and derive the Phoenix Spirit Fire from scattered True Phoenix Treasure Technique… to wield the strength of a mid-stage Nascent Soul while only at the early stage, even holding your own against a late-stage Nascent Soul…"

He paused, his voice growing colder. "My son is dead. You will bear me another."

With those words, Tian Mingzi raised a hand. A colossal hand of dark, ghostly energy emerged, stretching forward like a cage capable of seizing anything in existence.

Under its shadow, Divine Will Ancestor and Ancestor Liu trembled, their Nascent Souls quaking within them, rendering them powerless. Golden Core cultivators fared even worse, collapsing under the crushing pressure.

Only An Miaoli remained composed, her poetic and picturesque face serene even in the face of a Deity Transformation strike. With a calm expression, she raised her hand, conjuring the Eternal Cosmos Furnace, its divine light surging toward the ghostly hand.

Tian Mingzi's expression didn't waver. His massive hand moved to crush the furnace. But the moment they clashed, the furnace's divine shadow exploded with a deafening roar. Endless phoenix flames amplified the blast, its power exceeding all expectations. The ghostly hand was half-destroyed, forced to retreat.

An Miaoli, however, paid a steep price. Her face turned deathly pale, the effort of detonating the furnace's shadow clearly immense.

Tian Mingzi's eyes flickered with a trace of surprise, though his composure remained intact. After all, An Miaoli had only deflected a casual strike. Yet for an early-stage Nascent Soul cultivator to block a Deity Transformation attack spoke volumes of her extraordinary talent.

His interest piqued, Tian Mingzi reached for her again. An Miaoli, drained from her earlier feat, could no longer muster such a strike. Her aura surged, her inner power boiling as if preparing for a final stand. She wasn't afraid of death, but as her eyes turned toward Quiet Wonder Peak, they filled with regret.

She regretted holding back, restrained by hesitation, never taking that step closer to Ye Chen. Now, after today, there would be no more chances.

As Tian Mingzi's hand descended, An Miaoli's aura flared, ready to detonate herself in defiance. But at that moment, a gentle voice rang out: "Fellow Daoists, please hold for a moment! Do any of you know where my Junior Brother is?"

The voice carried a strange power. An Miaoli's surging Nascent Soul was instantly suppressed, and Tian Mingzi's terrifying ghostly hand froze, unable to advance an inch further.