Ch. 98 - The Gathering of Three Imperial Lineages

Condensing one’s True Fate is one of the most important stages in a martial artist’s life. The better the True Fate you condense, the more powerful it becomes when you later reach the Imperial Meridian Realm and your fate manifests.

Xu Zimo didn’t plan to follow the same path he took in his previous life. His goal was the World Pearl.

If he could forge the World Pearl into his True Fate, he could condense an entire world within himself.

Though such a world would be a pseudo-world, incomparable to a true world, even a fake one held immense power.

Using the top-ranked item from the World’s Rarest Treasures List as one’s True Fate, such a feat would be unprecedented.

…

As Xu Zimo pondered these things while eating, a woman dressed in black ascended the stairs.

The moment she appeared, the bustling second floor instantly fell silent. It was as if the very air turned colder.

The woman wore tight black leather clothing, her figure striking. She had short, ear-length hair and a long black blade strapped to her back.

As she climbed the stairs, many patrons forgot to eat. They simply stared, dazed.

After scanning the floor and finding no vacant seats, the woman sat directly at Xu Zimo’s table.

Xu Zimo glanced at her, then calmly continued eating.

The woman chuckled with interest. “You’re not afraid of me?”

“Afraid of what?” Xu Zimo replied coolly.

“Aren’t you scared I might kill you?” she said with a smirk.

“You can’t. And neither can your Purgatory Sacred Ground,” he answered, shaking his head.

Xu Zimo knew her, from his previous life. Her name was Sha Qinghua, known in the martial world as the Black Demoness, and she was this generation’s Holy Daughter of the Purgatory Sacred Ground.

The surname Sha (meaning “slaughter”) was rare, but her ancestry was well known.

Her ancestor was Grand Emperor Sha, the second Grand Emperor of the Purgatory Sacred Ground, and she was his direct descendant.

In four words, she could be described as cold-blooded and ruthless. She was a true demon who killed without blinking.

It was said that once, simply because a disciple from a sect unknowingly offended her, she stormed their mountain and slaughtered the entire sect.

What amused Xu Zimo, however, was that in his previous life, this vicious and unyielding demoness fell in love with Chu Yang.

In front of Chu Yang, she was gentle and obedient, like a docile kitten, and eventually became one of his many lovers.

…

“Are you from the True Martial Sacred Ground, or the Divine Sun Sacred Ground?” Sha Qinghua asked, clearly intrigued.

In the Western Region, there were only three Imperial Lineages. Only the True Martial and Divine Sun Sacred Grounds could contend with the Purgatory Sacred Ground.

“Why should I tell you?” Xu Zimo asked with a faint smile.

“Don’t think I wouldn’t dare kill you just because you’re from an Imperial Lineage,” she snorted arrogantly.

“I heard people call you the ‘Lady Death Demon’ behind your back. Is that true?” Xu Zimo asked with a grin.

“You’re courting death!” Sha Qinghua snapped, instantly drawing her blade.

But someone was faster.

Clang!

A flash of dazzling light slashed across Sha Qinghua’s hand. A deep wound appeared on the back of her hand, flesh split, blood pouring.

“This is a warning. If you ever draw your blade in front of me again, next time I’ll take your head,” Xu Zimo said calmly, still picking food off his plate as if nothing had happened.

No one saw how his blade had moved. All they saw was a flash of white light, and then blood.

“I’ll remember you,” Sha Qinghua said coldly, staring at Xu Zimo.

“Oh?” Xu Zimo nodded. “Then be sure to remember me for the rest of your life, don’t forget.”

Sha Qinghua looked down at the deep cut on her hand. Without even frowning, she turned and left.

…

After finishing his meal, Xu Zimo also got up and left.

As soon as he was gone, the previously silent second floor erupted in noisy chatter as everyone speculated about his identity.

The Palace of Paintings had already appeared days earlier, but entry rules hadn’t yet been finalized, no one could enter yet.

The entry rules were usually decided by the three Emperor-lineage sects. Rogue cultivators and smaller sects could only hope to tag along for scraps.

Now, with the Purgatory Sacred Ground already present, only the True Martial and Divine Sun Sacred Grounds had yet to arrive.

Xu Zimo made his way to the western region of Violet Sun City and saw a massive palace floating in mid-air.

The palace looked surreal, almost like a painting. From every angle, it seemed to shift, its contours flowing like brushstrokes, creating a sense of unreality.

Yet the palace was real.

Rumor had it that Heartless Painter, during his breakthrough to the Empyrean Meridian Realm, was struck by inspiration and painted a palace on a scroll.

Thunder rumbled, and spiritforce surged ninety thousand miles, then the painted palace manifested into the real world.

Whether that legend was true, no one knew.

…

By now, many people had gathered beneath the Palace of Paintings. Not only had the three major Imperial Lineages sent representatives, but elite sects like Immortal Spirit Sect and Sacred Spring Sect had come to compete as well.

Xu Zimo had only just arrived when gasps of astonishment erupted from the crowd.

“It’s the True Martial Sacred Ground!”

He looked up to see a massive Sageship approaching rapidly from the distance. As it drew near, its details became clearer.

Standing atop the ship was the First Grand Elder, his green robe fluttering in the wind, his white hair billowing behind him.

Beside him stood three disciples: his grandson Shao Xingyu, his top disciple Zhong Xin, and Meng Kuo, the chief disciple of Xu Qingshan.

As the Sageship neared the Palace of Paintings, a sharp beastly roar rang out from afar.

Everyone turned to see a massive Golden Crow soaring through the sky.

It was tens of meters long, blazing like a rising sun, its entire body cloaked in flames.

“The Divine Sun Sacred Ground has arrived too,” someone gasped.

“Tch, they’re still as flashy as ever,” another scoffed.

As the airship and the Golden Crow both approached, a figure could be seen seated cross-legged in the air near the Palace of Paintings.

It was an old man, wreathed in dark mist. His eyes had been closed, but now suddenly opened as he stood.

“Elder Shao, Elder Xing, you’ve finally arrived,” he said with a smile.

“Elder Heiyan, sorry to keep you waiting,” said the Grand Elder of the True Martial Sacred Ground, stepping forward along with the elder from the Divine Sun Sacred Ground.

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