Chapter Ninety: The Mysterious Man

Settle at the edge of the world, lingering fondly amidst the splendor of nature.
The cold plum blossom is the most resentful, always blooming as last year's flower.
Suddenly, seeing the plum tree in full bloom by the emerald bay,
Uncertain how many springs have passed, one suspects it to be the Plum Maiden herself.

Lingering over the subtle meaning hidden within the verse, Leng Tian glanced again toward the crystal platform’s far end, where a solitary and chill palace stood. A deep sense of emotion stirred within him—surely, the master of this place must be a lover of plum blossoms, their name undoubtedly connected to the flower; otherwise, how could the poem have called her the Plum Maiden?

His gaze returned to the crystal stele, now revealing that it was, astonishingly, constructed from staircase steps. This revelation shook him further—removing the steps from a suspended ladder was no trivial feat. Such a task implied that the individual’s cultivation must also be of divine rank. For this seemingly ordinary ladder was bound by cosmic laws, reinforced with constraints; to remove even a single step without shattering or violating the rules spoke volumes about the power wielded by its remover—undeniably a divine presence.

Contemplating this, Leng Tian took no pause, striding directly toward the crystal palace. Upon entering, his eyes immediately caught sight of a luminous pillar etched with images and words. Behind it loomed a barrier of restrictive energy, its surface shimmering with flickering inscriptions that emitted a faint, ethereal glow.

Advancing to the pillar, Leng Tian looked upward along its length, only to behold a void filled with dancing plum blossoms. Outside, nothing could be seen, but the palace’s vaulted ceiling was dyed with this plum blossom-filled emptiness.

“Truly fitting for a divine abode—to bring the outer void within the palace’s dome. The mastery over cosmic laws is truly admirable...” Leng Tian sighed, impressed.

Approaching the wall of runic seals, he felt waves of oppressive cosmic energy emanating from it. Stirred, he lifted his right hand tentatively to press against the energy barrier.

The moment his palm made contact, the runes flickered faintly, repelling him with a shock that flung his body backward. His figure slipped across the crystalline floor, and startled, he unleashed a fierce aura through his body to dispel the residual backlash. Planting his right foot firmly, he flipped midair and landed, his complexion pale.

“What a terrifying pressure! Even this slight emanation is overwhelmingly forceful—divine abodes are truly untouchable!” Leng Tian circulated his profound energy, regulating his breath several times until his color returned.

Unexpectedly, a soft yet icy voice pierced the air, dripping with disdainful pride: “I never imagined such a humble mortal warrior would possess divine power. Surely you have inherited the legacy of some divine being!”

Leng Tian’s expression shifted dramatically as he looked toward the energy barrier, where a phantom silhouette flickered faintly. The figure’s graceful form suggested a woman, suffused with unparalleled divine might that directly assailed Leng Tian’s soul.

“You are a divine abode...” Leng Tian’s spirit trembled uncontrollably, his body involuntarily shuddering as he struggled to utter the words, questioning the apparition.

“Impudent... Do you presume ‘divine abode’ is a title you may casually use?” The woman’s voice was frigid and aloof. At once, a vast surge of divine might burst forth.

With a thud, Leng Tian’s features contorted as he knelt, enveloped by the divine power. “Don’t think that having divine inheritance grants you license to be reckless before me. Your arrogance implies a remarkable lineage. Let me see whose legacy you carry!”

The female divine abode finished speaking, and Leng Tian immediately felt an icy chill creeping from his feet upward, countless white specks of light swirling before converging upon his body.

He sensed the utmost cold radiating from these points. “This is... ice-law divine power...” No sooner had he spoken than his body, except for his neck and head, was encased in glacial ice. The extreme cold instantly froze his flesh and blood.

Leng Tian’s mind went blank; beyond thought, it felt as if his body ceased to exist. Even his cognition slowed. “How unlucky...” he lamented silently. The woman had shown mercy—otherwise, with his current cultivation, a mere thought from a divine abode could have reduced him to ashes.

“Your body’s resilience is admirable. Oh? You even possess a bloodline inheritance. Then I must see whose legacy you truly bear!” The goddess spoke again, extending a thread of divine consciousness to probe Leng Tian’s soul, intent on reading all his memories.

“Doomed...” Leng Tian’s heart sank in regret. Why had he been so curious as to attract such a fearsome deity? Now, with his soul to be searched, all his secrets would be laid bare!

The divine consciousness swiftly drove Leng Tian’s pitiable spirit into the far corners of his mind. As his soul was invaded, he felt himself slipping into unconsciousness, thoughts descending into darkness. Just as his spirit was about to succumb completely, a thunderous buzzing filled the air.

The ice formed by the divine power around him was illuminated by a blue radiance emanating from his dantian. In the blink of an eye, the ice shattered into its most primitive energy particles, the divine power within them wholly absorbed by the azure glow.

At the same moment, a more robust and domineering divine consciousness surged forth from the brilliant blue greatsword in his dantian, rushing into his mind. “Begone...” the fierce command rang out like a heavenly decree, shattering the goddess’s probing consciousness.

A stifled grunt escaped as the goddess’s form trembled within the barrier, her tone tinged with alarm as she cautiously spoke, “Who are you, great one? Plum Maiden means no offense; please calm your wrath...”

“Tsk, tsk... Weren’t you boasting earlier? How come you’ve turned meek now?” A second phantom emerged from Leng Tian’s dantian.

This figure was a middle-aged man garbed in pure white robes, his long hair floating behind him as if stirred by windless air. His towering presence was like a mountain standing before Leng Tian, hands clasped behind his back as he faced the goddess.

Freed from the goddess’s oppressive might, Leng Tian rubbed his eyes in disbelief, affirming the reality of the scene. “Who is this? When did he enter my body? How did I not notice at all?”

“Boy, you embarrass me. With your pitiful cultivation, you still think you can detect my presence? Do you think divine beings are idle? Seems I am no longer fated to be divine!” the man chided.

Leng Tian’s mouth fell open as he timidly asked, “May I ask, sir, which great deity you are? I don’t know you, so how could I possibly embarrass you?”

“Exactly my style. I say you’ve embarrassed me, so you have. What are you going to do about it? Fight me?”

Leng Tian sighed inwardly, clasped his hands, and bowed, “Please continue. Let’s just pretend I was talking nonsense before!”

“Sounds about right...” The man never turned to glance at Leng Tian. His voice then grew firm and commanding: “With your cultivation at the peak of the Divine Return stage, you are still so arrogant. Do you know that in the realm of divine beings, your level is the lowest of the low? To me, you’re nothing. Not only you, but even the ancient divine abodes at the Everlasting Life stage wouldn’t dare utter a word in my presence!”

Hearing the white-robed man’s confident assertions stirred a tempest within Leng Tian’s heart. Divine Return at its peak, and Everlasting Life divine abodes treated with disdain—what kind of being was this man?

“To look down on Everlasting Life deities, only a supreme Celestial Being could match that power. No one surpasses that!” Leng Tian’s eyes gleamed with profound respect as he regarded the man’s silhouette.

“Please calm yourself, great one. Plum Maiden acted on impulse. I beg your forgiveness!” The goddess’s voice was tinged with grievance. Since her divine ascension two thousand years ago, she had never bowed so low before anyone, much less witnessed such overwhelming suppression.

Indeed, this Plum Maiden goddess was young compared to the ancient divine abodes she had never encountered. In her era, the peak of Divine Return was the highest rank. Among peers, she always spoke with lofty pride. Today’s humbling was unprecedented.

She was now immobilized, unable to move an inch. The man’s vast and silent divine pressure bore down directly upon her spirit. Had he intended harm, her soul would have shattered long ago.

“Do not be nervous. I have no interest in your beauty; I only despise your prideful nature! In the ancient golden age, when divine beings roamed freely and Celestial Transformations were common as dogs, arrogance like yours would have cost you your divine status and dissolved you into nothingness!”

“Is that what Zhuanzhuang said? Divine beings everywhere, Celestial Transformations like dogs? What a scene that must have been! Dining at an inn where every waiter was at the Profound, Mortal Transcendent, or Celestial Transformation stage?” Leng Tian dared not imagine further, fearing he might lose his martial focus.

Hearing this, the goddess’s anger surged. She thought bitterly of that faithless man who still awaited her forgiveness, cursing silently, “Men are all no good...”

The man seemed to catch the goddess’s thoughts and teased, “You have quite the temper. Judging by your scornful expression, were you recently dumped?”

“I must endure...” she warned herself inwardly.

“Enough. One last question: why do you lesser gods waste time setting up such trivial games? Is it some rule?”

Noticing the goddess’s change in expression, the man’s interest waned as he asked the question aloud.

At this, the goddess regained her composure, pride returning as she replied respectfully, “It was arranged by the Elder Sky God himself!”

“Oh, that old immortal. Didn’t expect him to still linger in this realm. Has he become some ancient lackey now?” the man muttered.

His words instantly deflated the goddess’s haughty demeanor. The Sky God was an awe-inspiring being, whose reputation echoed through the ages. To hear him dismissed so casually was shocking.

“That’s enough. You may leave now...” With a wave, the man sent the goddess hurtling deep into the energy barrier.

“I wonder if that arrogant Biluotian Sage still lingers...” he murmured, turning to Leng Tian. “Boy, carry on. And remember, don’t disgrace me again.” With that, he vanished.

Leng Tian stood dazed for a moment before regaining clarity. The man’s departure had inexplicably plunged him into a state of clarity.

Once fully awake, Leng Tian immersed his spirit into his dantian, carefully probing the vast sea of qi and energy within. After a long while, he opened his eyes with a sigh. “Who exactly was that? And why is he so fixated on me embarrassing him?”

“Forget it...” Leng Tian gave up dwelling on the matter, turning his gaze toward the runic light pillar. After a moment’s thought, he stepped forward into the glowing formation.

The sharp edge of martial path continues...
Chapter Ninety: The Mysterious Man — Updated.