This trip to Illusory Waves Mountain and the escalating conflict with the Holy Sword Palace had given Palace Master Danchi an acute sense of crisis. Although Dan Qian Palace's martial strength had improved greatly over the years, when compared to the other fourth-grade sects, it still fell short in terms of martial heritage and foundation.
Elder Yunnie had also learned a great deal from this experience. He had originally felt that Palace Master Danchi's vigorous promotion of the martial path was weakening the alchemy tradition at Dan Qian Palace.
Now he understood — in a world governed by martial power, promoting the martial path was never wrong. Even if it occasionally meant sacrificing something in the alchemy department, that was not necessarily a mistake either.
During this alchemy competition at Illusory Waves Mountain, why had the Holy Sword Palace dared to provoke Dan Qian Palace time and again?
There was only one reason — the Holy Sword Palace held a decisive edge over Dan Qian Palace in martial cultivation.
Wang Jianyu, Wang Han, and that Elder Chen had provoked Dan Qian Palace repeatedly, leaving a deep impression on Elder Yunnie.
In the martial world, strength commanded respect.
This was especially true in situations where factions competed for supremacy, where the pecking order was laid bare for all to see.
Take Shen Qinghong as an example. Back at Dan Qian Palace's Danxia Valley, he could practically command the winds and rains with a flip of his hand. But at Illusory Waves Mountain, having failed to break through to the Sacred realm, he fell short when compared to the other top-tier geniuses.
Moreover, after being provoked by Wang Han on multiple occasions, Shen Qinghong had only been able to swallow his anger in silence.
The martial world could be brutally realistic like that. The strong ruled supreme.
Being a hair stronger meant you could lord it over others. Being a hair weaker meant you had to endure in silence.
Inside Jiang Chen's cave dwelling, despite his three-month absence, there had been no disorder whatsoever. His followers clearly placed absolute faith in him. Even with no word from their young master, they held a firm belief in their hearts that he would return — it was only a matter of time.
Hadn't their young master made a triumphant return when everyone in the Treasure Tree Sect had written him off as dead after being trapped in the Indestructible Spirit Mountain?
Trapped in Illusory Waves Mountain this time, they were just as confident that Jiang Chen would return victorious.
"Sister Huang'er, our young master has been away for a while. You've been working hard looking after things," Gouyu said, feeling genuinely apologetic toward Huang'er.
Ever since Jiang Chen had left, he had entrusted the management of the cave dwelling to her.
Huang'er smiled softly. "Sister Gouyu, your young master saved my life. What little I've done here is nothing worth mentioning."
Princess Gouyu watched Huang'er's gentle expression and heard the lightness in her voice, and she felt an indescribable something stir within her. She could not shake the sense that Huang'er's bearing ought to be the most elegant and unmatched in the world, yet she had grown into such a plain appearance.
For that reason, Gouyu felt both genuine fondness for Huang'er and a measure of sympathy.
Huang'er was a woman of both outward grace and inner wisdom. She recognized the sympathy in Gouyu's gaze — likely because of her own ugly appearance — but she only offered a faint smile without going into explanations.
"Sister Gouyu, there's no need for you to worry. I can tell your young master is a man of great fortune. Even if he hasn't returned yet, give it some time and he will."
Gouyu nodded. "Of course. Since our young master first set foot in the world, he's faced countless battles great and small, and there's never been a situation he couldn't overcome."
The two were still chatting when footsteps sounded from outside. It was Jiang Chen's cousin and personal guard, Xue Tong.
"Greetings, Miss Huang'er. Greetings, Princess Gouyu."
Gouyu asked quickly, "Xue Tong, is there news of our young master?"
Xue Tong shook his head. "No, it's the Young Miss Ling from Cave Dwelling Number Three in the Supreme District. She's sent over another batch of cultivation materials."
Gouyu was taken abast. A strange glimmer flickered through her beautiful eyes, and she sighed with a bitter smile. "This is already the third time Miss Ling has sent cultivation materials. Sister Huang'er, do you think this Miss Ling has taken a fancy to our young master?"
Gouyu had always been straightforward — whatever she thought, she said.
Huang'er smiled gently. "Your young master is such an exceptional person. It's certainly possible that Miss Ling has taken an interest in him."
At the mention of Ling Bier, Huang'er could not help but recall that day she had been gathering herbs in the forest when she witnessed Ling Hui'er's bold move. Ling Hui'er had actually seized Jiang Chen's hand and pressed it against her own chest.
The memory had left a deep impression on Huang'er, and she had a keen recollection of the two Ling sisters because of it.
To her surprise, Gouyu's playful smile turned to teasing. "Well, Sister Huang'er, you say yourself that my young master is exceptional. Could it be that you, too, have a little something for him?"
Any other young woman might have blushed or acted coy.
But Huang'er let out a soft sigh. "What is love in this mortal world, and why does it exist?"
For reasons she could not explain, the thought led her to her own origins — to the people of her previous generation, who had let love breed hatred, let love breed resentment. The Hundred-Lifetimes Linked Hearts Curse that afflicted her was born from precisely that kind of entangled romantic karma.
And so, regarding the word "love," a faint haze surrounded it in Huang'er's heart. Though the seed of feeling had sprouted, she had never dared let it grow. Or rather, there had never been an opportunity to trigger its growth.
Gouyu, too, seemed to have had some old sentiment tugged loose by Huang'er's words. For a moment, neither of them spoke.
In Ling Bier's cave dwelling.
Ling Bier sat at her father Ling Su's bedside, gently holding his hand.
"Sister, it's all your fault! Why didn't you stop Senior Brother Jiang Chen?" Three months had passed, and Ling Hui'er was still hung up on the matter.