Aspiring to the Immortal Path
Aspiring to the Immortal Path - Chapter 685: Pressure

A bleak and dark world under a gray sky.

An endless river flowed out of the void, countless ghosts emerging from within.

Little Three stood on the shore of the Nether River and looked around.

Now freely able to travel through the spatial barrier, it no longer had to rely on that weak point in the Inkcloud Abyss. But traveling between domains still wasn't easy. Each world of the Great Stellar Chiliocosm had its corresponding space in the Nether Domain. Only when one was at the right location could one travel from the Nether Domain to the right world.

It didn't know where these locations were, so it could only search for them.

The Nether Domain was very large, and finding it would take time, patience, and luck.

Fortunately, Little Three had lived in the Rosecloud Domain before.

Space experts could mark places they had been to before, like the cultivation chamber. Little Three had been there before via the teleportation formation, so it had been able to use the Nether Domain to go between the Inkcloud Abyss and the cultivation chamber.

Although Little Three hadn't awakened its spatial gift while in the Rosecloud Domain and couldn't place a mark there, it had least experienced that world before and had some impression of it.

This impression couldn't be used as a marker, but it allowed Little Three to vaguely sense the Rosecloud Domain and move in the right general direction.

After looking around, Little Three followed that guide in its heart and determined the direction it should go in.

It didn't know how long it would take—a year, two years, ten years, a hundred years—but it would keep flying until it reached the other side of Fate.

The Rosecloud Domain, Great Wind Island.

This was the largest island in Rosecloud's southern sea region. It had an area of two million square kilometers and was surrounded by more than four hundred smaller islands, forming a giant archipelago.

On the seas to the west of Great Wind Island, an Immortal palace floated, traveling through the archipelago on a course that took it around the entire island.

This was the famous Horizon Ocean Pavilion. Unlike other sects, Horizon Ocean Pavilion didn't have a headquarters with a fixed location. Rather, through their Dao armament, the "Horizon Ocean Pavilion", they could freely travel through the entire archipelago, completely disregarding the ocean.

This was why the people of Horizon Ocean Pavilion considered all of the sea to be their territory, open plains for them to ride across.

Horizon Ocean Pavilion appeared like an iceberg, having only a circumference of one thousand feet and standing only ten floors tall. While it was still majestic, it was greatly lacking compared to the Basking Moon Sect's mountain range or the mountain-turned-palace of Godhead Palace. But if one could look through the surface of the water, one would find that this Immortal palace truly was like an iceberg, the part underwater ten times larger than what was on the surface.

A massive underwater world was quietly advancing through the depths of the ocean, its countless windows of crystal glass revealing the young and energetic faces within.

Xu Miaoran stood in front of a window, gazing at the rainbow schools of fish swimming past. She stroked a finger across the window, leaving behind a faint wisp of white energy that passed through the window and entered the water, where it turned into some spirit grains that countless fish immediately began to fight over.

If someone saw this ability to create matter, they would praise Xu Miaoran's remarkable development speed. The ability to create matter required someone to be at least at the Heart Demon Tier, which meant that Xu Miaoran was a Heart Demon cultivator.

In less than ten years, she had risen from Spirit Ring to Heart Demon—a truly praiseworthy speed. Only Xu Miaoran herself understood that this was entirely because she controlled the inter-domain trade. The vast sea of resources had been enough to turn even a pig into an Immortal, let alone Xu Miaoran, who was both talented and the child of a Violet Palace True Lord.

As she watched the fish wrangle for food, the door behind her opened.

Hong Yuan entered and said, "Young Lady, Young Master Lan wishes to see you."

"Lan Yu?" Xu Miaoran arched an eyebrow. "What does he want?"

"Naturally, to see my junior sister." A blue-robed young master, Lan Yu, came inside.

Lan Yu was much more mature than he was in the past.

Gone was that arrogant self-confidence, replaced by a little sinister coldness. Worth noting was that spiritual energy energy rippled under his feet—a sign that he was a Spirit Ring cultivator.

To get this far in such little time was astonishing, for the Three Witherings were not easy to overcome. It was clear that Lan Yu had had his own lucky encounter.

Standing next to Xu Miaoran, Lan Yu smiled and said, "It's been many years since we last met, but Junior Sister is still as elegant as ever. Right, I haven't congratulated Junior Sister on becoming a Heart Demon True Person yet. Now that you've attained a nascent Divine Soul and unity of body, heart, and mind, you can cultivate the Immemorial Jewel Art."

The Immemorial Jewel Art was one of the supreme secret arts of Horizon Ocean Pavilion and one of the foundations of the sect, so it could not be transmitted to outsiders. As the daughter of a True Lord, Xu Miaoran naturally had the right to cultivate it.

Because of Tang Jie, Xu Miaoran treated Lan Yu very coldly. "What I cultivate has nothing to do with you. Our relationship has never been good, so there's no need for you to come and personally greet me."

Lan Yu was not annoyed by this. "Junior Sister, don't be a stranger. I know that Junior Sister is managing the inter-domain trade and is constantly busy. You've finally returned to Horizon Ocean Pavilion to take part in the five-thousand-year anniversary of the founding of Horizon Ocean Pavilion, so it's only right that you get together with your juniors and seniors. I came specifically on Senior Brother Xin Yue's orders to deliver to Junior Sister an invitation to Senior Brother Xin's small party at Jade Splendor Pavilion tomorrow."

(TN: No relation to Xin Yue who was a lecturer at Basking Moon Academy)

Although the six major sects had controlled Rosecloud for less than two thousand years, they had been founded long before then. This year was Horizon Ocean Pavilion's 5000th anniversary, and disciples that were abroad were all returning to take part in the festivities. This was why this Immortal palace was full of hustle and bustle.

Xu Miaoran snorted. "Not interested. Not going."

Lan Yu casually replied, "Junior Sister, you shouldn't be so hasty to refuse. After all, you have to give Senior Brother Xin a little face."

Xu Miaoran's eyes flew open. "What? If Xin Yue holds a party, I have to go? One might think that he wasn't only in competition to become Young Lord of Horizon Ocean Pavilion, but had already become Young Lord, or perhaps even Sect Master."

A voice rang out. "Junior Sister, Xin Yue dares not accept the weight of such words."

In a blur, a person appeared in front of Xu Miaoran, wearing martial robes and with a large fiery saber on his back. While he wasn't as dashing as Lan Yu before his face had been disfigured, he also wasn't ugly, his cold and angular face radiating determination.

This person was Xin Yue, the most outstanding member of Horizon Ocean Pavilion's junior generation.

According to the rules of the six major sects, anyone who had not cultivated for one hundred years was a junior.

Tang Jie and Xu Miaoran had only cultivated for thirty-some years, but Xin Yue had cultivated for eighty-some years.

Although he was also only at the Heart Demon Tier, Xu Miaoran knew that Xin Yue had worked for every step of this cultivation, so his foundations were firm and his strength prodigious. If they fought, she, having relied on medicines to get this far, would be no match. Even two or three of her would lose.

Among the juniors, the only one who was certain to beat Xin Yue was the number one genius of Horizon Ocean Pavilion, Han Shuangyue, the one known as the Mourning Wind Maiden.

This woman had been in the sect for fifty years, but ten years ago, she had already beaten all of her peers and was currently one of the Young Lords of Horizon Ocean Pavilion.

The status of Young Lord was not a unique one among the six major sects, nor was it a guarantee that one would become Sect Master.

They represented the future manager class of the sect.

Besides Sect Master, important posts like elders, hall masters, and even the Sword Holder were selected from the Young Lords.

For example, while the Mourning Wind Maiden was a Young Lord, her future path wasn't Sect Master, but Helmsman of Horizon Ocean Pavilion.

This wasn't strange. The six major sects had long ago passed the era where only martial might mattered. While the Sect Master couldn't be weak, they didn't need to be the strongest. Managing a sect didn't require just martial strength, but also vision, ambition, intelligence, and bearing.

There were countless examples of people who had only strength and no vision or intelligence that ended up steering their sect into the abyss.

As for the strongest of the sects, there could be other arrangements.

For example, the Sword Holder of the Basking Moon Sect was a post set up specifically for those who were the strongest but were unwilling or unsuitable for the post of Sect Master.

Horizon Ocean Pavilion's Helmsman was the equivalent post, and the Mourning Wind Maiden's future lay there. Horizon Ocean Pavilion had already officially begun the training of the next Helmsman.

This year was Horizon Ocean Pavilion's 5000th anniversary. According to the rules, another Young Lord post would be opened this year.

Young Lords were only allowed to be chosen from the junior generation. Xin Yue had cultivated for 83 years now, and he was only 17 years away from leaving the junior generation. In other words, if he missed this chance, he probably wouldn't get another.

This was why Xin Yue was particularly active in the competition for the Young Lord position this time, doing everything he could to recruit forces to his side.

Xin Yue smiled and said, "Junior Sister, please don't misunderstand. This foolish brother simply dearly misses Junior Sister after not seeing you for so long, so I asked Junior Brother Lan to bring you an invitation. But perhaps Brother Lan did not choose the right words, causing Junior Sister to misunderstand."

"Then if I tell you right now that I'm not going, will that do?" Xu Miaoran shot back.

Xin Yue replied, "If Junior Sister doesn't want to go, this foolish brother would dare not force you. But Junior Sister, there are some things that need to be let go when the time is right. To continue holding onto them is not good for you."

Xu Miaoran's face turned cold. "What do you mean by this?"

Xin Yue replied, "Junior Sister knows what I mean. Tang Jie is dead… He's not coming back!"

Xu Miaoran paled. "Bullshit!"

Tears welled up in her eyes, but she managed through sheer willpower to prevent them from falling.

Nothing had been heard of Tang Jie for the last few years, and while Xu Miaoran had always held tight this secret, the inter-domain trade was too big, and when its master disappeared, leaving Xu Miaoran alone to manage it, people started to get suspicious. Moreover, Ling Xiao had taken Tang Jie as his disciple, but Tang Jie said that he would only return to the mountain after he had finished handling matters in Blood River. Nothing had been heard from him after that, and as time went on, rumors began to spread that Tang Jie was already dead.

Even though Xu Miaoran refused to admit it, nobody came out to refute the rumors, so the situation grew more and more serious.

Xin Yue didn't try to argue, simply backing up a few steps and saying, "In truth, it doesn't matter if you believe it or not. What's important is whether the True Lord believes it."

Father?

Xu Miaoran raised her head.

Xin Yue smiled. "Right, I forgot to tell Junior Sister. I already submitted my marriage proposal several days ago."

"You dare!" Xu Miaoran roared.

"It's already done," Xin Yue replied. "Moreover, the True Lord agreed to it. He said that if I officially become a Young Lord, he will marry Junior Sister to me."

Xu Miaoran trembled. "I don't believe it… I don't believe Father would do such a thing."

Xin Yue's face turned cold. "What's not to believe? Didn't you force him into this?"

"'I forced him'?" Xu Miaoran was stunned.

Xin Yue said, "Junior Sister and that Tang Jie have a great affinity for each other, and you've probably already done all those illicit things."

Xu Miaoran shuddered.

Xin Yue continued, "In addition, there have been rumors that when you two were in Nadir Hill, you exchanged vows and became a couple. At the time, Tang Jie's fame was at its peak, and his strength was pretty decent. Given that the True Lord saw how devoted you were to him, he decided to recognize your relationship. But now that Tang Jie is dead, these rumors can no longer be suppressed. You only care for yourself, but have you ever thought of your honored father's reputation?"

Xu Miaoran understood. "So my father has sold off his daughter that ruined his reputation?"

"Not at all, but the daughter is all grown up, so she has to be married off," Xin Yue chuckled. "Although Junior Sister is no longer a virgin, I, Xin Yue, am devoted to you, so I can accept this little dishonor. Moreover, as a Young Lord, I would have a status fit for Junior Sister, which can calm the rumors."

"And then?" Xu Miaoran asked. "Is there nothing else?"

Xin Yue was surprised. "What else could there be?"

Xu Miaoran snorted. "If my guess is right, after that, I would have to let you manage the Blood River trade, right?"

Xin Yue grimaced. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Xu Miaoran replied, "You know! The inter-domain trade has been running for so long that some secrets can no longer be kept. Moreover, that I was able to push through the Three Witherings, enter Celestial Heart, and achieve Heart Demon in so little time is bound to have drawn attention. Marrying a woman who's lost her virginity is just the bonus. What you really want is the massive business under her control, no? With resources comes strength. Senior Brother Xin Yue, you've got quite the scheme!"