Chapter 174: Touching the Heavens

Zhao Weihuang, feeling slightly embarrassed, sat back down in his original position, yet he couldn’t suppress the broad grin on his face. The two lords of Youyan also nodded in agreement. With their status within the Zhao family, they naturally heard whispers that others might not, such as how Zhao Junhong once lost to Qian Ye under the light of Dawn’s Revelation.

Dawn’s Revelation was known as the force closest to the true source of dawn, and because of its purity, it was immensely powerful. Though it did not come with any special attacking abilities, it was unaffected by the restraints of other attribute forces. Seeing the current phenomenon around Qian Ye, although Dawn’s Revelation had not yet reached its ultimate purity, even if it was still inferior to Zhao Jundu’s Purple-Pole Generating Blue, it had a good chance to break through and become a divine general, which was enough for the Zhao family to tilt their resources towards nurturing him.

However, thinking about the past events, the two lords of Youyan couldn’t help but feel a bit regretful. If Qian Ye had never been captured, his potential might have been even greater. Yet, the past could not be changed. Besides, when faced with a choice between Mandragora’s master and a future high-level divine general, more than just talent and strength were at stake; the grand trend and the bigger picture needed to be considered as well.

With the extraordinary signs now revealed, the atmosphere in the Ascending Immortal Pavilion became much more relaxed. The three lords started chatting and laughing, even though their conversation was about major world affairs, and seemed unrelated to what was happening before them. In their light-hearted banter, many things were subtly agreed upon.

Below, the faint golden radiance had not yet dissipated but rather grew stronger, rising from the waist level up to the branches of the trees. A heavy, somber mood spread throughout the Genesis Garden, like the calm before a storm.

The night sky, once high and clear, was suddenly overshadowed by clouds appearing from all directions, rapidly obscuring the heavens. It felt as if the sky itself was about to fall, with starlight plummeting like rain. The crimson glow within the Genesis Garden deepened, waves began to surge, one after another, akin to the tumultuous sea before a storm.

A vast whirlpool emerged from the waves, and suddenly, a thunderous crack tore through the void, bringing an unimaginable pressure. Infinite void force poured down like a waterfall, filling the abyss below.

Every moment, incalculable amounts of void force surged into the sea, enough to cause a regular warrior to burst from the sheer overload.

The old steward and the other attendants in the Genesis Garden were stunned, staring at the massive, crisscrossing void fissures in the sky. None of them noticed that the source liquid in the Marrow Washing Pool was rapidly diminishing, completely exhausted.

At the bottom of the pool, Qian Ye lay with his eyes tightly shut, his chest heaving. His pulse beat like ancient war drums. All the void force pouring down from the sky penetrated his body, feeding the force vortex in his chest.

At the core of this vortex lay the deepest darkness, seemingly able to devour everything. Only with the continuous influx of the vast void force and the source liquid could the force vortex slowly grow.

Suddenly, a glimmer appeared in the heart of the whirlpool. It was a brilliant golden crystal, floating gently to the surface. As soon as the first one appeared, a second, a third, and countless others followed, each intertwining and swirling like a galaxy paving the path to the heavens.

The majestic display dimmed everything around, rendering all speechless.

In the Ascending Immortal Pavilion, the three Zhao lords gazed intently at the heavenly phenomena, momentarily breathless.

As quickly as it came, the phenomenon vanished, like a fleeting flower. Several attendants in the Genesis Garden even rubbed their eyes, unsure if they had truly witnessed the cosmic disturbance or if it had been a mere hallucination.

Silence fell over the Ascending Immortal Pavilion. After a moment, Zhao Weihuang, frowning, asked, “What was that sight just now? Is it good or bad?”

Never before had such a phenomenon been recorded in the Zhao family’s archives, leaving Zhao Weihuang bewildered.

Duke Yan of Youyan explained, “The discernment function of our great array beneath the Marrow Washing Pool shares the same origin as Lin Xitan’s Great Derivation Heaven Secret Technique. Its ability to judge potential through triggering anomalies is no less. Since Qian Ye hasn’t learned our Zhao family secrets, it’s only natural that the triggered phenomenon was unprecedented.”

At this point, Duke Youyan sighed, “Such a magnificent sight, such a path to the heavens! This child has a boundless future, boundless indeed!”

Hearing this, Zhao Weihuang’s worry outweighed his joy. Frowning, he said, “This may not be a good thing for Qian Ye.”

Duke Youyan, Zhao Xuji, his voice turning cold, spoke clearly, “Declare a gag order. No one is to speak of today’s events. Otherwise, even direct descendants will be executed. As for the stewards and attendants in the garden, send them away.”

Zhao Yuying and Zhao Ruoxi felt a chill in their hearts. They knew the weight behind Duke Youyan’s words. Zhao Xuji, who had been ruthless in his youth, rarely spoke so harshly, but when he did, it was never in jest.

Zhao Weihuang, still frowning, smiled bitterly, “This only treats the symptoms, not the root.” Dismissing the stewards and attendants would only draw more attention.

Duke Yan of Yan smiled indifferently, “It’s not a big deal. If something happens, we’ll handle it. Our Yan Yun Zhao family has lived as long as the empire, enduring countless life-and-death crises without being destroyed. Alright, this matter is settled. Let the two old fogeys go first. Go welcome Qian Ye.”

The two lords vanished from the Ascending Immortal Pavilion. Zhao Yuying and Zhao Ruoxi exchanged a glance, following Zhao Weihuang down the stairs to the Marrow Washing Pool, waiting for Qian Ye to emerge. As for Zhao Fenglei and Zhao Xiuzhu, Duke Yan would see to disciplining them.

In the Marrow Washing Pool, Qian Ye slowly opened his eyes, finding himself lying naked at the bottom of a dry pool. The source liquid, which cycled through the vaporization pipes, dripped occasionally, landing in the empty pool.

Qian Ye was taken aback, realizing that he had absorbed all the source liquid. Previously, Zhao Yuying had mentioned that Zhao Jundu had used only a third of the pool to advance, yet he had drained the rest, still feeling somewhat unsatisfied. During the mid-point of his advancement, he indeed felt a lack of source liquid.

He then checked his body, noticing a force vortex had replaced the nine previous nodes, slowly rotating. The vortex was composed of concentrated source liquid, which was pure force in a liquid state. Within the liquid, countless crystals floated and sank.

Qian Ye sat up, exiting the pool. The attendant waiting outside handed him his clothes and personal items, helping him dress.

After passing through two more doors, Qian Ye found Zhao Weihuang standing before him.

Seeing Qian Ye, Zhao Weihuang’s eyes narrowed, feeling a slight, yet surprising, pressure. Qian Ye, having just advanced to a warlord, could actually make him feel pressure, even if it was minuscule.

Zhao Weihuang’s gaze swept over Qian Ye, immediately noting the single vortex, feeling both surprised and slightly disappointed. Zhao Jundu had skipped three levels to become a warlord, and given the terrifying phenomenon, Qian Ye should have risen at least two levels. Instead, he had only formed a single vortex, reaching only the tenth level.

But when his perception focused on Qian Ye’s vortex, Zhao Weihuang sensed that all the force was in a liquid state, with countless crystals suspended within. Even with his experience, he was left astounded.

These crystals were a further purified and concentrated form of the liquid force. Despite witnessing the recent phenomenon, Zhao Weihuang had not expected Qian Ye to reach the threshold of condensing crystals.

Forming crystals was a prerequisite for becoming a divine general.

Such an achievement, even Qian Ye hadn’t anticipated. His entire force, having been thoroughly refined twice by the Radiance Chapter, was now at its purest. With the aid of the Marrow Washing Pool, he had taken a crucial step.

Looking at Qian Ye, Zhao Weihuang’s worry overshadowed his joy. Sighing, he asked, “Do you feel anything wrong?”

“Everything seems fine.”

“That’s good. Take it easy for the next few days; don’t overtrain.” Having said that, Zhao Weihuang was about to leave. Remembering something, he turned, “The Eastern Peak has been sent to the Forge. If you have nothing else to do, you can watch the forging process; it will be beneficial for you.”

Nodding, Qian Ye agreed, and Zhao Weihuang left. As he walked, Zhao Ruoxi appeared from the flower trees, silently following. At the last moment, she retreated, not wanting Qian Ye to see her.

Zhao Weihuang walked a distance before looking back at Zhao Ruoxi, saying, “Decided to follow?”

Ignoring his undertone, Zhao Ruoxi asked directly, “Is there a secret technique to conceal one’s cultivation?”

“Why?” Zhao Weihuang frowned.

“For Qian Ye. Didn’t you just say that exposing his talent would be dangerous?”

Zhao Weihuang thought for a moment, then shook his head. “This matter cannot be hidden from those with ill intent. Moreover, his path in martial arts is straightforward, unsuited for hiding. Furthermore, which contemporary strong figure hasn’t fought through countless enemies, emerging from blood and fire? Even I, your father, have narrowly escaped death multiple times to get where I am today.”

Zhao Ruoxi fell silent, tightening her grip on Mandragora, lost in thought.

Rumors spread quickly, and soon the entire Zhao family knew that Qian Ye had some mishap during his advancement to a warlord, resulting in the replacement of all the Genesis Garden attendants, who were later dispatched to the family’s outskirts. Though Qian Ye possessed the rare top-tier talent of Dawn’s Revelation, he had successfully advanced, albeit only to the tenth level.

This news explained why Zhao Jundu held Qian Ye in such high regard. However, the Zhao family had many talented members, and several had skipped levels during their advancement. Apart from Zhao Jundu, the other three sons of Duke Chengen advanced to the eleventh level at once, as did half of the direct descendants of Dukes You and Yan. While the talent of Dawn’s Revelation was rare, without real combat power, it failed to impress many.

Despite the aftermath, Qian Ye being only a tenth-level discouraged many young Zhao members from challenging him. Some more radical ones showed disdain, deeming Qian Ye, despite his talent, as merely a waste of a spot.

Still, with Zhao Jundu away, and the fierce Zhao Yuying nearby, no one dared provoke Qian Ye.

Unexpectedly, Zhao Fenglei, who should have been intrigued, suddenly showed disinterest in Qian Ye, avoiding any similar topics. Seeing his sullen expression, no one dared to question him.

The Genesis Garden incident remained a closely guarded secret. Thus, Qian Ye’s days in the small courtyard were unexpectedly peaceful.

Yet, a storm was brewing in the Evernight Continent.

The seemingly static Iron Curtain, which had been slowly expanding or contracting at the edges, finally came to a halt. Military observers confirmed this, quickly spreading the shocking news. Everyone knew this heralded a major change.

The command post of the Bloodline War front, in a northern town, bustled with activity. Since the afternoon before, legions and heavy machinery were constantly deployed, leaving the town nearly deserted. The residences of senior officers outside the southern small military camp were mostly vacated.

Lin Xitan, hurrying out of the central tent, was followed by several generals and over a dozen personal guards. He paused, looking ahead, where a tall, armored figure stood in the center of the road.

Lin Xitan’s expression remained calm, though his eyes darkened. Before he could speak, Zhang Boqian declared, “You are going into the Iron Curtain.”

Five short words, a statement, not a question.

Zhang Boqian’s phoenix-like eyes, deep and imposing, exuded an aura that seemed to darken the skies, causing the weather to shift, as thick, leaden clouds obscured the once clear sky, pressing down heavily, almost suffocating.