Han Shuang requested a detailed account the moment Jiang Chen returned. The young lord calmly obliged, narrating the meeting in full detail.

Her voice and her face betrayed her self-consciousness. “Elder Zhen Junior, I’m rather flattered you rejected his proposal for my sake.”

Jiang Chen smiled calmly. “You have yourself to blame for being so charming.”

“Hah, don’t give me that. I know we have the same goal in mind, so out with it. Since being a titled godking’s not good enough for you, you’re obviously aiming higher. Am I right?”

Jiang Chen laughed. “I told you that we’re simply exploring different avenues to the same end. Our paths will converge again one day.”

“I’ll be waiting then!” Han Shuang smiled happily.

Jiang Huan’s resounding laughter suddenly came from outside the young lord’s quarters.

“Getting together with the sectmistress while I was gone? Little Shi, I didn’t peg you for that type. Looks like I’ve picked a bad time to return.”

A rare blushed crept up Han Shuang’s cheeks as she softly reprimanded him, “Elder Zhen Senior, you’re living quite the good life, aren’t you? You almost never set foot in the sect after the competition. Don’t you think you’ve been taking it too easy?”

“Hahaha, Sectmistress, you should see it as having one less mouth to feed. I’m sacrificing myself so you can save money. Besides, how would you carry on with Little Shi if I was here?” 

Jiang Huan sauntered inside, pulling a face for dramatic effect. “Eh? You’ve already put your clothes back on? Tsk tsk, it can’t be your first time if you’re that fast. Quite experienced are we?”

“Experienced your ass.” Han Shuang glowered at him before prancing away in a cloud of perfume.

“Don’t be in such a hurry to leave! I’ll be invisible, I promise.”

Although her conscience was clear, Han Shuang fled as if she was guilty, taking off like the wind before Elder Zhen Senior could drag her back.

Watching her figure disappear, Jiang Huan glanced at Jiang Chen with an ambiguous smile. “Young lord, don’t tell me there’s something really at play here?”

Jiang Chen grunted, “What do you think?”

“I’m not sure. Young lord, I know you have high standards, but I can tell she’s still a virgin maiden.”

“Drop the nonsense. Where have you been fooling around lately?” Jiang Chen asked a little irritatedly.

“What do you mean, fool around?” a crestfallen Jiang Huan protested. “I’ve been sweating blood and tears for your sake. Taiyuan’s a right mess at the moment, let me tell you. You don’t know the half of it. Many godkings are planning to hole up until the conference. Terror reigns supreme. Everyone’s shaking in their boots, afraid they’ll be the next ones to meet their maker.” 

“It’s that bad already?” Jiang Chen exclaimed in shock.

“I’m not exaggerating one bit. That reminds me, how’s your bloodline assimilation going so far?”

“It’s more than eighty percent done. I should be done in time for the conference.” The young lord was highly confident.

“Wonderful, wonderful!” Jiang Huan’s eyes shone bright. “If it’s completed by the time you reach godking, the creation token will surely acknowledge you as its new master. When the time comes, Taiyuan Plane will absolutely return to the Jiangs.”

As Celestial Emperor Taiyuan’s close retainer, Jiang Huan had long waited for that day to come.

Jiang Chen smiled. “The good news doesn’t stop here.”

“What else is there?”

The young lord related everything that had transpired while Jiang Huan was out, stunning the latter to no end.

“The lass has quite a backbone on her! Tsk, I’ve been making light of our sectmistress. It looks like I can’t joke at her expense anymore.” Jiang Huan’s admiration was heartfelt and he resolved to show her due respect in the future. 

“Yes, she’s really something else. Uncle, if she finds success, it’ll be another arrow in our quiver. With the help of my father, I’m confident we’ll smoke out our villain and take back the reins of Taiyuan Plane.”

Jiang Huan nodded, equally buoyant. “Exactly. I always knew you’d find a way. Everyone’s now hoping for His Majesty’s return. Soon, everyone will realize how big of a mistake they’ve made to overthrow him in the first place.” 

“You’re right. Even figures like Godking Crimsonwaters are expressing regret!” 

“Lord Crimsonwaters stands out as one the most prominent figures in Taiyuan. Winning over someone of his stature would do wonders for popular support!”

Jiang Chen declared resolutely, “Let’s see what cards our enemy has left. I have but one worry, that he might be too strong. If he’s truly on the level of creating his own plane, we’ll be in for a rough fight!”

“So what? Don’t forget, you’ll be armed with a creation token. Even as a brand new godking, you’ll stand above your peers, and that’s without accounting for the sacred beasts’ bloodlines. You’ll also have the power to shape your own plane. Have faith, young lord. When the time comes, your superiority will be overwhelming. Anyone who stands in your way will be slaughtered!”

“Yes.” Jiang Chen nodded gravely. “Be it a god or a devil, none will stop me!”

His words brimmed with fighting spirit. It was no off-handed remark. What lay ahead was a clash of power and destiny, a battle of karmic proportions!

The entire world was at stake. To the victor would go the spoils, and damnation for all eternity to the loser!

In such a fated confrontation, the bravest always came out on top.

Faltering was out of the question. His entire being was single-mindedly focused on seeing the conflict through to the end.

……

Several decades slowly elapsed.

Every day, Jiang Chen worked on integrating the beasts’ bloodlines with his. Progress was slow, but he could see the inexorable light at the end of the tunnel.

It took thirty years for the assimilation to reach ninety-percent, and another thirty years for the blood in his veins to complete the process, finally integrating into one whole that took him one step closer to the supreme dao.

Jiang Chen opened his eyes. The thin layer separating him from the godking realm was almost palpable. He could perforate it whenever he wished to finally reach his goal!

The preparations for the conference were also in the final stage. In Fiendstar, Elder Ge and Elder Xu were already dreaming of the upcoming audience with the celestial emperor.

As for Han Shuang, she waited for him to emerge from closed door cultivation with restless impatience.

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