Marrying Wives and Attaining Immortality in a Chaotic World

Chapter 374: The World’s Mist

“What’s the deal with this red-clad female ghost in Green Bamboo Town?”

Xu Lian watched the scenes unfolding in the world.

The Yin Dynasty invading the Yu Dynasty,

The emergence of an unparalleled heavenly demon drawing the wrath of its enemies, and the Blood Sea coveting the Fire God Mountain – these events made some sense to him. 

However, the origin of the red-clad female ghost remained unclear. Could she be connected to the long-lost Corpse Driving Sect?

Time Supreme replied, “I’m not entirely sure either. However, judging by her summoning those ancient corpses from the coffins, she must have ties to the Corpse-Driving Sect. Still, what we’re seeing now is merely a wisp of her soul, not her true form”.

Xu Lian was astonished. Even though his cultivation had reached Sage Realm Stage 6, he could vaguely sense that this red-clad female ghost’s strength rivaled that of a Supreme. If just a wisp of her soul possessed such power, how terrifying would her true form be?

This realization sent a chill down his spine. Thankfully, the red-clad female ghost hadn’t harbored any ill intentions toward him back then-she had merely toyed with him. Otherwise, he wouldn’t even know how he died.

Thinking about it now, that made sense. A “big shot” with such overwhelming power wouldn’t bother to target a mere nobody like him. It was purely coincidental that he’d wandered into the wrong cabin, prompting her to amuse herself by teasing him for a moment.

It was like an ant accidentally crawling in front of a giant. Out of boredom, the giant might pick up a twig and prod the ant… How pitiful.

Xu Lian grumbled inwardly. Fortunately, since then, he had grown much stronger. He was no longer an ant, but a young dragon – still immature, but already able to stand eye-to-eye with giants.

Xu Lian asked curiously, “Didn’t the Yi Sect notice such a powerful figure lurking within their territory? Are they completely ignoring it?”

Time Supreme explained, “The Yi Sect’s branch altars are spread throughout the world, as are their territories. To them, Pingyang County is just one among countless territories-they don’t pay much attention to it.

“Each territory has its own complexities, and the Yi Sect can’t possibly manage everything. They’re aware of the coffins in Green Bamboo Town, but following the principle of ‘less trouble is better,’ they’ve chosen to leave them alone.

“As for this red-clad female ghost in Green Bamboo Town, my Earth Flesh avatar, who was stationed there as a Quarry Patrol inspector, did encounter her several times. However, my Earth Flesh Avatar’s strength was insufficient to detect her true power.”

Xu Lian stared at the scene in front of him. The ancient corpses summoned by the red-clad female ghost swept through Green Bamboo Town and several other small towns, rapidly expanding their influence. They soon spread throughout Yanfu County, driving out various factions and extending their reach into neighboring counties. It seemed that she intended to establish a stronghold for the Corpse Driving Sect.

Xu Lian remarked, “Judging by the way this red-clad female ghost is acting, she’s clearly on the rise. Should we withdraw our Earth Flesh Avatars from Pingyang County?”

The Time Supreme calmly responded, “Not yet. Both my white fox avatar and your white cat avatar have already been exposed-everyone knows about them. This red-clad female ghost deliberately avoided Pingyang County when commanding her ancient corpses. She obviously does not want to provoke me for now. However, who knows what the future will bring?

Having their avatars exposed and their cover blown was undeniably embarrassing… Xu Lian chuckled. “Knowing that Pingyang County is under our protection, the Corpse Driving Sect went out of their way to avoid it. They are quite considerate, aren’t they? They seem to understand that we’re not to be trifled with.”

Time Supreme’s tone remained indifferent. “They just know that I’m not to be trifled with – not us.”

“…” Xu Lian felt a pang of frustration. Sometimes, O’s words really stung.

He replied, “Actually, I’m not someone to be trifled with either. If this red-clad female spirit continues to expand so recklessly, she’ll eventually attract the attention of a Supreme. When that happens, I can secretly lower her cultivation by one rank while boosting her opponent’s rank, leaving her in a dire situation.”

The Time Supreme fixed him with a stern gaze. “Have you forgotten what I told you? The elevation rules of the Divine Kingdom Laws should only be used in life and death situations. If you attract the attention of the higher-level factions, you’ll be the one who ends up in deep trouble.”

Xu Lian smiled faintly. “I understand your concern, O… I was just speaking casually – I don’t plan to actually use it.”

Time Supreme fell silent, quietly observing the unfolding events across the world, seemingly content to watch from the sidelines.

Xu Lian didn’t bother looking at the other scenes; his focus remained solely on the red-clad female ghost. He found her particularly intriguing and wanted to keep a close eye on her actions.

He noticed that the ancient corpses she summoned seemed to possess intelligence. They knew which areas to enter and which dangerous zones to avoid.

Not only did they avoid Pingyang County, but they also avoided four dangerous places: Misty Ghost Mountain, Poison Dragon Pool, Ghost Child Ridge, and Red Sedan Bridge.

Xu Lian asked, “O, what’s the story behind the four dangerous places around Pingyang County? Why does the Corpse Driving Sect seem to avoid them?”

Time Supreme replied, “That’s a long story. You could look it up in the Ancient Texts of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands. As the Nine Heavenly Divine Son, you now have the authority to access even the rarest manuscripts.”

“…” Xu Lian said lazily, “I don’t want to go through all that. Just tell me – you’ve got time, and so do I.”

Seeing no way out, the Time Supreme began explaining. A triumphant smile crept onto Xu Lian’s face. O was just too indulgent with him – it was adorable.

“In the vast river of time, countless cultivators have pursued immortality and explored the paths to eternal life. At the forefront were undoubtedly the strongest of the Divine Race, the Divine Lords of the Divine Kingdom, and the masters of the legendary ancient Holy Lands-these individuals and factions pushed the boundaries of exploration to the limit. When they reached the end, they received heavenly punishment, leaving behind various famous laws and powers that echo through history.

“But aside from these famous figures, there were also many brilliant but nameless individuals who ventured far along the path to immortality. Ultimately, for various reasons, they too failed in their quest, leaving behind remnants of their journeys.

“Some of these remnants serve as guideposts in the desert, pointing the way for future generations. Others… are far more complex.

“It is possible that these failures harbored lingering resentments and attempted to resurrect themselves by leaving bait and traps. If these traps caught enough prey, they might ignite the spark necessary for resurrection.

“Or perhaps these failures died filled with bitterness, lamenting the unfairness of Heaven, and left behind harmful substances purely out of revenge against the world.

“There is also the possibility that what they left behind was originally harmless, but turned into something dangerous after coming into contact with eerie materials, turning into dangerous zones.

“In short, it’s extremely complicated. Even Supremes hesitate to tangle with such places, unwilling to risk contamination from their unpredictable nature.”

Xu Lian listened silently, feeling a chill run down his spine. To think that there were four dangerous places around Pingyang County alone! How densely must these danger zones be scattered all over the world? The number would be terrifying – impossible to estimate.

And it wasn’t just on land; there were perilous zones in the skies as well. It was widely believed that those in the sky were even more dangerous than those on earth.

Time Supreme continued, “Most of the perilous zones are remnants from the Ancient Era and the Primordial Era, when spiritual energy was abundant, cultivation resources were plentiful, and the average strength of cultivators far surpassed that of this Strange Era. Therefore, the dangers left behind by those eras are incredibly difficult for the current generation of strong cultivators to resolve,” 

Xu Lian sighed. “No wonder you once told me that this world is shrouded in mist, and even you couldn’t see through it. The higher my cultivation level is, the more I realize how much remains incomprehensible. For example, what secrets are hidden in these mysterious danger zones? What are the sources of the pollutants that caused the eerie transformation period, and where did they come from beyond the heavens? And what exactly are the so-called “depths” of the supreme factions? All of this is profoundly mysterious.”

The two fell silent.

One was the Time Supreme, master of the Laws of Time; the other, though only at Sage Realm Stage 6, wielded the Divine Kingdom Laws and possessed the strength of a Supreme Realm Stage 2 cultivator-a rising star in the cultivation world. Together, their combined strength was formidable. However, in this world riddled with dangerous zones, teeming with eerie phenomena, and shrouded in thick fog, they felt an icy chill without any sense of security.

Xu Lian activated his Divine Eye, scanning the world. The more he saw, the more alarmed he became. “Why does this world feel like one giant graveyard… or perhaps it’s not the mortal realm at all, but the netherworld?”

The Supreme of Time replied, “You’re not the only one who feels that way. Many cultivators who’ve reached the Sage or Supreme realms share the same sentiment.”

Xu Lian’s gaze involuntarily returned to the red-clad female ghost. If this was the netherworld, then the presence of ghosts made perfect sense.

It seemed like she sensed that she was being observed. Standing on the double-masted ship in Green Bamboo Town, the red-clad female ghost suddenly turned toward the Heavenly Mystic Sacred Land and flashed a mischievous grin at Xu Lian.

What infuriated Xu Lian the most was that she had taken on the exact likeness of Time Supreme. He clenched his fists, how dare she mock him again, especially now that he possessed the strength of a Supreme Realm Stage 2 cultivator. He almost lost control and fought back.

Whether he could defeat her was uncertain… but wasn’t the Supreme Time still here?

Xu Lian growled, “O, how can anyone tolerate her impersonating you?”

Time Supreme’s cold, beautiful eyes fixed on the red-clad female ghost.

Instantly, a milky-white glow enveloped the ghost’s face, and the imitated features vanished, revealing a faceless face – no eyes, no nose, no mouth.

Was this her true form? Xu Lian froze, his expression shifting to one of amusement. Of all people to mimic, why did she choose the Time Supreme? Now her disguise was exposed.

However, the faceless state lasted only a moment before she transformed into the appearance of a stunningly beautiful woman. Her mischievous grin disappeared, replaced by a cold stare as she locked gazes with the Time Supreme across the vast expanse of air.

Xu Lian transmitted his voice. “O, do you want me to teach her a lesson?”

Time Supreme waved her hand, erasing the scene of Green Bamboo Town. She stopped watching the red-clad female ghost.

“Conflict without gain is meaningless.”

The Time Supreme continued, “In recent years, my two uncles and the senior brother who have ascended to the Supreme Realm have stabilized their cultivation. They’ve grown restless, always thinking about expanding the territories of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands and seizing exclusive cultivation resource zones from the Divine Thunder Sect’s camp. Especially now that the world is in chaos, they’ve become even more impatient. They’ve repeatedly urged me to order an attack on the Divine Thunder Sect,” 

Xu Lian chuckled. “Having ambition isn’t a bad thing, is it? Do you really intend for the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands to remain passive observers while the major factions fight among themselves? Once they’ve weakened each other and forced us to intervene, the other factions won’t just stand aside. Sooner or later, they’ll drag the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands into the fray. Rather than being forced into a conflict, wouldn’t it be better to take the initiative?”

The Time Supreme gazed at him. “That is precisely my thought. In times of chaos, it is impossible to remain uninvolved. The best way to avoid attracting attention is to actively participate and become part of the turmoil.

“But I’m waiting for you. Your cultivation isn’t good enough yet, you need more time. By keeping the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands on standby, I’m buying you that time. If the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands were to get involved now, you’d lose the stable environment needed for your growth”.

Xu Lian felt a warmth in his heart. He understood that Time Supreme wasn’t doing this solely for him, but for the overall strength of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands. With or without him, the difference was immense. As an auxiliary power, his ability to manipulate the elevation rules of the Divine Kingdom Laws was unparalleled.

But his level as an auxiliary was not high enough yet – it was not yet time to “join the team”.

“I’m waiting too,” Xu Lian said with a smile. “I’m waiting until I gather enough Metamorphosis Elixir.”

He waved his hand, releasing the rare medicinal herbs and exotic beasts he had plundered from the Qian Dynasty’s massive exclusive cultivation resource zones.

The Time Supreme collected them. “All the alchemists in the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands capable of refining Metamorphosis Elixir are working tirelessly for you day and night. It should be ready soon.”