“Senior Sister, is that appropriate? My grandfather and I went to the Azure Dragon Holy Land to annul a marriage contract. If I meet your Azure Dragon Holy Land’s Princess again, it would be so awkward. Ultimately, she did nothing wrong. I am the one who wants to annul the marriage, so I am the one who wronged her,” Qin Chu sighed.
“Perhaps she doesn’t think so. Listen to Senior Sister, or else Senior Sister won’t talk to you anymore,” Shang Shuyu said, looking at Qin Chu.
Qin Chu nodded. Since Shang Shuyu said so, he would do as he was told. At worst, he would just apologize to the Azure Dragon Holy Land’s Princess.
Seeing Qin Chu nod, Shang Shuyu felt a bit more at ease.
“I hope your Azure Dragon Holy Land’s Princess is as reasonable as Senior Sister,” Qin Chu sighed.
“But if she is reasonable, perhaps you wouldn’t annul the marriage,” Shang Shuyu said with a smile.
Qin Chu shook his head. “Senior Sister, I’ve told you before, I won’t live with someone I’ve never met and have no feelings for. There’s no room for compromise on this. Senior Sister, please don’t tell anyone about these matters. Don’t let it become the talk of the town before I even get there.”
Shang Shuyu nodded and told Qin Chu that she would not reveal his affairs.
After staying for a while, Shang Shuyu prepared to leave. She knew Qin Chu had a way to leave the Alchemist Guild without being discovered, so she didn’t ask further.
Qin Chu escorted Shang Shuyu all the way to the entrance of the Alchemist Guild. “If Senior Sister were the Azure Dragon Holy Land’s Princess, then I wouldn’t annul the marriage. It’s a pity that this time, things will be unpleasant with the Azure Dragon Holy Land. Fate truly plays tricks on people.”
“Uh…” Shang Shuyu stumbled, but Qin Chu had already turned and left.
Qin Chu entered the Alchemist Guild, went into the secret passage, then returned to the Vermilion Bird Holy Land’s stronghold, and began his Cultivation of Sword Intent, Battle Intent, and practical combat.
Shang Shuyu was in a good mood. She returned to the Azure Dragon castle and had tea with Zhen Han.
“Yu’er, why are you back so early today?” Zhen Han asked her daughter.
“Qin Chu left the Alchemist Guild. It’s inconvenient for him to Cultivate Sword Intent and Battle Intent there,” Shang Shuyu said.
Zhen Han looked at her daughter. “Yu’er, did you find money when you went out? Why are you in such high spirits?”
“Hehe, I’m fine. Your daughter is going to Cultivate,” Shang Shuyu smiled at her mother and went to Cultivate.
When Shang Shuyu saw Qian Lingwu at the Alchemist Guild, she realized how much she cared about Qin Chu, so she was very happy with what Qin Chu said today, but she didn’t want to tell anyone.
Qin Chu Cultivated every day. Qin Longhan personally guided Qin Chu in Cultivating Sparrow Flight and Sacred Fire Sword Wings.
As for Qin Longxuan and Qin Lingxi, they were busy deploying the Vermilion Bird Holy Land’s forces. Qin Longfeng, on the other hand, used his identity as an Alchemist to investigate information. After the martial arts ban in Saint Martial City, the Vermilion Bird Holy Land was ready for war.
Lei Tianding of the Blazing Thunder Holy Land appeared in Saint Martial City and met with Shang Tianhua to discuss dealing with the Vermilion Bird Holy Land. Just like in the past, they formed an offensive and defensive Alliance.
Qin Longhan learned of Lei Tianding’s appearance. He took Qin Longxuan and Qing Yi, and the three of them attacked the Blazing Thunder Holy Mountain of the Blazing Thunder Holy Land. The Blazing Thunder Holy Land couldn’t withstand them at all and suffered heavy losses. Except for the Blazing Thunder Main Hall area protected by the defensive Formation, all other areas were destroyed by the three, and a large portion of their forces were killed. The remaining Blazing Thunder Holy Land members retreated to the Blazing Thunder Main Hall.
The Blazing Thunder Main Hall was protected by a defensive Formation, with several Elders defending it. Qin Longhan and the others found it difficult to break through.
“Didn’t Lei Tianding go to Saint Martial City to ally with Shang Tianhua? If he dares to be despicable, this Seat dares to kill fiercely. When this Seat comes again next time, I will turn this place into scorched earth!” Qin Longhan retreated with Qin Longxuan and Qing Yi.
“Big Brother, can’t we break through? We can risk consuming some Origin Qi energy to break their defensive Formation and destroy their Holy Land,” Qin Longxuan was a bit unwilling to retreat.
“Don’t get bogged down by the gains and losses of a single city or stronghold. As long as we can win, when we take Blazing Thunder Holy Mountain, what difference does it make? Right now, they have several Elders inside the Formation. If we break the Formation, our Origin Qi energy consumption will be immense. If they fight us head-on, it will end in mutual destruction. This is a critical period; we cannot make such a decision,” Qin Longhan explained the reason for retreating. Blazing Thunder Holy Mountain was not unbreakable, but breaking it might come at a cost, which was not beneficial to the current Vermilion Bird Holy Land.
Qin Longhan and the others returned to Saint Martial City. Lei Tianding also received news that Blazing Thunder Holy Mountain had been attacked and suffered heavy losses. This made him furious. He understood that this was the Vermilion Bird Holy Land making him pay the price for allying with Shang Tianhua.
The current situation put Lei Tianding in a dilemma. If he didn’t return to Blazing Thunder Holy Mountain, the Vermilion Bird Holy Land might attack again; if he retreated, it would mean breaking the Alliance with the White Tiger Holy Land.
The conflicted Lei Tianding thought for a moment, found Lei Tianying, and had Lei Tianying oversee the affairs of Saint Martial City, continuing to cooperate with the White Tiger Holy Land. He still had to return to Blazing Thunder Holy Mountain, which was the Foundation of the Blazing Thunder Holy Land.
While Qin Longhan and the others were fighting, Qin Chu’s Cultivation broke through to the third level of the Fifth Stage Heavenly Origin Realm. Qin Lingxi also celebrated Qin Chu’s birthday. After his birthday, Qin Chu was nineteen years old.
In the past, Qin Chu didn’t have a birthday because he didn’t know when he was born, but Qin Lingxi knew.
“Qin Chu, there’s half a month left until the Azure Cloud Ranking opens. You’ll be fine,” Qin Lingxi said to Qin Chu.
“I will work hard, Auntie. Please consider communicating with Zhen Xuelin to see if there’s a way to rescue my mother. Now that Grandfather’s Cultivation has recovered, if we catch them off guard, can we eliminate the guards of the True Profound Space?” Qin Chu asked Qin Lingxi.
“Don’t worry, Auntie will take this matter seriously,” Qin Lingxi nodded. She was also anxious to resolve this matter.
Besides family affection, the Vermilion Bird Holy Land also needed Zhen Xueyan.
Qin Longhan was of the older generation, the core of the Vermilion Bird Holy Land, and a pillar of support. Zhen Xueyan and Qin Zhanye were of the same era. With them, the next era would belong to the Vermilion Bird Holy Land.
After exchanging a few words with Qin Lingxi, Qin Chu went to Cultivate Sword Intent and Battle Intent.
Because of the corresponding Sword Intent, Qin Chu’s Battle Intent improved very quickly, now already at the Peak of the fourth level. This made Qin Chu very happy. Deep Sword Intent suppressed Sword Cultivators strongly, but its effect on Saber Cultivators and Spear Cultivators was relatively less. However, with the addition of Battle Intent, it would be different.
Lei Tianding left Saint Martial City, which made Shang Tianhua somewhat annoyed. It was true that Lei Tianying was there, but there was a significant gap between Lei Tianying and Lei Tianding. Lei Tianding was at the Peak of the Sixth Stage King Realm, while Lei Tianying was only at the Late Stage of the King Realm; there was no comparison. However, since the Blazing Thunder Holy Land had problems, Lei Tianding had no choice but to leave.
Shang Tang was also very depressed. Shang Shuyu returned to the Azure Dragon castle and didn’t come out, taking his heart into the castle with her; and Qin Chu was nowhere to be seen, leaving him no opportunity to act.
Another group of people from the Black Tortoise Holy Land arrived in Saint Martial City. They were participants for the Azure Cloud Ranking. Among them, a certain woman was very strong. Upon arriving in Saint Martial City, she began challenging and defeated many Fifth Stage Cultivators.
On this day, she sent a challenge to the Alchemist Guild, challenging Qin Chu to a duel.
