Chapter 772

Chapter 772: Serious Matters

In the Extreme Void Domain, aboard a Star Ship marked with the symbol of the Nine Phoenix Dynasty.

“Sigh~” Feng Chang Ning and the National Master sighed simultaneously.

“You shouldn’t have made empty promises to the Grand Elder,” the National Master said.

“I wasn’t making empty promises; this is my commitment,” Feng Chang Ning replied, her expression troubled.

After her promise, the Grand Elder’s attitude made it clear that there was no hope left.

“You might not fully grasp what it means that the Grand Elder suppressed the Golden Winged Roc’s clone and turned the Purple Jade Flood Dragon and the Golden Devourer Tiger into dishes,” the National Master said, gazing out at the endless starry expanse.

“The strongest in the cultivation world has reached the peak of this realm—didn’t you tell me that yourself?” Feng Chang Ning asked, confused.

“When a powerful being reaches that level, even the heavens of this world take notice.”

“As long as the Grand Elder remains in the cultivation world, the beast race has no chance of rising.”

“If the Grand Elder wished, the Hidden Spirit Sect could instantly become the most dominant force in the cultivation world.”

“But the fact that he hasn’t acted shows his heart isn’t in it. Your promises mean nothing to him,” the National Master said with a hint of resignation.

“But in front of the Grand Elder, we have nothing to offer,” Feng Chang Ning admitted, feeling helpless.

Before coming, she had considered many things, but none seemed capable of impressing the Grand Elder, which led to her earlier promise.

“We need to plan ahead. The Universe Ship is now complete, and the next step is to trade in other middle thousand worlds.”

“We should also keep an eye out for high-quality small worlds in the star sea—that could be another path for us,” the National Master suggested.

“That’s all we can do. We might even use this as leverage in negotiations with Zhang Lao to see if they’ll agree to our terms,” Feng Chang Ning mused.

“Maintaining good relations with the Grand Elder is crucial, both now and in the future. As long as we preserve this goodwill, when the Grand Elder ascends beyond the Great Luo, he might help our celestial dynasty take that critical step.”

“But first, we must grow strong ourselves to afford the price of the Grand Elder’s assistance,” the National Master concluded.

Feng Chang Ning nodded and glanced back toward Hidden Spirit Island, her expression complex. During the Nine Phoenix Dynasty’s rapid rise, she had once believed her dynasty had surpassed the Hidden Spirit Sect and even the Grand Elder.

But it was just an illusion.

Meanwhile, Xu Fan and his good friend were fishing.

Wang Yulun shared stories about some strange things he had recently caught.

Xu Fan recounted his experiences in the South Mountain Realm.

“I can’t believe that stone compass was actually a Cross-Boundary Teleportation Formation. It’s truly incredible.”

“The two realms are separated by countless billions of miles, yet they can still connect for teleportation,” Wang Yulun marveled.

“It’s not that complicated. The hardest part is aligning the frequencies of the teleportation formations,” Xu Fan said with a chuckle.

“By the way, Pang Fu mentioned that those three bellybands recently auctioned for nearly half the price of a celestial tool.”

“Especially that second-hand one—it caused quite a stir among cultivators. If you get the chance, you should fish for a few more of those,” Xu Fan joked.

“Do I have any control over what I catch?”

“Come on, Big Brother Xu, do you really think I’m that kind of person?” Wang Yulun replied seriously. Just then, his fishing rod jerked as something tugged on the line.

With a lift of the rod, a stunning woman in a semi-transparent dress was hoisted up.

At that moment, the woman’s gaze was vacant, her entire body as lifeless as a puppet.

“This thing…” Xu Fan muttered, eyeing the puppet-like woman.

“It’s similar to a puppet, but with some unique features,” Xu Fan said, stroking his chin, his eyes gleaming with curiosity as he scrutinized her.

“Probably meant for male cultivators just starting out in the Harmony arts.”

“You know, some of the rune formations on her are actually quite innovative,” Xu Fan remarked with a grin.

“Why do I keep pulling up such strange things lately?” Wang Yulun said, his tone tinged with embarrassment.

“No idea, but I’d bet it’s tied to what’s on your mind. Otherwise, why would you reel in something like this?” Xu Fan teased.

“Big Brother Xu, don’t pin this on me!” Wang Yulun protested loudly.

“Let’s just sell it to Pang Fu—he might offer a decent price.”

“If you’re thinking of keeping it for yourself, forget I mentioned it.”

Xu Fan lifted the rod again, this time pulling up a ten-foot-long blue-tailed fish.

A nearby puppet, already prepared, scooped up the fish with a massive web and flew off toward the cafeteria.

Wang Yulun couldn’t help but envy the impressive catch.

He remembered his own carefree days years ago, when strange catches were rare, and he’d occasionally land a proper fish.

Now, it seemed he was worlds away from such simple pleasures.

“By the way, Big Brother Xu, I’ve had some breakthroughs while fishing lately. I might be ready for Overcoming Tribulations soon,” Wang Yulun mentioned.

Xu Fan was momentarily stunned—the pace seemed unusually quick.

He placed a hand on Wang Yulun’s shoulder and began a thorough examination.

“This is moving fast; let me check if there’s anything off,” Xu Fan said.

After a moment, Xu Fan released his grip.

“Not bad. It seems the unique Cultivation Techniques you’ve developed are working well for you.”

“I’ll whip up a few more magical techniques for you soon,” Xu Fan added with a smile.

“Lately, more people in the sect are preparing for Overcoming Tribulations. Xu Gang, your second brother, and soon your eldest brother will likely face it too.”

“We might need to find a secluded spot to set up a grand formation for Overcoming Tribulations.”

After baiting the fishing hook, Xu Fan cast the line into the Ten Thousand-Mile Giant Lake.

“The sect’s grown so much stronger; it’s nothing like the small sect that fled from a beast king all those years ago,” Wang Yulun said, nostalgia coloring his voice.

“True, those days were more interesting. Now, it’s hard to find a worthy opponent,” Xu Fan mused, his gaze drifting over the lake.

“What about the three supreme respected elders in the South Mountain Realm? You could challenge them, Big Brother Xu,” Wang Yulun suggested, refusing to indulge his big brother’s humble bragging.

“If I went to the South Mountain Realm and challenged those supreme respected elders, things could get heated. I might just end up shattering their world!”

“But since we’re all part of the human race, it’s better to show some restraint,” Xu Fan said thoughtfully.

Just then, a star riding a giant snake with a single horn landed on the small island.

“Big Brother Xu, godfather, hello,” the star greeted cheerfully.

“How was your trip to the Extreme Void Domain?” Xu Fan asked with a smile.

“Those giant beasts there are so weak, and they don’t even taste good,” the star complained, wrinkling their nose.

“…”

“There aren’t many giant beasts in our cultivation world. If you’re bored, you could explore the demon race’s territory,” Xu Fan suggested.

“I’m not going back there. It’s just rocks everywhere,” the star said, pouting.