Chapter 89: The Legendary Hibernating Sun
The Sea Region Alliance consisted of ten factions, each required to select a Saintess in reverse order of their ranking.
So far, eight factions had completed their Saintess selections. The Sea Concubine Palace had recently chosen their Sorrowful Saintess, and next was the Cold Court’s Grieving Saintess.
Therefore, it was unlikely that the Cold Court and the Winter Floating Sky could send representatives to the Storm Realm for the legendary being’s birthday celebration.
The opportunity to establish a connection with a legendary being came only once in a millennium. Missing it might mean losing the chance forever.
However, perhaps these two factions had some hidden figures who could attend in the Saintesses’ stead.
After officially becoming the Sorrowful Saintess, Gong Lianyue gained a series of privileges within the Sea Concubine Palace:
The fifth point was Gong Lianyue’s own request, which startled the Sea Concubine Palace higher-ups. They hadn’t anticipated such a strange demand.
Logically, if the Lost Scroll yielded no results the first time, it wouldn’t reveal any secrets later either.
But Gong Lianyue wanting to examine it again… did that mean she had… discovered something?
Considering the Sorrowful Saintess’s secretive nature, hiding even a Saint-rank spirit beast to a pathological degree, it wasn’t surprising that she would keep her research on the Lost Scroll hidden as well.
However, Gong Lianyue didn’t choose to examine the Lost Scroll again before her potentially fatal trip.
Forcing comprehension of the Lost Scroll consumed a large number of Life Fruits, and she needed those as a safety net for her journey to the Storm Realm. It would be a waste to use them now.
Before her departure, she accepted the Fifth Concubine’s invitation to the monthly trial, hoping to gain some useful information.
Sea Concubine Palace, Monthly Trial
The monthly trial was a routine assessment held by each faction in the Sea Region, like a monthly exam in school.
The content of each trial varied but wasn’t overly complex. Within the Sea Concubine Palace, it was usually overseen by one of the Six Concubines in rotation.
The results determined the members’ rankings, each rank receiving different rewards and treatment.
Gong Lianyue had participated in the monthly trial a few times before, her results average. After being chosen as a Saintess Candidate, she hadn’t participated again.
The top rank only awarded 10 contribution points, which wasn’t particularly appealing…
The Sea Dou Hall, the same familiar venue.
This time, however, most of the previous spectators were now participants, the arena filled with Sea Concubine Palace members.
Ninety-nine percent of the thousands present were Illumination Stage Spirit Masters, with only a handful at the Dawn and Dusk Stage.
In a VIP box above the arena, Gong Lianyue sipped her tea, feeling slightly awkward.
The mature, blue-haired woman beside her was staring at her intently…
The woman, her hair styled in an elegant updo, her demeanor graceful and dignified, wore a luxurious, flowing water-patterned dress with the character [Five] embroidered on it.
Shui Qiu’e, the Fifth Concubine of the Sea Concubine Palace.
“I’m honored the Saintess would accept my invitation,” she said.
“You’re too kind, Lady Qiu’e. Please, just call me by my name,” Gong Lianyue replied calmly, unfazed by the mature beauty’s coquettish demeanor.
The Six Concubines represented the peak of combat power within the Sea Concubine Palace. Even senior instructors who reached the Nether Traverse Stage weren’t qualified to join their ranks.
But Shui Qiu’e radiated no oppressive aura, only a gentle, soothing warmth.
With ten minutes remaining before the trial began, taking advantage of their private setting, Gong Lianyue couldn’t hold back any longer.
“Lady Qiu’e, do you know what kind of spirit beast the Wind Realm Overlord is?”
“The legendary being? Didn’t your teacher tell you?” Shui Qiu’e asked, surprised.
The girl shook her head, tears shimmering in her eyes, as if deeply troubled.
“…”
After a moment of silent contemplation, Shui Qiu’e explained, “Hibernating Sun. That’s what the Spirit Masters in the Storm Realm call it.”
The massive size of legendary-rank, biological spirit beasts, often described as capable of blotting out the sun and moon, didn’t mean they were literally as large as celestial bodies. It meant that wherever they went, darkness followed, obscuring everything in their path.
Because human vision was limited, they couldn’t see the spirit beast’s true form and thus couldn’t determine its real name. Hence, they called it the Hibernating Sun.
“My teacher told me this trip would be safe, that no Wind Realm Spirit Master would dare to attack us. Is that true?” Gong Lianyue asked.
Another long silence. Shui Qiu’e covered her face with her hand and sighed.
“During the Hibernating Sun’s birthday celebration, no Storm Realm faction will indeed attack you. But you will be going there early to exchange hostages. They might send Spirit Masters of your age group to intercept you. Be prepared for battle!”
This…
Gong Lianyue would never trust Shui Qinghou again. That woman was completely unreliable.
It seemed there was no escaping this trip to the Wind Realm. Countless trials and tribulations awaited her.
If she didn’t have the Frost Snow Woman’s core as a trump card, she would have already given up and run away.
“Also, be wary of the Sun-Seizing Divine Metropolis and the Cangsheng Palace. They might try to eliminate any competition beforehand to secure a private audience with the legendary being.”
“Although I haven’t met them, I’ve heard their strength is on a completely different level from those Storm Realm rabble,” Shui Qiu’e warned kindly.
Speaking of the Cangsheng Palace, Gong Lianyue thought of the arrogant, silver-haired girl from the Soul Prison Trial.
The Cangsheng Palace had as many Nether Traverse Stage experts and Saint-rank spirit beasts as the Sea Region and Storm Realm combined. They certainly had reason to be arrogant.
But the once mighty Penetrating You Pool had been even more arrogant, their influence spanning dozens of realms, only to be crushed by the Snow Monarch.
Never provoke a legendary being. This was a bloody lesson learned from millennia of history.
The Sun-Seizing Divine Metropolis and the Cangsheng Palace had adopted a different approach. Both factions had made contact with legendary beings and bore their marks of favor, practically becoming their vassals.
So, that silver-haired girl hadn’t been arrogant because of her faction’s strength, but because she considered herself to be… distantly related to a legendary being…
Not just the Sun-Seizing Divine Metropolis and the Cangsheng Palace, but even the Storm Realm had a wild legendary being. In comparison, the Sea Region seemed rather weak and vulnerable, lacking a powerful backer.
If other realms had legendary beings, what did the Sea Region have?
…
…
The Sea Region had the lingering aura of the Snow Monarch’s destructive power. For a thousand years, even ordinary legendary beings hadn’t dared to approach.
Chapter 90: The Moonquake Fox Returns
The monthly trial determined the members’ rankings, each rank receiving different rewards and treatment.
The first rank received 10 contribution points, the second 6, and the third only 3. Those who didn’t rank or were absent received 1.
There were only 300 spots in the first rank, a crucial source of income for those focused on cultivation.
Those who didn’t reach the first rank had to take on additional tasks to sustain their cultivation, such as farming, gathering herbs, or accepting bounties in the mortal world.
These part-time jobs were time-consuming, hindering their cultivation progress, eventually leading to them falling behind and being eliminated.
The Sea Concubine Palace was considered relatively relaxed in terms of competition. The Ice Shield Palace, with its direct combat trials, and the Cold Court, with its fierce internal factions, were far more demanding.
Not to mention the Winter Floating Sky, the leading power of the Sea Region Alliance, which judged members solely on their cultivation speed. Speed was everything.
At this moment, the atmosphere in the Sea Dou Hall was tense. Everyone present was a competitor.
However, some members, having given up hope, simply sighed.
“Sigh, I give up. I’ve been too busy reading fantasy novels to cultivate.”
“I’m screwed too. I’m in love, and all my cultivation resources went to my girlfriend.”
“Does anyone know what this month’s trial will be? Any hints?”
“I know! It’s a written exam!!”
A confident voice drew everyone’s attention.
Standing in the crowd, a girl with long green hair, her expression calm, her voice filled with unwavering certainty, declared,
“A written exam…?”
The content of the monthly trial was usually randomly selected from a few recurring options. A written exam was unprecedented.
This girl, from a border village near the Wind Valley, was clearly spouting nonsense.
Noticing their skeptical gazes, the green-haired girl continued, unfazed, “Believe it or not, I’ll stake my horse on it. If I’m wrong, you can do whatever you want with it.”
“Really?”
“Yes, I’m certain. I heard that this generation of Sea Concubine Palace members aren’t very bright, so the higher-ups decided to test our intelligence with a written exam.”
The green-haired girl spoke confidently.
Since only those with mixed wind-attribute spirit energy had green hair, she was naturally assumed to be from the Wind Valley border region.
But even staking her precious horse, her claim was still hard to believe.
“Then tell us what kind of exam it is. If you know so much, you can at least give us a hint about the questions, right?”
“It’s definitely about cultivation or spirit beast types. Just follow my answers, and you’ll be fine!!!”
As many hesitated, torn between hope and skepticism, the monthly trial began.
And just as the green-haired girl predicted, Shui Qiu’e, standing above the Sea Dou Hall, announced the trial’s content.
[Aura Suppression Trial]
The Eight-Headed Mist Crow on Fallen Whale Island, the Saint-rank battle in the Wind Valley… both incidents had caused widespread anxiety.
The women of the Sea Region, generally gentle and averse to conflict, hadn’t experienced such large-scale battles in a long time.
And the lack of combat experience had exposed a glaring weakness: most Spirit Masters’ spirit beasts, facing higher-ranked opponents, were too terrified to even appear, leaving their masters vulnerable.
Therefore, it made sense for this month’s trial to be related to pressure resistance.
It was a new type of trial, but it had nothing to do with a written exam.
“…”
“…”
Under the gazes of dozens of people, the green-haired girl’s expression remained unchanged, her gaze fixed forward, showing no embarrassment whatsoever.
Although her horse, left behind as collateral, had been… dealt with, she had suffered no personal loss!
“Now, I will explain the rules of the Aura Suppression Trial.”
“Summoning spirit beasts is forbidden. You will resist the aura suppression with your will alone. The longer you last, the better your score.”
“You have one minute to prepare.”
Shui Qiu’e’s voice echoed through the hall. She then turned to the blue-haired, teardrop-eyed girl beside her.
Gong Lianyue, still unaware of the gravity of the situation, was observing the new members with interest.
A few seconds later, she noticed Shui Qiu’e staring at her.
“?”
“Are you ready?” Shui Qiu’e asked with a smile.
“Ready for what?” Gong Lianyue blinked.
“?”
“?” (Gong Lianyue’s internal reaction)
If a question mark expressed confusion, then a reversed question mark meant, “Do you want to get beaten?”
Shui Qiu’e and Gong Lianyue stared at each other in silence for a moment. Then Shui Qiu’e explained, “I invited the Saintess to attend the monthly trial so the new members could experience a Saint-rank aura, tempering their minds and broadening their horizons.”
Although her tone was calm, her expression was… mocking, as if saying, “Did you really think we paid you just to chat?”
Heh, that was exactly what Gong Lianyue had thought.
Her face twitched slightly as she looked towards the center of the Sea Dou Hall. The one-minute preparation time was almost up.
She didn’t have a Saint-rank spirit beast to summon and show off.
But she had obtained valuable information about the Wind Realm. Revealing something in return wouldn’t hurt…
[Nine-Colored Cloud Dream Flower]
“Chirp~~”
A small, milky white, three-tailed fox emerged from Gong Lianyue’s collar, stretching languidly.
Shui Qiu’e looked at the adorable little fox in surprise. Besides the Iron Jade Ice Scorpion and her hidden Saint-rank spirit beast, the Sorrowful Saintess had another one?!
She couldn’t identify the fox’s species, which was precisely why Gong Lianyue dared to reveal the Cloud Dream Flower before a Nether Traverse Stage expert.
The little fox was an extinct hybrid, the only one of its kind.
And uniqueness was a characteristic of myths. Shui Qiu’e would never be able to identify its true species.
[No need for a full transformation this time. Just release a bit of your aura.]
Sensing its master’s command, the little fox nodded slightly.
The next second, an aura completely unlike its adorable appearance erupted, a vast and powerful force sweeping through the entire hall.
At the same time, a strange, fluorescent scarf appeared beside the Cloud Dream Flower, radiating a faint, star-like glow.
Battle Technique: Possessing the Divine – Seven-Star Titan Moonquake Fox.
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