Chen Ping’s spirit lifted. This was exactly what he needed.
“Palace Lord, what exactly is the divine clan? Why are they so arrogant and xenophobic? How strong are they truly? What realm is the clan leader in?” Chen Ping fired off several questions in quick succession.
The palace lord gathered her thoughts and began to speak slowly.
“The divine clan is not a single ethnic group, but a vast and ancient alliance.”
“They claim descent from primordial innate gods and demons. Their bloodlines contain divinity. They are naturally attuned to all manner of laws, their cultivation speed far surpasses ordinary races, and their lifespans are far longer.”
“This has bred in them a deep-rooted sense of superiority. They regard other races as ‘mundane’ or ‘inferior beings’.”
“Within the divine clan there are many branches. For instance, the ‘Ice God Branch’ from which I hail specialises in ice laws. There are also the ‘Fire God Branch’, the ‘Thunder God Branch’, the ‘Wood God Branch’, and others, each with its own strengths.”
“The major branches jointly select a ‘Divine Emperor’ to rule over all, supported by an ‘Elder Council’ and a ‘Divine General Hall’.”
“The current Divine Emperor, it is said, has reigned for more than thirty thousand years. His cultivation is unfathomably profound, at the very least… Golden Immortal realm!”
Golden Immortal!
Chen Ping’s pupils contracted sharply.
Above Heavenly Immortal lies Upper Immortal, and above Upper Immortal lies True Immortal.
Only above True Immortal comes Golden Immortal.
That is a supreme powerhouse truly capable of dominating an entire realm and founding a dao lineage.
The mere thought gave Chen Ping a headache. With his present strength, even an Upper Immortal could slay him.
He wanted to challenge a Golden Immortal?
He dared not dwell on it, unless Mr Shi could aid him.
Yet no matter what, he would rescue Wan Jianxing in the end. After all, Wan Jianxing was a hall master of the Heavenly Dragon Hall.
“The divine clan’s xenophobia stems partly from their bloodline superiority complex, and partly from the many primordial secrets and mighty inheritances they guard, fearing any leakage.”
“At the same time, they seek to preserve the purity of their divine descendants, hence the strict prohibition on intermarriage with outsiders. For holy maidens like me, the rules are outrageously harsh.”
The palace lord gave a cold sneer. “The affair with Jianxing is merely the tip of the iceberg. Over the centuries, countless similar tragedies have unfolded.”
“As for the Northern Darkness Divine Clan…”
“It is a force I assembled after arriving on the Eternal Ice Plain. I gathered clansmen from the Ice God Branch who shared my dissatisfaction with the divine clan or who had been marginalised within it.”
The palace lord explained. “Nominally we remain a branch of the divine clan, subject to their authority, but in truth we have grown apart.”
“The divine clan knows my intentions, so they have always watched and guarded against us. Your killing spree on the way here has likely already reached the ears of the main divine clan sect.”
Chen Ping’s heart sank.
If the main sect took notice, trouble would be immense.
The palace lord saw his concern and said calmly, “Rest assured. In the short term, the main sect will not intervene lightly. They are steeped in arrogance and will simply deem this a failure of competence on the part of the Northern Darkness Palace.”
“Moreover, I have operated here for thousands of years. I am not without trump cards. Even if the main sect dispatches forces, I have room to manoeuvre.”
“The pressing matter is for you to raise your strength swiftly. The cultivation method you practise is extraordinarily special. It seems to encompass all phenomena, bearing draconic might, with boundless potential. Yet your realm is too low. Against true powerhouses of the divine clan, you are still far from sufficient.”
Chen Ping nodded. “I understand. After obtaining the blood lotus this time, I intend to proceed to the Eleventh Heaven to seek Earth Core Jade Marrow Milk, while also searching for opportunities to break through.”
“The Eleventh Heaven…”
The palace lord pondered. “It is far more dangerous than the Tenth Heaven, and competition for resources is far fiercer. However, with your strength and potential, you may indeed venture there.”
“My Northern Darkness Palace maintains several hidden strongholds in the Eleventh Heaven. I can provide you with information and assistance.”
With that, she produced an ice-blue rhombic token and handed it to Chen Ping. “This is a Northern Darkness Token. Bearing this token, you may receive certain aid at my palace’s strongholds in the Eleventh Heaven.”
Chen Ping accepted the token. It felt icy cold in his palm. The front bore the character “Ming”, the reverse intricate snowflake divine patterns.
He stored it carefully. “Many thanks, Palace Lord.”
Chen Ping tucked the token away. He knew that, given the palace lord’s strength, she could easily venture into the Eleventh Heaven, or even the Twelfth.
Her long stay here was surely due to orders from the main divine clan sect, preventing her from roaming freely.
“No need for thanks. You are Jianxing’s successor, and thus akin to my own junior.”
The palace lord’s tone had softened considerably. “Rest in this hall tonight. I shall have healing pills sent to you.”
“Early tomorrow morning, I will take you to retrieve the blood lotus and brief you on precautions for the Eleventh Heaven.”
She rose. “Rest well.”
“Palace Lord, earlier I was unaware and slew so many disciples of your Northern Darkness Palace. I…”
Seeing her about to depart, Chen Ping spoke with deep remorse.
“It matters not…” The palace lord replied, gently waving her palm.
A transparent light barrier appeared. Within it lay all the Northern Darkness Palace disciples Chen Ping had killed.
Even the third divine general, Chill Prison, was among them.
Yet they merely seemed asleep.
“Rest assured. While they remain within this ice plain, their divine souls will not perish. They will recover.”
With those words, the palace lord drifted away, leaving Chen Ping and his two companions in the quiet side hall.
