Chapter Thirty-Four: The Gathering of the Nine Sacred Maidens, the Battle on the Brink of Eruption

Outside the gates of the Xia capital, the winds of change gathered. A multitude of powerful figures appeared, the weakest among them being experts of the Profound Silence Realm, while the strongest was none other than the sect-protecting elder of the Tribulation Annihilation Realm—Emperor Zhao. Even more, Venerables descended, each accompanied by a retinue of Holy Maidens.

"Oh! Have the various Holy Lands come all this way for the sake of the Yellow Emperor of the Xia Kingdom? Why, it seems word has spread that the Jiang Emperor has a penchant for Holy Maidens. Seeing you all so eager today, one can't help but find it amusing," one Venerable remarked, his lips curling into a playful smirk as he gestured toward the Holy Maidens brought by the other sects, teasing an elder from a rival Holy Land.

"Samsara Holy Land, a mere frontier sect practicing ghostly, heterodox arts. As the rumored inheritors of the Great Emperor, what right do you have to be here? I am curious to see what sort of goods you have sent," an elder retorted with undisguised contempt.

A woman stepped forth from a floral boat adorned in pink. Veiled in sheer silk, her demeanor was poised and calm. Far from exuding the eerie aura of dark arts, she possessed an ethereal grace that eclipsed the other Holy Maidens. Her eyes flickered with disdain, as if mocking the ignorant questioning of the others.

She strolled forward slowly, her voice clear and melodious, like the singing of a songbird:

"You are all elders of your respective regions. As one of the Nine Great Holy Lands, we remain a Holy Land regardless of your opinions. What you call heterodox arts is merely our sect’s devotion to the Path of Samsara; how could you possibly comprehend its mysteries?"

Her words were imbued with such grandeur that they left the elders speechless, and even the other Holy Maidens seemed to pale in her presence. With her partially veiled features, she already surpassed most, leaving much to the imagination, while the composure beneath that exterior revealed a rare, regal temperament.

"As expected of the legendary Samsara Holy Maiden. It is said that your sect has lost the 'Nine-Turn Samsara Technique,' and even a mere fragment of it is not to be underestimated. Tell me, has your search proven hopeless, leading you to seek opportunity here instead?" a Venerable asked, his tone probing.

The Samsara Holy Maiden knew well that she had not come by choice. During her cultivation of the Samsara Technique, she required the nine turns of reincarnation, and one of her past lives was intrinsically linked to the Jiang family of this land. Unwilling to reveal such secrets, she smiled:

"The mysteries of the techniques practiced by our Samsara Temple are not for outsiders to know. You all have surely come for the Emperor Pill, but I, Meng Yan’er, have come solely for the Jiang Emperor. We walk different paths and have nothing to discuss."

With that, she turned and retreated into the cabin of her floral boat, ignoring the others and leaving behind an arrogant, enigmatic silhouette.

The crowd sneered in silence, each knowing the other’s intentions. They had all come prepared for two possibilities: to test the truth of the rumors—that the Great Emperor’s pressure and the Emperor Pill originated here—and to investigate the Jiang family, who clearly possessed someone extraordinary. Following the rumors, they had sent their Holy Maidens.

Inside the hall, Jiang Cheng sat, feeling the system’s risk warnings. He was well aware of the Nine Great Holy Lands' arrival and their formidable strength, and he was naturally prepared. A cold glint flashed in his eyes as a smirk played on his lips.

"They come just in time. It saves me the trouble of dealing with them one by one. I shall sweep them all up at once."

With the previous batch of Holy Sons still in custody and a new group of Holy Maidens arriving, he was more than happy to see them. He began to imagine how he would handle these women, his eyes glinting with amusement.

Nether, who had been by his side, had already vanished without a trace. Jiang Cheng thought to himself, "It seems one is better off relying on oneself. It must be done this way."

Once he had finalized his strategy, he summoned his six guardians:

"Jiguang, as the only one in the Void Refinement Realm, you will activate the Great Array later. If they dare to force their way in, ensure they never return."

However, just as Jiang Cheng prepared to teach them a harsh lesson, the group outside the city array remained motionless, waiting dutifully as if observing strict etiquette.

"The Nine Great Holy Lands have come to pay respects to the Yellow Emperor of the Xia Kingdom. We have brought gifts and humbly request the Yellow Emperor to allow us into the Imperial Capital."

Jiang Cheng was stunned. "Could it be that the previous agreement was accepted by their ancestors? Or are they simply trying to probe my trump cards?"

***

Thinking this, Jiang Cheng could not afford to dwell on it and set out personally.

On the way, he met Su Ruoxi leading the Holy Maiden Ling’er. She asked, "Husband, the Nine Great Holy Lands have arrived—what is their intent?"

"Come, let’s go and see. The rest of you, proceed as planned and guard the borders; no one is to leave their post without authorization."

The three arrived at the city gate, and seeing the formation, Jiang Cheng could not help but frown.

There were floral boats, floating sedan chairs, and other high-quality flying artifacts, all adorned in shades of pink. It was a festive display that made it immediately clear: this was a procession for a wedding.

"What is the meaning of this?"

Jiang Cheng was bewildered, looking around to find that the floral boats were surrounded by maidservants, while the guardians had retreated several miles away, watching from a distance rather than attacking.

"Rest assured, we come by the order of our Holy Lords to meet the newly ascended Emperor of the Jiang family. We come with sincerity. Our escorts remain miles away and will not interfere with this marriage alliance."

An elder of the Profound Silence Realm spoke, his tone filled with respect.

Hearing this, Jiang Cheng’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. He quickly glanced at Su Ruoxi, only to find her expressionless, as if she had expected it all along.

"With the Great Emperor’s pressure and rumors of inheritance, fame brings trouble. Besides, my husband is deeply mysterious; this was all to be expected. Those old foxes would never pass up an opportunity to gain an advantage."

Su Ruoxi secretly transmitted her voice to reassure him, a hint of craftiness flashing in her eyes.

"Very well. Since you are so prescient, my lady, let us see what kind of grand game they are playing. I will accompany them to the end."

Jiang Cheng’s reply filled Su Ruoxi with anticipation; she, too, wanted to see how her husband would handle such a situation.

"In that case, please enter."

The Holy Maidens of the Nine Great Holy Lands descended from their boats. Following the procession and the red carpet, they appeared one by one—each as beautiful as a flower. The Samsara Holy Maiden, in particular, wearing a dark green fairy dress, stood out in the crowd like a phoenix among chickens, a truly dazzling sight.

"Her aura... it feels so familiar. I have a sense of déjà vu."

At that moment, the system displayed a message:

Name: Meng Yan’er
Gender: Female
Soul Age: 8,800 years
Race: Human
Talent: Eye of Samsara
Cultivation: Early Void Refinement Realm
Technique: Fragment of the Nine-Turn Samsara Technique

[Eye of Samsara]
A powerful innate ability capable of trapping others in a nightmare of reincarnation. It is an endless cycle, not a mere illusion. Once matured, it can master the Laws of Samsara, containing the Power of Samsara.

[Power of Samsara]
Below the first level, it belongs to the realm of illusion. Above the first level, it is the true Power of Samsara.
The First Level of Samsara creates the Turbid World, capable of trapping all evil spirits.
The Second Level creates the Human World, trapping all evil people.
The Third Level creates the Demon World, trapping all evil beasts.
The Fourth Level creates the Heavenly World, trapping all evil cultivators.
The Fifth Level creates the Buddha World, trapping all evil monks and Buddhas.
The Sixth Level creates the Immortal World, trapping all evil ancient immortals.

Ding: By obtaining this Six-Fold Samsara, which encompasses all, one can claim the opportunity of the Great Dao. It is a special hidden constitution with no shortage of Yin or Yang. The abilities await the host to unlock through experience; the system cannot detect its upper limit.

The host has triggered a past-life connection. The Samsara Holy Maiden, Meng Yan’er, has unlocked a clue to the second half of the Nine-Turn Samsara Technique: "The Imperial Capital Beyond the Realms."

After checking the information, Jiang Cheng suddenly remembered a person—the one he regretted most from his past life, who had sacrificed herself to protect him. Now that she had reincarnated into this world, she was undoubtedly linked to him.

Thinking of her, he stole a glance at Su Ruoxi, realizing that the situation had become complicated. He feared that this woman had come specifically for him...