Chapter 37: The Concept of the Thirteenth Grotto-Heaven? The Nine Profound Sacred Body?

A middle-aged man dressed in emerald-green robes toyed with a warm, translucent piece of jade in his hand, his eyes fixed like lightning upon the fierce battle unfolding in the void.

He let out a cold snort, his tone filled with disdain and confidence: "Hmph, for the Saintess of my Biluo Holy Land, dealing with them is as simple as crushing an ant."

"Any seed candidate we choose to send out is invincible within their own realm; there is no need to diminish our own prestige."

Bian Tianxu, standing by in a cold sweat, had accompanied him to secretly report on the situation. If not for the crucial intelligence he had provided, the Biluo Holy Land might never have joined this marriage alliance.

"Did you see it with your own eyes?" the green-robed man pressed.

"Naturally. The Saintess of Danxia, Xuanji, was utterly defeated. Although she managed to refine a Saint Pill, it was nowhere near the quality of an Emperor Pill. Therefore, the existence of the Jiang family's legacy is undeniable. Without such a heritage, how could an Emperor Pill be crafted by someone at the seventh-rank Cave Heaven stage?" Bian Tianxu replied with conviction.

The green-robed man’s expression shifted, and he frowned, whispering to himself:

"If they truly can refine Emperor Pills, it would be best if our Saintess succeeds in this marriage alliance. If not, even if we have to snatch her, she must be brought back to the Biluo Holy Land. Such a master of the Emperor's art must never fall into the hands of another holy land. Otherwise, the Holy Master will surely make us both pay the price."

These words revealed the true motive behind the strange behavior occurring during this event.

Meanwhile, the battle continued. An ice dragon and a fire phoenix collided in the void, driving the spectacle to a climax that captivated the onlookers. The crowd ceased their chatter, focusing intently on the duel between the two.

Matched in cultivation, they were evenly balanced, relying solely on fundamental skills and the precise application of their power. With black ice pitted against black fire, both fighters were in the Profound Pattern realm, yet they appeared perfectly matched in strength.

That the first match was so thrilling proved that these nine holy land saintesses were no ordinary figures; they were truly the elite among their respective sects.

"Compared to those holy sons, these saintesses are actually more accomplished. Truly, a saintess is extraordinary," Jiang Cheng thought, nodding to himself. He scrutinized the details, wondering if he could defeat either of them were he at the same cultivation level.

As Jiang Cheng immersed himself in analyzing the combat, the system’s voice suddenly interrupted his thoughts.

"Notification: The host has triggered the True Dragon Realm of Intent. If you break through to the Cave Heaven realm, you may obtain the first layer of intent: [Ice Intent]."

The system's voice echoed in Jiang Cheng’s mind, tinged with mystery and temptation. As the first layer of the Nine Dragon Intent, mastering [Ice Intent] would significantly enhance the defensive capabilities of his True Dragon Protection. For Jiang Cheng, this was an immense opportunity.

"Complete the Cave Heaven breakthrough mission to be rewarded with a Heavenly-grade artifact, with permanent usage rights," the system continued.

* Purple Thunder Sword: Capable of communing with the laws of thunder, directly invoking lightning tribulations for attacks.
* Lunar Wheel: Forged from lunar essence, enhancing the practitioner's control over the laws of the moon.

"Choose one of the two."

Jiang Cheng stared at these prompts, his heart pounding. Heavenly-grade artifacts, while inferior to Emperor-grade weapons, were weapons of the Tribulation Annihilation realm—possessing immense power that could not be overlooked.

"The Lunar Wheel? My wife doesn't seem to have a decent weapon. As the mother of a nation, how can she be seen using standard-grade gear? Perhaps I should choose this for her; after all, she is about to break through to the Venerable realm," Jiang Cheng mused, having already made his decision.

Suddenly, his gaze wavered between the two items. He sighed and said to the system: "System, is it impossible to choose both?" His tone carried a hint of anticipation and helplessness, clearly regretting that he could only select one.

Suddenly, the system's voice rang out again, carrying an unprecedented level of temptation:

*Ding! If the host chooses to increase the difficulty of the breakthrough to reach the Thirteenth Cave Heaven realm—mastering one layer of intent at each level—and manages to slay a peak Divine Sea practitioner while at the thirteenth level, you will not only receive all previous rewards but also an additional Saint-grade artifact of your choice, with permanent usage rights.*

*[Saint-grade Artifact]: Centered on the Great Dao laws, containing complete rule-based power, serving as a vessel for a practitioner’s legal legacy.*

*Features: Typically standard for Saint-realm practitioners, these artifacts can autonomously manipulate the laws of heaven and earth, possess domain capabilities, and can form absolute suppression within a specific area.*

* *Universe Map: Capable of sealing a space, used for trapping enemies or protection.*
* *Myriad Spirit Tower: Contains a void of ten thousand spirits, used for suppressing enemies or imprisoning souls.*

"The host may choose for himself."

After reading the prompt, Jiang Cheng’s eyes widened, nearly popping out of his sockets. He thought in shock, "Thirteenth Cave Heaven?"

"Never mind the alluring Saint-grade weapon; I’ve never even heard of the Thirteenth Cave Heaven. And the idea that one's intent must progress alongside the Cave Heaven level? I’ve never heard of such a thing!" Jiang Cheng was stunned, and with good reason. He had only ever heard that the Tenth Cave Heaven was the absolute limit. The Thirteenth was likely unheard of across the entire continent, not to mention that intent usually required reaching the Venerable realm to be mastered; mastering it at the Cave Truth realm was already a rarity. Furthermore, where was he supposed to master thirteen different types of intent?

Jiang Cheng was filled with both doubt and a desire for the challenge. This was an unprecedented opportunity, but also a monumental task. He knew that if he could complete this, he would gain power beyond imagination, though the path was undoubtedly fraught with danger.

Filled with questions, Jiang Cheng asked the system: "Does the system have any mission hints? How can I reach the Thirteenth Cave Heaven, and how can I master more types of intent?"

The system’s voice returned, carrying a hint of apology:

*Ding! The host must unlock this based on his own conditions. The system does not possess this function and cannot list the cultivation process for you. You must master it yourself.*

Jiang Cheng was left speechless, feeling somewhat disappointed. However, his expression was noticed by Su Ruoxi beside him. She asked with concern, "Husband, what is wrong?"

Jiang Cheng hurriedly masked his lapse, smiling as he replied, "Nothing... I was just stunned by the brilliance of this duel. Let us continue watching."

Seeing Jiang Cheng's response, Su Ruoxi smiled and explained, "My sister's cultivation technique is quite special. Don't be fooled by her current disadvantage; once her Nine Phoenixes emerge, her opponent will struggle to parry even a single blow."

Hearing this, Jiang Cheng turned his gaze back to the phantom in the void, his eyes shimmering with curiosity and anticipation. "Oh? It has such power? Then I must watch carefully."

Immediately after, on the arena in the void, Ling'er suddenly erupted with the powerful force of a fire phoenix.

One, two, three...

Seven fire phoenixes transformed into phantoms, dancing across the sky, as dazzling and magnificent as a phoenix reborn. The crowd gasped in terror, unable to look directly at the shocking scene.

"Seven Phoenixes Greeting the Sun—this is the power of seven different Profound Patterns! It is difficult enough for an ordinary person to master one; how is she able to manifest seven?" one saintess asked, her voice trembling with disbelief.

Before she could finish, another saintess exclaimed loudly, "Look! It is nine types of Profound Pattern power! She is actually a Nine Profound Saint Body!"

"Nine Profound Saint Body? What kind of physique is that? I have never heard of it." The surrounding saintesses discussed it fervently; though they were people of great experience, they were nonetheless shaken by what they saw.

Amidst the discussions, Su Ruoxi glanced at Jiang Cheng and noticed the look of surprise on his face. She feigned a relaxed demeanor, covering her mouth to hide a giggle.

"How does my husband find my sister? Is she worthy of your attention?"

In truth, Jiang Cheng had long understood that this woman was extraordinary; otherwise, the system would not have assigned him a conquest mission with such generous rewards. The look on his face was merely a pretense to cover his earlier lapse.

Jiang Cheng gave an awkwardly feigned smile, his tone filled with admiration: "She is truly worthy of being the Linglong Saintess. Your dear friend, Ling'er, is truly a dragon among humans."

"Then, as a consort for my husband, is she a suitable match?" Su Ruoxi teased, a playful glint in her eyes.

Caught off guard, Jiang Cheng felt his face flush slightly, and he gave another awkward smile.

"Uh... what are you saying, my lady? She is your sister. If she is willing to join my Jiang Dynasty later, how about we appoint her as a special honorary elder, ranked above the other saintesses?"

Su Ruoxi had not expected Jiang Cheng to blush, and a sense of mischief rose in her heart. "I was asking, what of my sister's beauty? Does it surpass that of the Reincarnation Saintess?"

Jiang Cheng sensed trouble. He stammered for a long time before finally managing to respond: "Your sister's beauty is naturally breathtaking, and the charm of the Reincarnation Saintess is indeed peerless. But both pale in comparison to your own combination of beauty and wisdom. With your sharp insight, dignity, and virtue, how can the starlight compare to the brilliance of the full moon?"

Though they were speaking via telepathy, the praise clearly pleased Su Ruoxi. She feigned a serious expression, clearing her throat to hide her smile. "Very well, I understand your meaning, husband. It was merely a joke."

Jiang Cheng breathed a sigh of relief. As he followed Su Ruoxi's gaze toward the arena, Ling'er suddenly shivered, straightened her back, and shouted:

"Who is next to challenge me?"

Her voice echoed through the air, carrying an unquestionable aura of authority, as if declaring her determination and strength to all who watched.