Chapter 33: Imprisoned

Taking advantage of the moment, Chu Feng immediately chose to accept the system's reward of a thousand years of cultivation. Powerful spiritual force surged into his body. The thousand-character Grand Celestial Scripture frantically operated within him, his cultivation slowly rising. Previously, he had only reached the mid-stage of Transformation through the system's reward. Yet, thanks to the Heaven and Earth Yin-Yang Great Sorrow Sutra and the five-hundred-character Grand Celestial Scripture, his realm had become remarkably solid.

Now, breaking through was naturally effortless.

Soon, his cultivation reached the late-stage of Transformation, then broke through again, attaining the peak of the Transformation realm. Only then was the thousand years of cultivation fully absorbed. Among them, the thousand-character Grand Celestial Scripture played a pivotal role.

This was but a thousand characters—what would happen if he obtained the complete three-thousand-character scripture? No wonder the Grand Celestial Scripture could create Sun Wukong. Though Sun Wukong was born a spiritual stone monkey with extraordinary talent, capable of great feats and causing havoc in Heaven and the Underworld, the Grand Celestial Scripture laid a solid foundation for him, which was indispensable.

Across the myriad worlds, countless celestial-level techniques existed. The Grand Celestial Scripture ranked among the top ten. Anything produced by the system was of the highest quality; otherwise, the system would not have recommended the Grand Celestial Scripture.

Lastly, there was the Infinite Divine Eye. Chu Feng had long wished to cultivate it—gazing upon the heavens above, the myriad beings within, and the nine netherworlds below, piercing through the void to see his true heart.

With any system reward, divine abilities and techniques could be mastered directly. However, mere entry-level mastery was not enough. Fortunately, he possessed a Heaven-defying Comprehension Experience Card. Chu Feng took it out immediately.

He had previously used such a card and benefited immensely, especially in comprehending the Sword that Opens the Heavenly Gate, which he had cultivated to perfection.

With heaven-defying comprehension, the first thing Chu Feng tackled was the Infinite Divine Eye. Originally obscure and difficult, it now seemed magnified infinitely, allowing him to grasp and advance it rapidly.

Minor mastery, then major mastery. Time was not yet exhausted; ten minutes remained. Unfortunately, it was not enough to comprehend the Infinite Divine Eye to perfection.

He then turned to the Dragon Subduing Ninety-Nine Palms. With a single palm, he could manifest ninety-nine golden dragons, each equivalent to his full-strength strike. Ninety-nine dragons meant ninety-nine full-powered attacks. As a celestial-level technique, it was hardly simple—even at entry level.

With minor mastery, a single palm could produce one hundred ninety-eight golden dragons, equivalent to one hundred ninety-eight full-force attacks. Moreover, the spiritual power consumed was the same as that required for ninety-nine dragons, a testament to the benefits of advancing one's mastery.

...

Divine Continent, one of the nine states of Eastern Wilderness.

The Imperial Jiang Clan.

At this moment, Shen Qianxue was seated in a quiet, comfortable residence, decorated in an ancient style and suffused with rich spiritual energy. Ever since she had followed Jiang Yan here, she had not stepped outside, never leaving the room—not even seeing Jiang Yan again.

She had yet to realize she was being imprisoned.

On the journey here, she had probed Jiang Yan's intentions. Ostensibly, Jiang Yan wished for her to join the Imperial Jiang Clan and be cultivated with special care, but in truth, she wanted Shen Qianxue to marry a Jiang clansman.

Jiang Yan had seen that Shen Qianxue possessed a natural holy body. Though such a constitution was not as inheritable as bloodlines, there remained a slight chance of passing it to her offspring.

Thinking of this, Shen Qianxue's heart was filled with anxiety, and her thoughts turned to her husband.

She had experienced the Jiang Clan's power over the past days. Outside her residence, an old man slept all day; he appeared ordinary, yet possessed Transformation-level cultivation. He was but a servant. Within the entire Imperial Clan, there were countless experts.

Was she truly destined to marry a Jiang clansman?

“No, I will never betray my husband,” Shen Qianxue vowed silently. If the Jiang Clan truly forced her to marry one of their own, she would die before them, never allowing her chastity to be sullied.

For her husband was the only one—Chu Feng.

Just then, the door opened. Shen Qianxue immediately grew alert, looking toward the entrance where Jiang Yan, whom she had not seen in days, entered with a smiling face.

“Miss,” Shen Qianxue stood up at once.

Jiang Yan, clad in white, her face bare, walked barefoot upon the void. With each step, a white lotus blossomed beneath her feet—a lotus with every step. A faint pressure emanated from her entire being.

Smiling, she said, “What did I tell you when you arrived? We are to call each other sisters. From now on, just address me as Sister Yan.”

“Sister Yan,” Shen Qianxue obeyed.

Jiang Yan was very pleased.

She said, “Qianxue, I came today first to apologize—I have been very busy lately. Are you comfortable here in the Jiang Clan?”

“It’s... bearable,” Shen Qianxue said, bitterness flooding her heart.

Biting her lip, she said, “Sister Yan, I miss my husband. May I return to see him?”

Jiang Yan’s expression changed instantly, and she snorted coldly, “Didn’t I tell you? Once you join my Jiang Clan, you are one of our people. How could a member of the Jiang Clan marry some man from a mere second-rate Daoist sect? Forget your former husband.”

“Since you call me Sister Yan, I will not treat you poorly. Once your cultivation is higher, I will personally select an excellent Jiang clansman for you.”

“But...” Shen Qianxue’s face turned deathly pale.

Though she had suspected Jiang Yan’s intentions and deduced some of the truth through indirect questioning, to hear it spoken outright filled her heart with terror. Death haunted the depths of her mind.

She was truly to be made part of the Jiang Clan, reduced to a tool for bearing children, with hopes that her offspring would inherit her beautiful holy body.

Jiang Yan cut her off, snorting, “No buts. It’s settled. Once you break through to the Foundation Establishment realm, I will arrange a husband for you.”

“And here are some resources provided by the Jiang Clan. Cultivate well.”

With a wave of her hand, a jade bottle, a storage pouch, and a jade slip appeared before Shen Qianxue.

The jade bottle contained spirit pills to aid in Qi Refinement—a top-grade pill for that realm.

The storage pouch held over ten thousand supreme-grade spirit stones.

The jade slip recorded a cultivation technique: the Everlasting Youth Sutra, stronger than the one Shen Qianxue had been practicing.

Had this been in the Supreme Daoist Sect, Shen Qianxue would have been overjoyed. But now, she felt only terror, fearing that her cultivation would rise—and she would be forced to marry a Jiang clansman.

“Husband, Qianxue misses you,” she whispered as tears slipped down her face.

Jiang Yan, leaving the courtyard, approached the old man sleeping at the gate. He was now wide awake, standing respectfully.

Jiang Yan asked, “Has Shen Qianxue shown any unusual behavior since her arrival?”