The Sovereign's Ascension

Lin Yun revealed an awkward smile when he heard that. He knew that before Drifting Goblet became a monk, he was a cultivator of the Demon Domain who had countless lives in his hands. But when Su Ziyao saved him, he became a monk and willingly followed her.

He naturally had feelings for Su Ziyao, but he knew he stood no chance. This was why he decided to become a monk, which also meant that he was a person with stories.

Lin Yun took a silver pot from his interspatial pouch and looked at Drifting Goblet.

This instantly drew Drifting Goblet’s interest. He loved all wine and knew it would surely be good since it came from Lin Yun. So he asked, “What is it?”

“Mo Clan’s Millennium Flame. I drank it all and saved a small pot for you,” smiled Lin Yun as he tossed the silver pot. He finished the Millennium Flame that he found, but he saved a small pot, especially for Drifting Goblet, because he knew this monk was a wine lover. Drifting Goblet could be considered an elder brother who had taken care of him since they were in the Great Qin. So Lin Yun naturally wouldn’t forget about him when he found such a good wine.

“Millennium Flame!” Drifting Goblet had shock written on his face when he heard that. He then put on a fawning smile and asked, “This is extremely rare. Where did you get it from?”

“Don’t bother. I found it on the Heavenly Path. There should have been a branch of the Mo Clan there in the past. Aside from the Millennium Flame, I also found many Dragon Clan wines, but I don’t have many of them left,” replied Lin Yun.

“Then I have to keep this stored well. I can bear to drink such a good wine.” Drifting Goblet held onto the wine pot with joy written all over his face; anyone could tell he was a wine lover.

“So, did I make it through now?” Lin Yun smiled.

In response, Drifting Goblet could only weakly smile because he couldn’t get angry with Lin Yun. The smile disappeared on his face, and he said, “Right, I’m here to pick up Ziyao. The Profound Monarch Palace will send someone over if she doesn't leave soon. There will be a huge commotion at that time, and everyone in the world will know about your affair with her.”

“Do you know what pressure she’s bearing in the Profound Monarch Palace?” Lin Yun asked.

“The Profound Monarch Palace has deep ties with the Divine Dragon Empire. The Empress is the monarch of the Divine Dragon Empire, which means she has the most authority in this Divine Dragon Era. Su Ziyao is one of her heirs, so you can imagine the pressure she’s bearing because she’ll fall into the abyss if she makes the wrong move. There will be a test in five years for all of the heirs, and it will be a huge event.”

Lin Yun was briefly stunned because Su Ziyao had never told him about that.

“What are you guys talking about?” Su Ziyao came out to the courtyard just when Lin Yun was about to ask more about it. When sunlight shone down on Su Ziyao’s face, it enveloped her in a faint glow that made her look like an actual empress.

“Nothing.” Drifting Goblet seemed afraid of Su Ziyao, so he immediately shuts his mouth when Su Ziyao emerged.

“Let’s go, then,” said Su Ziyao.

When Lin Yun wanted to send her off, Su Ziyao stopped him, “Don’t send me off. Just remember to come and look for me because you promised me. I will also wait for you.”

It might seem a little ruthless of her, but that fits her character because they already said whatever they needed last night, and Lin Yun even gave his promise. Lin Yun did expect this day to come, but when this day finally came, this caught Lin Yun by surprise.

Lin Yun didn’t even have the time to touch the wine Drifting Goblet poured for him. Lin Yun didn’t get up, but he raised the cup of wine and looked at Su Ziyao’s departing silhouette. When he placed the cup by his lips, Su Ziyao turned around as the two looked at each other with everything they had to say all in their eyes.

When Lin Yun gulped down the cup of wine, he was toasting this wine for the rising sun. A long time later, when he was the only one left in the courtyard, he couldn’t help feeling a little low.

At noon, footsteps finally sounded outside the courtyard. When Lin Yun raised his head, he was surprised to see Ye Ziling come to the courtyard. It had been a long time since he was alone with her.

Ye Ziling was donned in a long purple dress that only revealed her legs, and she also had a jade cloth casually wrapping around her waist like a belt. After the Divine Dragon Sword Physique and her Radiant Snow Bloodline fused, her skin had become fairer.

“Lin Yun, what are you doing here?” Ye Ziling was surprised to see Lin Yun.

“You’re here to look for Ziyao?” Lin Yun asked.

“Yeah. I have been frequently here these past few days. Big Sister Su is friendly and taught me the Dragon Blood Sword Sutra. She even said that it’s extremely compatible with me.” Ye Ziling immediately sat down and asked, “Where’s Big Sister Su?”

“She left,” smiled Lin Yun.

“She’s not coming with us to the Sword Sect…?” Ye Ziling sounded disappointed. But then she suddenly thought of something and continued, “Well, that makes sense. How can someone like Big Sister Su not have a secret of her own? But it’s a pity I misunderstood her for a long time.”

“It’s fine.” Lin Yun comforted.

Ye Ziling nodded, “We’ll depart for the Ancient Barren Domain in just ten-odd days. You have to perform well and not embarrass our Fleeting Cloud Sword Sect. No matter what, you’re someone who defeated Qin Cang, and you’re destined to suppress all the geniuses on the Ancient Barren Domain. So you must become first on the test!”

“If you put it that way, then I’ll feel pressured,” smiled Lin Yun.

“Hmph, who are you trying to bluff?” Ye Ziling rolled her eyes. “You can’t laze around just because Big Sister Su isn’t here. I’ll supervise you!”

Lin Yun bitterly smiled when he heard that because he never expected that Ye Ziling would form such a deep relationship with Su Ziyao.

“Uh, you’re saying you’re going to the Sword Sect as well?” Lin Yun suddenly recalled that Ye Ziling was a fated transcendent who had awakened the Radiant Snow Bloodline. The Radiant Snow Bloodline was an Ancient Saint Clan, and it seemed to be outside the Ancient Barren Domain. With Ye Ziling’s aptitude, she would be able to receive more resources if she went to the Radiant Snow Clan.

“That’s for sure!” Ye Ziling smiled. “The Sword Sect is the strongest sect for swordsmen in the Ancient Barren Domain, and you can even say it’s the strongest for swordsmen in the Eastern Desolation. You don't know how many Saint Clan descendants dream of entering the Sword Sect. But the Sword Sect has a high threshold, even if it’s open to everyone. You first have to be at the Elysium Core Realm, and you also have to make it through the test. So disciples of the Sword Sect are no doubt elite of the elites.

“There are rumors that the Radiant Sword Saint might take in a disciple this time! Then again, those are only rumors. But something is confirmed: saints from the six other peaks will appear to take in disciples!”

His face changed because he knew what it meant when Lin Yun heard that. This meant that the Sword Sect finally felt the pressure from the Profound Sky Sect and resorted to such means. After all, every single saint was equivalent to nobility.

It was practically impossible for a saint to take a disciple because saints have stepped on the saint path. This meant that they had transcended from being mortals. So Lin Yun could imagine how bustling this test would be.

“So you can’t embarrass the Fleeting Cloud Sword Sect!” Ye Ziling said with a grave expression. “My father already decided to put more effort into the Fleeting Cloud Sword Sect to expand the Sword Sect’s territory in the Profound Azure Prefecture!”

When Lin Yun saw the pride Ye Ziling had on her face when she mentioned her father, he couldn’t help smiling. He knew how far this father and daughter couple had come to reconcile.

“Okay. I will do my best,” smiled Lin Yun.

Ye Ziling smiled when she heard that with a light flashing through her pupils. “Speaking of which, you’ve lied to me for so long, saying that you weren’t Flower Burial! I’ve yet to resolve that with you!”

Lin Yun was stunned when he heard that because he didn’t expect that Ye Ziling still remembered that.

“Well, it doesn’t matter. Like what you’ve said, not all likes are the same. I like you, but I also like Flower Burial. Flower Burial is Flower Burial, and Lin Yun is Lin Yun.” Ye Ziling suddenly stood up and brushed her fringe to the side.

Lin Yun instantly knew why Su Ziyao would have such a good relationship with her. There were traits of Ye Ziling that matched the Divine Dragon Era, where women were not inferior to men.

Just like that, ten days passed in the blink of an eye. On the Rising Sky Stage in the Fleeting Cloud Sword Sect, a Profound Azure Bird stood out.

Lin Yun, Wang Yuruo, Ye Ziling, Feng Zhang, Liu Qingyan, and Feng Jue from the Sword Sect were gathered here. Today was the day they would leave the Fleeting Cloud Sword Sect for the Ancient Barren Domain, and perhaps they might never return in their lifetime.

The Profound Azure Bird was Feng Jue’s mount that could travel in the fourth layer of heaven. This was an extremely rare astral beast species. This was something that the Sword Sect had bestowed upon him after Feng Jue reached the Samsara Edict Realm, and not every Samsara Edict Realm could afford to raise it.

When the Profound Azure Bird flapped its wings, it swiftly left the Rising Sky Stage. But Jiang Lichen bit his lips as he stood beside Jian Jingtian. When the group left, he finally couldn’t bear the tears rolling down his cheeks and yelled, “Junior Brother Lin, wait for me! One fine day, I ensure that the Fleeting Cloud Sword Sect’s name will spread throughout the Eastern Desolation! If a hundred years isn’t enough, then three hundred years. If three hundred years isn’t enough, I’ll take eight hundred years to do it! I gave you my promise!”

On the Profound Azure Bird, Lin Yun turned back to look at Jiang Lichen. He only casually said it previously, but he never expected that Jiang Lichen would remember it.

“I’ll be back, so wait for me!” Lin Yun yelled back.

“Master, why does everyone have to leave? Isn’t it great if everyone stayed in the Fleeting Cloud Sword Sect?” Jiang Lichen was like a kid as he cried. He had deep feelings for the Fleeting Cloud Sword Sect. He also wanted to leave with them, but he was the chief disciple there. If the Fleeting Cloud Sword Sect was everyone’s home, someone ultimately had to stay behind to take care of this home.

“Master, I also want to go with them.” Jiang Lichen hugged Jian Jingtian and started crying like a baby, and he couldn’t control his tears.

“Silly kid, don’t cry,” said Jian Jingtian. “The day will finally come when the baby eagles spread their wings. But only a true hero will stay behind!”