"...Ma Xiuren?" As his soul, body, and mind shook, his thoughts came to an odd but likely conclusion. Before him, a young woman in her early twenties, beautiful by all accounts, sat gracefully in her seat. Her milky white, jade-like legs were tantalizing and seemed to be perfection itself without the slightest blemish. However, the most notable feature was her attire. Dressed in a short gown, cyan in color, embroidered with sapphire lotuses, she sat there like a celestial princess within a painting.
Hair as black as night, eyes suffused with an unfathomably profound glint, and an aura that seemed to contain immense force faintly surged.
With a natural smile, Yan Zaizen casually greeted, "Ma Xiuren, it's been a while."
She was no longer that young girl that looked six or seven years old, but a young woman with a remarkable countenance. Her figure was slim, her assets abundant, her aura was controlled, and her gaze left one feeling complex.
"..." Ma Xiuren had detected Yan Zaizen's arrival from the moment he strolled in. To her, Yan Zaizen had helped her survive an unfortunate incident when her cultivation was sealed, helped her sweep a floor and gathered a good yield of rare and old heavenly materials from the previous era, and displayed a rare form of concern.
Unfortunately, besides a simple nod of acknowledgment, she couldn't offer him anything else.
Yan Zaizen didn't take this as a cold-shoulder. For some odd reason, he knew that this girl was a mute. It could be a heavenly oath, infernal oath, a powerful restriction, or a personal choice. Regardless, she refused to communicate through any means outside of physical expressions and gestures.
Smiling, he sat down to see the leaders of this gathering. Not a single one was simple, but three stood out. They sat at the very top, looking down from above like true rulers of their domain.
A young man sat next to Zhou Xiuhei. His aura was ethereal and illusory, as if he and space were one and the same. He had the strangest feeling that if he blinked, he would no longer sense this man's existence.
He wore a scholar robe, violet in color, and silver-rimmed circular glasses. At the glabella was a single silver dot that radiated an unfathomable aura that made Yan Zaizen feel slightly dizzy simply glancing at it.
"Why do I feel…" Yan Zaizen couldn't help but mutter as his gaze landed on one of these top-tier existences. It was a divine beast in humanoid form. Standing at three meters in height, he had a body filled with a grand musculature with perfectly defined lines. His skin was black, completely, with crimson eyes that seemed to the contain the essence of bloodlust.
With every breath, he gave Yan Zaizen the feeling of a top predator of an era. It reminded him of the 'Sirius' character outside. What truly shocked Yan Zaizen was a blade shaped like a wolf-tooth pierced to his right. It radiated imperialistic malevolence as if it could and will decide all fates with its sharpness.
A mature middle-aged woman stood beside this divine beast, her eyes contained a shimmering light that seemed to burn Yan Zaizen's eyes whenever he looked directly at her. "A Hunyi?" The Hunyi was a humanoid race that could absorb solar light into their bodies and soul, they can then utilize this for cultivation or unique racial arts. Out of all the people here, these three had an astounding level of strength that made him feel an intense sensation of caution.
"Greetings all," A white-haired man's voice resounded. His voice carried through the entire hall, causing everyone to perk up their attention and focus. The man was the host of the gathering. He spoke greetings, formalized the reasons for this gathering, and gave specific thanks to those who helped create this gathering of elites and powerhouses.
"To celebrate the initiation of the Earthly Beginning and Heavenly End trials?" As Yan Zaizen thought of the reason explained, he couldn't help but look towards Ma Xiuren. Noticing his gaze, she turned towards him and slightly smile. For a second, Yan Zaizen was stunned. The little girl in the Asura Phantom Realm overlaid with the young woman before him. He could see a distinct resemblance.
He sent her a soul transmission, "The token is yours, as it's always been."
Ma Xiuren's body trembled as the message entered her soul. A few notable young elites noticed this tremble. Ma Xiuren was a beauty, but she also was a very, very strange case. Many young elites wished to have her as a dual cultivation partner, but alas, they simply were unable to enter her heart.
"..." To Ma Xiuren, the initial plan was to have Yan Zaizen keep the token until the deadline was reached. The Heavenly Commanders in the trial would activate the unique spatial formation within; she would then receive the token and give it to a selected male elite of her force. This was the plan. When she learned that Yan Zaizen was taken by the Xiuhei Sovereign, she had countless thoughts floating in her head, even that he was directly slain by the Xiuhei Sovereign.
Fortunately, that wasn't the case. This brought her deep relief.
However, she learned that Yan Zaizen would actually be the last member of the trial!
Before she could even reply, Yan Zaizen took out the trial's token and grabbed Ma Xiuren's soft, delicate hand. With the smoothest of motions, he placed the token inside her palm and smiled. To him, this token was a placeholder. An indicator of where she was and how to find her. If he had truly looked into it, outside of the Xiantu Realm, it wouldn't be hard to discover the identity of the token and the realm it belonged to.
With this, it acted as the most perfect compass for finding his way. Not to mention, he believed that due to the deadline formation that would've sent him to the Sirius Titan Realm anyhow, this was also a means for her to see him again.
In his entire life, he had a small number of people he actually trusted. When he was incapacitated, where his life was decided by her hands, without an ounce of greed or schemes, she carried him safely outside the Asura Phantom Realm. He wasn't robbed, killed, or left for dead. In his heart, this was an unforgettable event.
If he was presented a similar situation, he couldn't say for sure if he wouldn't rob the person as compensation for safe travels and the troubles of carrying him. Especially to someone he knew for a brief period of time with barely any communication.
His actions of giving Ma Xiuren the token caused even the host to stop his words. Zhou Xiuhei looked towards Yan Zaizen with furrowed brows, his gaze was filled to the brim with questioning. All the top young elites and peak powerhouses, the guests, and servants all were drawn towards Yan Zaizen's action.
Lightly chuckling, Yan Zaizen sipped the wine offered by the event. He was casual and free amidst the gazes of all.
Ma Xiuren understood the significance of this. It was essentially Yan Zaizen saying: "You lent it to me, I'm only returning it." Nevertheless, the depth it touched in her heart was unnatural.
Yan Zaizen did understand that this was supposed to be some opportunity that only comes once in ten thousand years, the penultimate trial designed by the White Sirius Heavenly Monarch, but so what?
Rubbing the token within her palm, Ma Xiuren looked dazedly at the token that held such a significance that it was worth more than an entire realm. In ten thousand years, only forty people have the qualifications to participate. Furthermore, that was only because ten Heavenly Commanders were accepted by the Sirius Titan Realm.
For each Heavenly Commander, four tokens were birthed for the trial. How many Heavenly Commanders have tried to gain the approval but failed in the end? They have long since departed the realm and founded their own force or powers, only visiting here for the trial by fires.
Her eyes traced towards Yan Zaizen. He had amber-gold eyes filled with confidence and vibrant life, the perfect musculature that seemed to be sculpted by gods, and a handsome appearance brimming with masculinity. Recalling the stories earlier, many even suspected that he had a faint connection with the Extreme Rebirth Heavenly God.
After all, he completed a trial that led all other participants to their deaths, sent heavenly geniuses in retreat with his prowess, and seemed to have established a relationship with the Xiuhei Sovereign while cultivating life and death laws.
Looking at the token again, she recalled Yan Zaizen using his body to protect her from an unknown threat. The moment she actually saw the attack, her heart raced with deep insecurity and regret. After, she had watched Yan Zaizen be killed via blade to the heart - typically fatal to all experts. As she was tortured relentlessly by the Asura Phantom Lord, knowing she'll die an unjust death by someone inferior to her true peak, she couldn't help but fall slightly into despair.
Then, Yan Zaizen had revived, overturning a nearly impossible situation and winning against all odds! She also believed Yan Zaizen had traveled an immense distance, somehow obtained a realmship along the way, simply to meet her once more. Now that he did, the first thing he did was give her this! He had fought against those desiring the token and possessed the willingness to risk death by offending the powerhouses of this world! All so that he could give this token back to her?!
In truth, Yan Zaizen did wish to find her, but she was not a top priority. After all, he didn't know where she was.
A little emotional, her eyes turned red. With a deep inhale and exhale, she grabbed Yan Zaizen's hand. Startled, Yan Zaizen looked towards her curiously. He felt a hard object enter his palm.
It was the token.
"This? What do you mean by th-" Just as he was sending her a soul transmission, he felt a soft hand of flesh touch upon his face. With shifting eyes, he looked towards this jade-like hand. However, before he could make any further inquiry on the circumstances, a face as beautiful as the night sky enlarged in his vision. His eyes expanded to the size of full moons, shocked by the sudden sequence of events!
A soft pair of cherry-red lips touched his own. His heart, refined thrice, was beating to an impossibly rapid rhythm!
When he faced heavenly tribulation for Tao, he was fearless. His mind clear, free, and his confidence at the apex. When he faced the vast expanse, he had met frightening events, but through it all, he faced it with little fear and with everything he had! As he fought the Deluge Realm Lord, with an entire realm being used to fight him, he stepped forward with confidence!
When he was facing the young elites of this world, he laughed and enjoyed himself! As he faced the Xiuhei Sovereign, he held absolutely no fear! The more he experienced, the more his personality of a heroic cultivator was refined.
Yet…
Yet…
As the moist lips touched his own, his body felt a euphoria of mutual contact. This was his first kiss in his entire life! And it was AWESOME!
Having no experience with this, he ignored all the shocked onlookers, and greedily enjoyed the situation. The top tier powers had furrowed brows, amused smiles, or irritation. The young elites, especially the males, were enraged to the high heavens. Many of the young elites felt like they were just made a cuckold, their dreams shattering, and personally witnessing this act!
Ma Xiuren's action was indeed impulsive, but she also felt that, in this world, the chance of finding anyone like Yan Zaizen was slim. She only meant to give him a slight kiss. With that, she backed away. After all, it was inappropriate and an act of youthful impulse. In truth, she regretted it slightly.
However, how could Yan Zaizen let this pair of soft lips leave so quickly?! This was his first kiss and by God! He will not be robbed of it early!
With eyes flickering with a trace of dark-amber, he leaned forward, one hand on her back, and another placed firmly above her perky buttocks, and his chest pressing against hers.
He was unwilling to let this go! At that moment, panic suffused into Ma Xiuren's eyes. She wanted to say something, but couldn't.
His lips and hers were pressed firmly together. As he recalled Bai Lufeng's advice towards pleasing a woman in all aspects, including in the kissing department, he immediately took it a step further.
He used tongue!
Violating her mouth, Ma Xiuren's eyes were no longer filled with panic but boundless awe! She may have done this impulsively, but Yan Zaizen was the literal representation of giving someone an inch, and they'll take a mile. In Yan Zaizen's case, it was given a mile and decisively taking the entire planet!
"Mhm!" Zhou Xiuhei cleared his throat, sending waves of towards Yan Zaizen. His intent was clear: 'Cease!' However, Yan Zaizen directly ignored it. He kept kissing and enjoying the sweet taste and feeling of the opposite sex. He understood now why Bai Lufeng and Tao was so damn promiscuous!
"MHM!" Zhou Xiuhei cleared his throat once more, this time, nearly everyone felt their soul tremble. They could feel the irritation from his throat. Many felt angered as well, wanting to speak out, but since Zhou Xiuhei, the Xiuhei Sovereign, had already given his intent, all other voices were irrelevant. Or so they thought.
Yan Zaizen felt his soul tremble. He removed himself from Ma Xiuren, his body still pressed firmly against hers in a tight embrace, and his eyes checking on her condition. She had a dazed expression on her face, a mixture of an awed and shy blush appeared on her cheeks. It made her even more beautiful than before.
"Grandpa Xiu! What do you want? Can't you see I'm doing something?!" He directly shouted in a loud voice, causing everyone, including all the peak experts to reel in shock. When did a junior, one who wasn't blood-related, get large enough stones to say such words?
Yan Zaizen was truly irritated. This was his first kiss and now it's over!
"..." Even Zhou Xiuhei himself reeled at being bad-mouthed by a junior. He understood that Yan Zaizen had a very casual approach to all things. When they first met, he didn't even pay respects to a member of the senior generation or politely inquire about the situation.
"Oh?! Am I interrupting?!" Somehow, this powerful cultivator with hundreds of thousands of years around his belt sounded like a grumpy old man. It came out with a trace of warmth that felt completely unnatural. Even he was shocked by his words, but so was everyone else!
"Fine! You want to continue? Then I'll let you continue." He waved his hand, opening a spatial rift above Ma Xiuren and Yan Zaizen.
"Wait! Grandpa Xiu! There's still the food!!!" As Yan Zaizen was helplessly carried away with Ma Xiuren in his arms, his eyes held deep remorse. The food wasn't able to be touched until after the opening ceremony. As his gaze traced the delicious assortments of meat, cake, and wine, he felt his heart grow cold. The rift closed.
As he was sucked into the rift, his last words made everyone sweat. Especially when, from beyond the spatial rift, a voice resounded in the hall. After all, Yan Zaizen comprehended the Imperial Law of Spacetime - the Realm of Chaotic Space!
His last words were: "SAVE ME SOME CAKE!!!"