Volume 1, Chapter 125 – The Real Game

Silence returned to the main hall.

A-Yao seemed to be getting sleepy, her little head resting against Gu Han’s side.

Gu Han gently gathered her into her arms and patted her back in an idle, unhurried rhythm.

Standing nearby, Yun Yun reported on the arrangements for the Immortal Palace’s daily affairs, as well as the plans for the disciples following their expedition into the secret realm.

Li Hanyi stood quietly for a moment, her cool gaze resting on Gu Han. Only when Yun Yun’s report came to a pause did she slowly speak.

“Palace Master, there is one more matter.”

Gu Han looked up at her. “What is it?”

“Outside the secret realm, on the Tianqiong Plains…”

Li Hanyi paused briefly, seemingly weighing her words.

“After the Palace Master left, they mentioned a title among themselves.”

“A title?”

Gu Han arched an eyebrow.

“They called the Palace Master… the ‘Yaochi Empress.’”

Li Hanyi enunciated each word clearly.

The moment she finished speaking, the entire main hall seemed to freeze.

Even A-Yao, who had already dozed off, raised her little head in a daze. Blinking her large eyes, she mumbled after her:

“Yaochi… Empress? Is Master Mama going to become an empress?”

Yun Yun was also momentarily startled, but a thoughtful look soon surfaced in her eyes.

As for Gu Han herself, her hand paused the instant she heard those words.

An empress?

The Yaochi Empress?

What kind of joke was that?!

Her original reason for establishing Yaochi Immortal Palace had merely been to complete the system’s mission while finding herself a place where she could settle down and cultivate in peace.

She had recruited disciples and expanded her influence partly for Master Dao Points and system rewards, and partly because she believed that if she was going to do something, she should do it well.

As for dominating an entire region, reigning supreme over the Southern Region, or even being honored with the title of “Empress”…

None of that had ever been part of her plans, nor was it something she desired.

She had never liked drawing attention to herself, much less placing herself at the center of a storm and becoming the focus of countless eyes.

Her late-stage Immortal Ascension cultivation might place her close to the summit of this world, but she knew full well that there was always a higher heaven beyond the heavens.

The Ten Worlds mentioned by the system and the Xuanhuang Continent spoken of by Empress Qingxuan had both made her keenly aware that Canglan Continent might only be a starting point.

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Her gaze had long since turned toward distant seas of stars and the unknown.

Besides, why did this title feel so embarrassingly grandiose?!

“This is utter nonsense.”

Gu Han’s brows knitted tightly, her tone carrying unmistakable resistance.

“Palace Master,”

Yun Yun interjected at just the right moment, her voice warm as she offered a rational analysis.

“Although this title appeared suddenly, it is not entirely without reason.”

“No new Immortal Ascension expert has arisen in the Southern Region for twenty thousand years. The Palace Master appeared out of nowhere, founded Yaochi Immortal Palace, and then turned the tide during the crisis in the secret realm, saving the disciples of the various sects.”

“To outsiders, addressing you as ‘Empress’ reflects both their awe and the respect the cultivators of the Southern Region hold for you.”

Li Hanyi nodded slightly before adding softly:

“With strength such as yours, an honorific title comes naturally.”

“Even if the Palace Master dislikes it, I fear the title has already begun spreading because of today’s events. It will be difficult to stop.”

Gu Han fell silent.

The title “Yaochi Empress” was certainly illustrious, but it also meant more attention, more expectations, and even… more trouble.

She could almost see countless factions attempting to divine her intentions in the future, while Immortal Ascension experts from other regions came calling on her.

Yet now that things had reached this point, forcibly suppressing the title might only make her seem overly affected.

“Forget it.”

Gu Han sighed and waved a hand.

“If they want to call me that, let them!”

“But…”

Her tone shifted as she swept her gaze over Yun Yun and Li Hanyi, a note of warning in her eyes.

“The disciples of the Immortal Palace must be kept in check. They are not to flaunt this title, much less become arrogant because of it.”

“Yes, Palace Master.”

Yun Yun and Li Hanyi answered in unison.

They both understood Gu Han’s meaning.

She would neither promote the title nor deny it, simply allowing matters to take their natural course.

Their focus would remain on the development of the Immortal Palace itself.

This was undoubtedly the safest way to handle the situation.

“If there is nothing else, you may go attend to your duties.”

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Gu Han waved her hand.

“Yes.”

Yun Yun and Li Hanyi bowed again, then left the main hall together.

The vast main hall now held only Gu Han and A-Yao, who had fallen sound asleep in her arms.

Reclining on the cloud couch, Gu Han gazed at the simulated starry sky across the dome while her fingertips unconsciously stroked A-Yao’s hair.

The Yaochi Empress…

Whatever.

As long as it did not interfere with her plans to teach her disciples, refine artifacts, and explore other worlds in the future, she could live with it.

“System.”

Gu Han called out in her mind.

[Ding! I’m here, Host! Congratulations on obtaining the “Yaochi Empress” skin! Achievement Points +666!]

The system’s electronic voice was as lively as ever.

“Enough joking around.”

Gu Han cut off its teasing and asked directly:

“Apart from me, how many Immortal Ascension experts are there on Canglan Continent?”

[Ding! The Host is finally taking an interest in this world’s strongest experts!]

[Searching database… Compiling information…]

[There are currently ten known Immortal Ascension experts still in existence on Canglan Continent, including the Host.]

[This number is limited by the carrying capacity of this world’s origin and has already reached its maximum. Unless an Immortal Ascension expert perishes or leaves this world, no new Immortal Ascension expert can emerge.]

“Ten?”

Gu Han’s eyes narrowed slightly.

That number was far lower than she had expected.

After all, Canglan Continent was boundless, home to countless trillions of living beings, and its cultivation civilization had been passed down since time immemorial.

“Who are they, and which region is each of them in?”

[Eastern Region: Empress Qingxuan, mid-stage Immortal Ascension; Venerable Baiyun, early-stage Immortal Ascension.]

[Western Region: Buddha Lord Wufa, mid-stage Immortal Ascension; Demon Lord Wutian, early-stage Immortal Ascension.]

[Northern Region: Empress Lingshuang, early-stage Immortal Ascension; the Desolate God, mid-stage Immortal Ascension.]

[Southern Region: the Host, late-stage Immortal Ascension; Star River Sword Sovereign, late-stage Immortal Ascension, who has already left this world.]

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[Central Province: Old Man Tianji, mid-stage Immortal Ascension; Sovereign Longteng, late-stage Immortal Ascension; Sacred Lord Yaoguang, early-stage Immortal Ascension.]

Each name the system announced stirred something in Gu Han’s heart.

She already knew about Empress Qingxuan and Venerable Baiyun.

The Western Region unexpectedly had two such experts, one Buddhist and one demonic. They presumably kept each other in check.

Empress Lingshuang and the Desolate God of the Northern Region did not sound as though they belonged to the same camp either.

As the oldest and most central region of Canglan Continent, Central Province truly possessed the deepest foundations. It actually had three Immortal Ascension experts presiding over it!

As for the Southern Region…

Aside from herself, the Star River Sword Sovereign who had departed was also a late-stage Immortal Ascension expert.

“Ten Immortal Ascension experts spread across the Five Regions, each holding the others in check. That does make for a balance.”

Gu Han murmured to herself, then seized upon a crucial detail.

“System, you said that ‘this number is limited by the laws of the Heavenly Dao and the carrying capacity of the world’s origin, and has already reached its maximum’?”

“In other words, before my breakthrough, Canglan Continent had only ever had nine Immortal Ascension experts?”

[Correct!]

The system’s electronic voice took on a mysteriously conspiratorial tone.

[The original slot was always occupied by the Star River Sword Sovereign. Although he left twenty thousand years ago, the imprint of his life-soul had never dissipated, so the slot remained filled.]

[It was only a year ago that the last trace of the Star River Sword Sovereign’s life-soul imprint in this world dissipated for unknown reasons.]

[At almost exactly the same time, the Host successfully broke through to the Immortal Ascension realm!]

[Therefore, on the level of the world’s laws, the Host completed the number of “ten Immortal Ascension experts”!]

Gu Han’s pupils contracted slightly.

One year ago?

When she broke through to Immortal Ascension?

The Star River Sword Sovereign’s imprint had dissipated?

That was far too much of a coincidence!

Could her breakthrough somehow be connected to the Star River Sword Sovereign who had departed twenty thousand years ago?

[Friendly reminder: Whatever the reason, the Host is now one of the ten Immortal Ascension experts recognized by this world’s Heavenly Dao and enjoys the corresponding authority and “attention.”]

“Attention?”

Gu Han immediately picked up on the word.

[That’s right! The ten Immortal Ascension experts are like ten pillars holding up the heavens. Their fortunes are interconnected, yet they also keep one another in check.]

[Any change involving one of them, especially the appearance of a newcomer, will attract the attention of the other nine.]

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[Apart from Empress Qingxuan, the other nine may not be willing to see the emergence of a “newcomer.”]

[Especially when the Host is so “young” and has never appeared anywhere on the continent before…]

The system’s analysis made Gu Han’s heart tighten.

Until now, she had thought only of quietly developing her strength, teaching her disciples, and exploring the outside world.

But she had overlooked the fact that Immortal Ascension experts formed an extremely closed and sensitive circle of their own.

“So you’re saying the other Immortal Ascension experts may already be ‘watching’ me?”

Gu Han’s voice turned cold.

[Most likely, Host.]

[However, the Host need not worry too much. Unless there is a deep blood feud between Immortal Ascension experts, they will not lightly fight to the death.]

[After the Host’s display of power outside the secret realm and the spread of the title “Yaochi Empress,” this system can no longer help conceal the Host. You will soon enter their field of vision.]

Gu Han fell silent for a moment, then suddenly gave a soft laugh.

“Let them watch. I possess two quasi-immortal artifacts. Do you think I would be afraid of them?”

“If they treat me with courtesy, I will naturally return it in kind.”

“But if they harbor ulterior motives…”

Gu Han’s gaze turned cold.

“Why should I fear them?”

“By the way,”

Gu Han suddenly recalled something.

“You said Canglan Continent can only sustain ten Immortal Ascension experts.”

“Then how are my disciples supposed to break through to the Immortal Ascension realm in the future?”

[First, the Host or your disciples can leave Canglan Continent and travel to another world to make the breakthrough. On the Xuanhuang Continent, for example, the Great Emperor realm is equivalent to Immortal Ascension in this world.]

[Second, one of Canglan Continent’s ten current Immortal Ascension experts can perish, freeing up a slot.]

Gu Han nodded.

The first path, exploring other worlds, had always been part of her plans.

As for the second path…

Although she had no desire to initiate bloodshed, if anyone provoked her, she would not mind making the available slots a little more “fluid.”

(I had something to take care of today, so there are only eight thousand Chinese characters. I’m asking all my dears for a little leave. The story will only get more and more exciting from here.)

(To all my lovely readers who’ve been following along, if you’ve been enjoying the story, please take a moment to leave a positive review. Thank you, everyone!)