Xianxia Online

After a good half an hour of traveling via flying sword, Xuan, Elder Shuang, and Yuxin arrived at the location of the Opening of the Flaming Sands Field. Multiple other forces had already gathered, including several sects that Xuan recognized. Both Glacial Heights Pavilion and Seeking Passion Sect seem to be here, and Sky Cloud Sect was as well—though the number of disciples they brought was quite meager compared to the other powers.

"Wow… so many people…" Yuxin murmured, eyes glittering with interest as she looked down below at all the cultivators gathered around a specific circle.

She'd been initially screaming, but after a while, she got used to the feeling of riding on a flying sword. In fact, she was faster than most, perhaps an effect of her strong adaptability skills due to staying in the wilderness. She was still hanging onto Xuan to avoid falling, which he hardly could say he enjoyed, but at least she wasn't yelling at the top of her lungs anymore, so his ears got a break.

"Looks like this is the place," Elder Shuang said, and began the descent—slowly, mindful of Yuxin's inexperience.

After a few seconds, they safely landed on solid ground, and went over to where the other Glacial Heights Pavilion sect members were gathered. Since Xuan and Yuxin were technically entering as disciples of this sect, it was only natural they stayed here to wait.

All around them, more people came pouring in—top forces like Thousand Swords Sect and Spirit Blossom Academy, and even places like Heavenly Medicine Pavilion from Upper Asphodel, where Ling'er was from. In other words, basically every powerful force across Asphodel—both Lower and Upper—had gathered here today, each with a select number of disciples they can send into the Flaming Sands Field.

Of course, Xuan doubted his wife was actually here, since her master would never let her come somewhere this dangerous, but… perhaps he could confirm using the System.

When he opened the Social tab, however, he instead found two messages from Fu Mei, his alleged 'daughter', and when he read what they said, he nearly spurted blood from his mouth.

[Fu Mei: Hello, daddy~ I have infiltrated the Flaming Sands Field~]

[Fu Mei: Where are you right now~?]

After swallowing some saliva, Xuan typed back a response.

[Zero: Did… your mother teach you how to speak like that?]

[Fu Mei: Ehhh? No. This is my real personality, you see. What you saw yesterday was just a test to see how you would react, fufu~]

'Fufu? She even laughs like Fu Yao…'

[Zero: … I see. Meeting right now is not convenient. I'll see you inside the Flaming Sands Field, when we're both alone.]

[Fu Mei: Are are~? What's this? You want to meet alone…? Daddy, aren't we moving a bit quick? I don't mind, but…]

'…'

What's wrong with her?!

Thankfully, Xuan was always calm and collected, and could respond to nearly every situation with a clear mind. Thinking about it logically, it made sense Fu Mei would be attracted to Xuan as well, since she was born out of a fragment of Fu Yao's soul. But even so, this felt… slightly unusual, as any sane man would agree.

[Zero: … I will speak with you later.]

[Fu Mei: Mkay~ bye bye!]

With that cheerful response, she did not type any further, and Xuan moved to do what he'd originally been planning on doing—messaging Ling'er. The two already had each other added as friends thanks to Huo Fei doing work behind the scenes, so communication was easy.

[Zero: Hello, Ling'er. Are you there?]

Almost immediately, a reply came.

[Ling'er: Yes! Um… is there something you need?]

[Zero: No, not really. I was just wondering if you are here at the Flaming Sands Field as well.]

[Ling'er: What?! You're at the Flaming Sands Field?! Wait, I'll go ask Master to see if I can go]

[Zero: Ah… I'm pretty sure it's pointless, but sure, go ahead.]

About a minute later, Ling'er began typing once more.

[Ling'er: … She said no.]

[Zero: As expected. It's alright.]

[Ling'er: Xuan… when can I see you again?]

Xuan smiled. Of all his wives, Ling'er was the most innocent and child-like.

[Zero: Soon, Ling'er. Soon.]

[Zero: Sent an attachment (Virtual Headpat!)]

[Ling'er: Mm! Okay. I'll be waiting.]

[Ling'er: Sent an attachment]

Xuan pressed on the image to see what it was, and it was revealed to be a picture of Ling'er herself smiling. As an elf, she looked as beautiful as ever, and her room was just the way Xuan remembered it to be.

Before he could observe it any further, however, his attention was suddenly drawn away from his System screen by a massive noise coming from the sky, and he looked up to see what it was.

"This is… a Dimension Gate?"

There, the clouds had parted to create an enormous circle, surrounded by thunder powerful enough to shake the heavens themselves. The circle was huge, and as the nimbus clouds slowly revolved around its perimeter, multiple strikes of lightning shot down and hit the ground, almost as if to create a zone free of people.

The cultivators unlucky enough to be caught in the range quickly scurried away for their lives, and the result was a large patch of empty space near the Flaming Sands Field's marked location. The people below stared up at this massive hole in awe, wondering what the hell it was, and if it was going to open the Flaming Sands Field.

But their expectations were quickly destroyed as a large red flag suddenly came out of the portal, marked with the character 'Yang' on it. Instantly, everyone knew what this was about, and widened their eyes even further.

"The Yang Family?!"

The Yang Family—one of the Eight Great Families of Central Capital. They were an immense force that no other sect here could even compare to, with the only competitor being Heavenly Medicine Pavilion.

The question was… what were the Great Families doing here, when they've never shown up before?