Otherworldly Desert Dust

If one does not exhibit arrogance, then one cannot truly claim to be part of the superior Immortal Lineage.

Wu Hen appreciated arrogance; otherwise, where could he channel his boundless Qi and strength?

In contrast, Wu Hen feared hypocrites. These people would go to great lengths to feign kindness at first, making it hard to throw a punch as big as a sandbag at them, because technically, they had done nothing wrong. Yet, such hypocrites often stab you in the back during critical moments, stripping you bare and devouring you—utter savagery at its peak. Dealing with such people was incredibly exhausting.

Arrogant people, on the other hand, were the most comfortable enemies to face. At least they looked down on you sincerely and had no inclinations to plot or deceive. Opponents like these were far simpler—once defeated through sheer force, they would put away their arrogance and grit their teeth like a frustrated but subdued victim.

Wu Hen enjoyed watching others grit their teeth in helpless fury while being powerless against him.

It was evident that Ruan Muhuan had endured cold disdain while dealing with members of the Immortal Lineage.

Otherwise, someone as composed as her would not lightly pass judgment on "arrogance."

How could his precious Han Han suffer grievances outside? No matter what, he had to help her recover her dignity!

"Let's go. Let's have a little chat with them first." Wu Hen dragged Ruan Muhuan along, already set on confronting the Immortal Lineage.

For now, the matter with the Chang Chou Martial God could be postponed.

That particular Martial God was a Fourth-class Star God and a critical marker in the Star Mark Plan.

But this was a matter that couldn't be rushed. It was better to first familiarize themselves with the surroundings before tackling the Fourth-class Star Martial God.

"Have you ever met anyone from the Immortal Lineage?" Ruan Muhuan asked.

She couldn't quite understand where Wu Hen's boundless confidence originated from.

Within the Cang Chu Divine Realm, the Immortal Lineage stood above both Da Xuan and the Holy Sect. Their individual strength was among the most fearsome in all of Cang Chu. The only reasons they had not formed a ruling class within Cang Chu were their scarce numbers and their practice of cultivating far from the mortal world. Only in this Desert Dust, rising to the stars above the Sky Dome, could anyone occasionally engage them in surface-level interactions. Most of the time, they didn't even bother acknowledging the gods of various realms.

"Of course! I once even kept a Fairy as a maid. She was incredibly arrogant at first," Wu Hen said with an air of complete seriousness.

Ruan Muhuan was at a loss for words. Clearly, whatever Sister Zi Shu had told him moments ago had gone in one ear and out the other.

"Your temper is going to get us into trouble. I'll take you to our Martial God Mansion first. This is the territory of the Immortal Lineage, after all," Ruan Muhuan suggested.

She genuinely worried Wu Hen might pick a fight with one of the immortals at the slightest provocation. The strength of an immortal was nothing short of enigmatic. While they, as gods, were not entirely powerless against immortals, it was best not to fight unless absolutely necessary.

"Hey, I'm not making stuff up. You can ask Du Mao if you don't believe me," Wu Hen replied.

"Du Wushen's Dao Heart has already shattered. It's been some time since anyone heard from him," Ruan Muhuan said.

"What happened to my brother?" Wu Hen asked immediately.

"The only report is that he once faced an Immortal youth and barely won," Ruan Muhuan said.

"He barely won, but his Dao Heart shattered? How does that make sense?" Wu Hen asked, puzzled.

"Because the following year, that same Immortal youth challenged Du Wushen again, and this time, Du Wushen suffered a crushing defeat," Ruan Muhuan explained.

"Wait… Are you saying, in just a single year, that Immortal youth surpassed Du Mao by a massive margin? And Du Mao likely realized that every year, this youth's combat power might double, while he himself might remain stagnant, causing him to completely lose confidence?" Wu Hen speculated.

Ruan Muhuan nodded gently. This was the first time she had encountered news about the Immortal Lineage. Initially, everyone assumed the Immortal Lineage wasn't particularly extraordinary, reasoning that the Martial Gods, who were one in a billion on the True Martial Continent, could compete with them. However, after those two battles, victory itself ceased to matter—the Martial God Institute witnessed the true terror of the Immortal Lineage.

"It's fine, no big deal. When I see him next, I'll console him and restore his pride. By the way, what's that Immortal youth's name? Although their lifespan is long, and they might appear young, they might have lived for centuries. If we cultivate for a few hundred years, we can also dominate the Cosmic Primordial. Let's not put them on a pedestal," Wu Hen mused.

"But that Immortal youth is said to be only sixteen or seventeen in Immortal years."

"Bah, all bluster. I've dealt with Immortals before. Back there, I was the one instructing them on cultivation. She even fetched water for my feet… Don't worry, immortals might have special constitutions, longer lifespans, and freakish combat strength, but in the end, they're just another sort of being," Wu Hen stated confidently.

"Hmm, maybe we're just overthinking it," Ruan Muhuan conceded, dropping the topic.

…

They arrived at the Martial God Mansion.

This was one of the picturesque Hundred Lakes Mansions within Infinite City temporarily allocated to delegates from the Martial God Continent by the Immortal Lineage.

Here, lush emerald-green lakes stretched like soft ribbons, separating one exquisite blue mansion from another. Spirit pets such as spirit sparrows, Immortal Cranes, and ornamental koi—symbols of Immortal refinement—were scattered throughout the scenery.

"Our Hundred Lakes Mansion isn't far from your Modern City. Look in this direction," Ruan Muhuan said, pointing toward the far end of the lake.

Wu Hen followed the direction marked by Ruan Muhuan's jade-like finger. In that instant, a thin mist seemed to dissipate, revealing towering skyscrapers shimmering beyond. With modern architectural designs and silver glass façades exuding a minimalist luxury, these structures appeared capable of capturing every element of the surrounding beauty—this was their aesthetic appeal. The stark contrast to the classic, flowing elegance of the Martial God Mansion's bridges and streams was striking.

On one side was the ancient, traditional aesthetic of the True Martial Continent, and on the other stood the ultra-modern skyscrapers of a futuristic civilization. Seeing the two juxtaposed so closely astonished Wu Hen.

Was Infinite City designed to tailor itself based on the civilizations various Human Clans came from?

It resembled the coexistence of the Martial God City of the Central Continent and the Silver Dome City of the Divine Realm on the same land—each radiating its era's splendor in its own way.

"Do other Human Clans also have such tailored living environments?" Wu Hen asked.

"Sometimes, if you accidentally walk down a particular street, the cityscape ahead will suddenly change," Ruan Muhuan explained.

"That's certainly impressive. I wonder how they manage it."

As Ruan Muhuan continued describing the wonders of Infinite City, a figure clad in Martial Saint Armor flew toward them—it was Princess Wu, Gu Luoshui. She clearly had urgent matters to discuss with Ruan Muhuan, but upon catching sight of Wu Hen, her lips parted as if to swallow a whole egg in shock…

"Long time no see." Wu Hen greeted her with a smile.

"You… How are you here?" Gu Luoshui asked in disbelief.

"The Cang Chu Human Clan is convening, and since I, as an unparalleledly outstanding and noble individual, represent my people, naturally, I was invited specifically by the Immortal Lineage," Wu Hen replied.

"What happened?" Ruan Muhuan inquired.

"The Fei Que Martial God has issued a challenge to the Modern City. She plans to raze the skyscrapers and use the land there to raise her Demon Spirit pets," Gu Luoshui informed them.

"Did you inform her of my stance on the Modern City?" Ruan Muhuan asked.

"Of course! But not only did she stubbornly issue a formal challenge, she also insulted you publicly, claiming that as a senior of the Martial God Institute, it's not your place as a little girl to dictate how she acts," Gu Luoshui fumed.

"Multi-ethnic coexistence will inevitably lead to conflicts—just as it did at Red Port. But since this place is under the jurisdiction of the Immortal Lineage, theoretically, wouldn't all parties exercise restraint?" Sister Zi Shu interjected.

"The Immortal Lineage does maintain the peace here, but they also show favoritism. They turn a blind eye at times," Gu Luoshui explained.

"The Immortal Lineage permits duels among the various Human Clans within Infinite City, but all duels must be public and conducted in designated city arenas," Ruan Muhuan stated.

"Basically, they enjoy a bit of excitement and love to watch the drama unfold," Wu Hen chuckled.

There was nothing wrong with that. Excessive tranquility often meant things weren't as calm as they appeared. Conflict and tension were the natural state of the Human Clans.

What's more, disparities among Human Clans were inevitable. Temporary territorial allocations in Infinite City could never be entirely equitable. If someone didn't want a particular neighbor or preferred a more spacious residence, those who had already transcended into godhood wouldn't bother accommodating lower-class humans…

"I'll handle it," Ruan Muhuan apologized to Sister Zi Shu. She hadn't expected someone to deliberately stir up trouble after her repeated warnings.

"No, wait…" Wu Hen shook his head. "Since it has happened, let's just enjoy the show. It's a good opportunity for varying evolutionary civilizations to interact. We can't always be the ones mediating."

Sister Zi Shu nodded fervently. "Frankly, though we Nuwa's people were invited, we've been assigned cramped quarters and surrounded by Human Clans that inherently look down on us. Our people tend to be bullied in Infinite City. Clearly, everyone's goal here is to fight for their clan's benefit and respect. This is an ideal chance to demonstrate our strength and deter potential agitators."

"Exactly. We still have to negotiate with the Martial God Institute's Chang Chou. If we don't show some strength, he might not even bother meeting us," Wu Hen added.

"Fine. Then let you be the one to teach this arrogant Martial God senior a little lesson on my behalf," Ruan Muhuan said, nodding her assent.

"Sister Zi Shu, who do you plan to send to challenge the Martial God Institute's representative?" Wu Hen asked.

"Why should I arrange it? Shouldn't brave geniuses of our Human Clan naturally step forward for such things? Especially the younger talents—they're full of vigor and don't need us to arrange anything deliberately," Sister Zi Shu replied.

"That's true. Let's let things play out naturally. Consider it a test for our evolutionary civilization after years of peace in the Divine Realm. Surely, a single Martial God can't crush our entire clan, right?" Wu Hen said confidently.

"Since arriving in the Cang Chu Divine Realm, we've already seen several individuals surpass the strength of a Martial God," Sister Zi Shu added assuredly.

Even Ruan Muhuan couldn't help but feel curious. Though she'd heard of the impressive speed at which the entire Divine Realm had evolved, seeing it firsthand would be believing.