Chapter 525 523: Quintuple Celestial Peak

His victory, a shocking claim to first place, electrified the entire arena. It earned him endless applause and, even more, drew the envy of countless onlookers. This was especially true for the Yan and Su Families, who now hated Lin Xuan to the bone. This was a completely unprecedented situation.

Zi Yanyun quickly relayed the news back to the Soaring Dragon Empire. This was the biggest news possible. From now on, the Soaring Dragon Empire was sure to prosper, as the Bu Family would certainly invest massive resources into it.

After all, the appearance of one Lin Xuan meant a second could emerge, which guaranteed a greater investment of resources. This was the true benefit of the Empire War. As soon as someone achieved a high rank, their entire empire would benefit. It was a true case of one person's success elevating everyone connected to them.

"Elder Bu, I never imagined such a formidable disciple would emerge from an empire under your Bu Family's management. My sincerest congratulations!" Yan Jingyun came forward to pay his respects, his face wreathed in smiles. He appeared to be offering congratulations, but inwardly, he had already cursed them countless times.

His eyes kept sizing up Lin Xuan. 'It's a real shame such a genius isn't from our Yan Family.' But they weren't willing to drop all pretenses just yet. To spark a conflict over a single genius, one that would devastate both great families, was simply not a worthy trade.

'Besides, who knows what the future holds? Maybe Lin Xuan is formidable now, but he'll stagnate later on. It's all possible.'

If they had known Lin Xuan's true identity, they would have shed all pretense and fought to snatch him away. The stakes would have been completely different, making him a prize worth fighting for!

"Just luck, pure luck..." Bu Feiyun said with a smile, his eyes narrowing. Inwardly, he was bursting with joy.

"Yes, it really is luck. You're very lucky, indeed. Without it, you never would have found this kid at all," Su Feng interjected. He was equally displeased with Lin Xuan; after all, Lin Xuan had defeated many of his people, so of course he was upset.

His words were barbed, implying that the Bu Family had just gotten obscenely lucky for a Heaven-Defying genius to appear in such a minor empire. They usually paid it no mind and invested no resources, yet a genius had emerged anyway. If that wasn't luck, what was?

Bu Feiyun didn't feel the least bit awkward. The words weren't wrong, but the Bu Family allocated resources to every empire based on their performance in the Empire War. They would never favor one over another. Those who performed well would naturally receive more, while those who performed poorly would receive less. This was their principle.

"Of course. It really is our Bu Family's luck. You invest massive resources into the empires you govern, and your final results aren't bad either—much better than ours, in fact!" Bu Feiyun seemed to be complimenting them, but his underlying message was clear: 'So what if you have more resources? Didn't you still lose to us?'

Lin Xuan had actually obtained plenty of resources, but he had to go through countless life-or-death struggles to get them and reach his current level. In that sense, the resources were there, but only because he had fought for them himself.

"Hmph!" Yan Jingyun snorted. "I hope your luck holds. Just keep relying on it!"

With that, he flicked his sleeve and departed, having no desire to speak with Bu Feiyun's group any longer. There was no point in continuing the conversation. The matter was settled, and nothing more could be said.

"Brother, you finally won!" Lin Xue ran down and threw her arms around Lin Xuan, only to feel him collapse into her embrace. If she hadn't reacted in time, his weight would have sent her tumbling to the ground.

"Brother! Brother! Brother!" Lin Xue cried out when she saw that Lin Xuan had fainted. The side effects from his earlier explosive power were severe; it was a miracle he had managed to stay conscious this long.

She quickly helped carry Lin Xuan back to rest. Overall, he was not in any serious danger, so there was no need for excessive worry. Bu Feiyun granted them the highest level of access, allowing them to move about freely. Furthermore, he gave many benefits to Qing Deyun—resources bestowed upon the Soaring Dragon Empire.

There were many Divine Artifacts, even more Elixir Pills, and he even tossed out several Celestial Level Martial Arts techniques, making Qing Deyun grin from ear to ear. Zi Yanyun, on the other hand, could only offer a strained smile. Lin Xuan wasn't one of his people, so he received nothing and could only look on.

Needless to say, Zi Yanqian was once again overcome with bitter regret...

「One week.」 An entire week passed before Lin Xuan awoke from his coma. He immediately felt a soreness pervading his entire body, but overall, he felt much better. 'The side effects of that Frenzy Elixir... The power it granted was terrifying, but the damage it did to the body was just too severe.'

"Brother Lin, you're finally awake..." Lin Xue, who had been keeping vigil by his side, quickly helped him sit up.

"I'm fine. The Soaring Dragon Empire is safe now," Lin Xuan said, looking at her gently. "This means there will be more resources, and you'll be able to advance your Cultivation more quickly."

"Brother Lin, you've worked so hard..." Tears welled in Lin Xue's eyes. Lin Xuan had fought so hard in the competition, all for their sake—for their peace and stability.

"Silly girl, what's so hard about it? I want you to break through in your Cultivation quickly so we can rebuild the Lin Family together!" Lin Xuan said in a low voice. He had no intention of letting Lin Xue join the Bu Family. They were members of the Lin Family, first and foremost. Besides, the situation within the Bu Family wasn't exactly ideal.

'A new and unfamiliar environment would undoubtedly lead to cruel treatment. As for how cruel... it would definitely be worse than my time in Qingcheng Mansion. I remember the countless scornful looks I received when I first joined the mansion. I figure the result would be much the same if I joined the Bu Family.'

"Mhm!" A determined light filled Lin Xue's eyes. "I will work hard! Sooner or later, I'll be strong enough to truly stand by your side and help you, Brother Lin!"

Lin Xuan gently pulled her into an embrace without saying a word. Sometimes, no words are needed; the understanding in their hearts was enough.

The Empire War was over. The next step was for the contestants who placed in the top fifty to return to the Family with the Elders. As for those who had come along to watch, they all had to return home; they were not permitted to accompany them to the Bu Family. However, for important matters, messages could be relayed through Elder De in Soaring Dragon City. Otherwise, there was no way to enter the Bu Family's territory.

Only if Lin Xuan achieved a very high status would he be able to bring people in as he pleased. He might even be able to decide who could join the Bu Family, but that would require a position of extremely high standing—at least Elder Level. However, Lin Xuan had no intention of doing so. His goal was to find the Lin Family, not to truly integrate into the Bu Family.

Thus, after bidding his farewells, Lin Xuan followed Bu Feiyun and the others into the depths of the palace. There, a Teleportation Array waited, one used specifically to travel to the Bu Family's domain.

The group stepped into the Teleportation Array and, with a WHOOSH, vanished.

In the blink of an eye, they had returned to the Bu Family's home. As they stepped out of the building, the sight that greeted Lin Xuan was not one of luxurious palaces or dense crowds, but of numerous mountain peaks stretching out before him.

Buildings could be seen constructed on the peaks, soaring high into the clouds, giving the entire vista the appearance of a celestial wonderland. This was the territory of the Bu Family—the Fifth Layer Celestial Peak!