# Chapter 746: Controversy
Huang Yanchen's eyes were filled with curiosity as she stared deeply at Lin Yue. It was hard to imagine that this young man before her would actually be willing to be her guard.
Even the three Guardian Beast Generals of the Demon Sect, when joining forces (lian shou), were no match for him. With his strength, he could definitely compete for the position of Realm Son.
Could it be that there were people in this world who didn't want to be a lofty Realm Son?
Of course, Zhang Ruochen wasn't completely indifferent to the status of Realm Son, but he was quite clear that under no circumstances could he become one.
Once the nine Realm Sons were selected, they would go to the Central Imperial City to meet Empress Chi Yao and eventually become her disciples.
No matter how high a level Zhang Ruochen cultivated the Formless Formless Thirty-Six Transformations to, he estimated it would be very difficult to fool Chi Yao's eyes. Once she recognized him, it would likely mean death.
Others could fight tooth and nail for the position of Realm Son, but Zhang Ruochen didn't need to.
Since that was the case, he might as well take this opportunity to help Huang Yanchen. Who could bear to watch their own fiancée be ostracized and humiliated by outsiders?
Zhang Ruochen and Huang Yanchen together stepped on the stairs and continued toward the top of the Book Mountain.
The crushing defeat of the three Guardian Beast Generals naturally enraged all the cultivators of the Demon Sect. Everyone was quite indignant.
"Kid, you're asking for death."
Just as Zhang Ruochen had ascended more than thirty steps, a thin white figure flew up from one of the Heavenly Pride Seats, transforming into a gust of dark wind (yin feng) and charging at Zhang Ruochen.
This person was Gu Sha of the Five Shura Hall, one of the nine halls of the Demon Sect.
The dark wind (yin feng) carried an exceptionally cold aura, blowing away the white robe on the figure, revealing a white bone skeleton.
The skeleton's hands extended simultaneously, pressing forward, instantly creating a force that felt like the sky collapsing and the earth sinking.
"White Bone Netherworld Seal."
Although only two white bone palms were thrown out, they manifested dozens of handprints.
"Whoosh whoosh."
Dozens of handprints emitted a cold aura, flying wildly through the air, producing piercing sounds of breaking wind.
The central handprint was the largest, with bone fingers alone three meters long, already imprinted before Zhang Ruochen.
The White Bone Netherworld Seal was a Ghost-rank top-grade martial technique. It required refining 99,999 white bones into dark bone (yin gu) death Qi, fusing them with both arms, before it could be successfully cultivated.
The 99,999 white bones consisted of: nine white bones from Fish-Dragon Ninth Transformation cultivators, ninety from Earth Extreme Realm Great Perfection cultivators, nine hundred from Earth Extreme Realm Great Perfection cultivators, nine thousand from Mysterious Extreme Realm Great Perfection cultivators, and ninety thousand from Yellow Extreme Realm Great Perfection cultivators.
For a cultivator to successfully cultivate the White Bone Netherworld Seal, it would take at least seven or eight years.
Gu Sha, at the Fish-Dragon Realm, being able to successfully cultivate a Ghost-rank top-grade martial technique, was definitely a top-level expert of the Five Shura Hall.
"You think you can stop me?"
Zhang Ruochen executed Sword One, thrusting his sword forward. Instantly, a "whoosh whoosh" sword sound emerged, manifesting eighty-one sword-shaped sword Qi, shattering all the white bone handprints.
Gu Sha was quite astonished, never expecting that the White Bone Netherworld Seal, which he had painstakingly cultivated, would be broken so easily.
"Shua!"
Suddenly, a gust of wind surged toward him.
Gu Sha silently cried out "not good," quickly executing his movement technique, kicking backward with both feet, retreating into the dark wind (yin feng), wanting to flee.
"Too late!"
Zhang Ruochen's voice sounded right by Gu Sha's ear, already within arm's reach.
Zhang Ruochen fused his spiritual power and palm strength together. His right palm was completely wrapped in a cluster of purple electric light as he struck down on Gu Sha's head.
With a "crack," Gu Sha's neck bone was broken by Zhang Ruochen's palm force. The large skull sank halfway into the neck.
Due to the particularity (te shu xing) of his cultivation technique, Gu Sha's vitality was extremely tenacious. He was only severely injured, not dead.
Zhang Ruochen kicked out, sending Gu Sha tumbling down the Book Mountain.
"Bang bang."
Below, the talented youths sitting on the Outstanding Person Seats watched Gu Sha roll down from the hundreds of meters high steps all the way to the foot of the mountain. Everyone's hearts were pounding.
A successor of a Saintly Clan, sitting on one of the Outstanding Person Seats, let out a long breath and said, "That's the fourth one!"
"This Lin Yue... is truly abnormal. He's taken down four Demon Sect experts in a row. Could he be planning to kill his way up the Book Mountain with one sword?"
"Who can stop him?"
...
Moments later, another series of battle sounds came from the Book Mountain.
Then, two more Demon Sect experts rolled down from the mountain top along the steps to the foot of the mountain.
Someone recognized the identities of the two Demon Sect experts. They were Wu Ba of the Ten Thousand Beasts Palace and Mo Sha of the Five Shura Hall.
Lin Yue's record was quite astonishing. Even though Demon Sect experts attacked one after another, no one could stop his advance. By now, he had already moved toward the higher King Seats.
Of course, some people also noticed a strange thing. Why was Lin Yue bringing Huang Yanchen of the Eastern Domain Saint Prince Manor (wang fu) to such a high position?
At the beginning, when Huang Yanchen and Lin Yue ascended the Book Mountain together, everyone only thought they were allies. Or perhaps Lin Yue wanted to pursue Huang Yanchen, so he was helping her.
Therefore, no one found it strange.
Huang Yanchen was a disciple of Xuanji Sword Saint and possessed the Black Tortoise Sacred Source. Although she was only at the Fish-Dragon Seventh Transformation, her strength was definitely quite formidable. As long as she wasn't targeted, securing an Outstanding Person Seat shouldn't be difficult.
But now it was different. Lin Yue had brought Huang Yanchen through 18,000 Outstanding Person Seats and 3,000 Heavenly Pride Seats, heading toward the 108 King Seats above.
What did this mean?
There was no doubt that Lin Yue's strength could secure a King Seat.
But Huang Yanchen, also at Fish-Dragon Seventh Transformation, absolutely could not secure a King Seat.
"Who is that blue-clad beauty beside Lin Yue? With only Fish-Dragon Seventh Transformation cultivation, she dares to climb so high?"
"That's an heir of the Eastern Domain Saint Prince Manor (wang fu), named Huang Yanchen. It's said that Lin Yue has been getting close to her recently, seemingly pursuing her."
...
Hongyu Shining Envoy's beautiful eyes narrowed slightly, both jealous and sarcastic as she said, "Lin Yue can bring her up the Book Mountain, but he can't help her secure her position. With her strength, securing an Outstanding Person Seat would already be quite glorious. Why must she go for a King Seat? Can she hold it?"
Even with Hongyu Shining Envoy's strength, plus the assistance of two Black Market First Class Hall experts, she had only secured a lower-ranked Heavenly Pride Seat.
That Huang Yanchen dared to go for a King Seat made Hongyu Shining Envoy quite disdainful.
Clearly, Hongyu Shining Envoy also misunderstood Huang Yanchen, thinking she wanted to sit on a King Seat, not knowing that both Zhang Ruochen and Huang Yanchen were forced by circumstances.
Since Zhang Ruochen had already made bold claims before the three heirs of the Eastern Domain Saint Prince Manor (wang fu), he naturally had to bring Huang Yanchen to sit in a higher position. Otherwise, wouldn't he be slapping his own face?
"You're all wrong! Do you think Lin Yue and Cousin Yanchen are just allies? Do you think Lin Yue will leave her after sending her to a higher position?" Chen Lan'er said.
A monk wearing a kasaya, standing not far from Chen Lan'er, asked back, "Lady, is that not the case?"
Many people around turned their gazes sharply toward Chen Lan'er, showing curious expressions.
Basking in the attention of the crowd, Chen Lan'er felt quite pleased with herself. She shook her head and laughed, "Don't you know? Lin Yue is just a guard for my cousin Yanchen. He is specifically escorting her to secure a King Seat."
"Boom!"
Chen Lan'er's words immediately caused a huge commotion.
Everyone knew that with Chen Lan'er's status, she wouldn't make baseless claims to deliberately belittle (bian di) Lin Yue.
What she said was most likely true.
A disciple of the Liangyi Sect, who had always regarded Lin Yue as an idol, absolutely couldn't accept this fact. "Senior Brother Lin Yue has such powerful strength. Even competing for a Realm Son Seat would be possible. How could he be willing to be a woman's guard? I don't accept this."
A proud daughter of heaven from the Eastern Domain Saint Academy said enviously, "Senior Sister Yanchen is too fortunate. First, she had the Heir of Time and Space, Zhang Ruochen, protecting her. Now, she has the powerful Lin Yue willing to be her guard, helping her ascend to the King Seat. Why haven't I met such a man?"
Many people couldn't understand Lin Yue's behavior. With his talent, what kind of woman couldn't he obtain?
With just one word from him, countless Saintly Clans would surely come to propose marriage, offering the most beautiful and outstanding proud daughters of heaven from their clans.
Why was he fixated on one tree?
Of course, most of the women present were envious of Huang Yanchen and supported Lin Yue's actions.
What woman wouldn't want a man as outstanding as Lin Yue to give up everything just to protect her?
"This guy... is actually willing to be Huang Yanchen's guard..."
Hongyu Shining Envoy's eyes were full of jealousy. Her silver teeth clenched tightly, and a faint killing aura emanated from her body. She always felt that Huang Yanchen had stolen her Great Protector.
If not for being on the Book Mountain, she really wanted to kill Huang Yanchen and take back Lin Yue, this Great Protector.
At the top of the Book Mountain, among the nine Realm Son Seats, only three seats remained empty. The other six seats were already occupied.
On one of the Realm Son Seats, Gai Tianjiao laughed loudly, staring at Xue Wuye opposite her. "Xue Wuye, aren't you also pursuing Huang Yanchen? Is that how you chase women? You're a hundred thousand miles behind Junior Brother Lin Yue. If I were Huang Yanchen, I would also choose Junior Brother Lin Yue, who would give everything for her, not you."
Xue Wuye, dressed in spotless white clothes, sat upright on another Realm Son Seat.
His fingers gently stroked his chin, his gaze fixed on Zhang Ruochen and Huang Yanchen halfway up the mountain. The corner of his mouth curved into an arc as he smiled. "I don't believe Lin Yue would make such a great sacrifice for a woman he's only known for a month."
Gai Tianjiao said, "Just because you can't do it doesn't mean others can't. At least Junior Brother Lin Yue is doing it right now, doing what you think he can't."
"I don't want to argue with you," Xue Wuye said.
"Hehe! Whether you argue or not, from now on, if you get close to Huang Yanchen, you'll definitely be laughed at," Gai Tianjiao said.
Xue Wuye seemed not to hear Gai Tianjiao's sarcastic voice. He remained calm and composed, his eyes, brighter than stars, fixed tightly on Zhang Ruochen, observing carefully for a long time, as if searching for something.
After a moment, Xue Wuye's face revealed a rather strange smile. He muttered softly to himself, "Has my opponent finally appeared?"
Xue Wuye's voice was very low. Apart from himself, no one else heard his words clearly.
(Everyone has great controversy (zheng yi) about Huang Yanchen's female lead status. Let me also say something. Actually, the female lead image I want to create is not the most beautiful, nor is her personality without flaws. This way, she will be more realistic.
Mu Lingxi, Chi Yao, Shengshu Cainü... these female characters are stunningly beautiful, have lofty status, are intelligent, and have almost no flaws. But in reality... they are almost impossible to encounter.
Of course, the female lead hasn't been completely determined yet. After all, Mu Lingxi has the possibility of becoming the female lead. There is also another character who might become the female lead. Everyone, look forward to the future plot development!)