Lin Xue stood on the flying ship, her head tilted as she watched the scenery rapidly recede outside, a hint of daze in her expression.
The last time she had sped through the skies of the Great Wilderness on a flying ship, she was a captive. Now, she had become a noble consort of Da Qian, a woman of the Da Qian Emperor.
The vast difference in status meant their treatment was incomparable.
The current flying ship was crafted by the elite artisans of the imperial capital, made from spirit wood from a transformed demon. It featured pavilions and towers, intricately carved with lifelike phoenixes and luan birds.
Most precious of all, His Majesty had personally inscribed top-tier defensive formations onto the ship, capable of repelling all attacks below the Great Sage level! Even if they encountered a Great Sage expert, it could hold for a moment, allowing His Majesty to arrive.
Thinking of the tender, affectionate days spent with His Majesty recently, a flush of red bloomed on Lin Xue's cheeks.
Although the crucial step had not yet been taken, their feelings had escalated rapidly, and she felt utterly captivated.
Alice complained beside her, muttering why His Majesty didn't sleep with her, even though she was ready.
"It's alright, His Majesty is also looking out for us, wanting us to have a little more time to relax," Lin Xue said with a smile, linking her arm with Alice's.
While she eagerly anticipated further intimacy with His Majesty, she was also quite nervous about taking that step.
Alice huffed, "When we get back, I'm definitely going to make it official!"
Then, Alice looked at Lin Xue, slyly questioning her about how far things had progressed with His Majesty.
Lin Xue's face instantly turned crimson, and she refused to answer Alice, directly dismissing her. She wasn't as bold and direct as Alice, preferring to be more reserved. Besides, Gongsun Rou was at the front of the ship; what if she overheard?
Alice, unburdened by such concerns, excitedly recounted her "dates" with His Majesty to Lin Xue.
Though Lin Xue's cheeks were flushed, she was clearly very interested in the topic, her ears perked up as she listened intently. She wanted to hear how His Majesty's "dates" with Alice differed from his "dates" with her.
At the front of the flying ship, Gongsun Rou, who had been diligently controlling the vessel, subtly shifted. Her spiritual sense quietly extended, eavesdropping on the two women's conversation. Although eavesdropping on two noble consorts was highly improper, Gongsun Rou couldn't resist her curiosity, as Alice and Lin Xue were discussing His Majesty.
Following behind the advanced flying ship was a more ordinary vessel. Fan Cheng and the other four main generals of the guard were on board. They had entered Earth a few days prior, but upon hearing that the two noble consorts were returning to Earth to visit their families, they postponed their own plans and accompanied them to escort the consorts home.
All four were at the Half-step Divine Rope realm, with not much difference in their cultivation. This time, their expedition to Earth was highly likely to see them break through together into the Divine Rope realm.
"Agula, dare to bet who among us four will be the first to break through to the Divine Rope realm this time?" Bai Zhan approached Agula, grinning and proposing a wager.
Agula didn't want to engage with Bai Zhan, but he knew that once this fellow set his sights on him, he'd be like a persistent sticker. He had been dragged into countless fights and sparring matches by Bai Zhan before.
"It should be Brother Dahai. He's the oldest and has cultivated for longer than us, so he should logically be the first to break through to the Divine Rope realm," Agula replied thoughtfully.
Chen Dahai quickly shook his head. "Cultivation time doesn't mean everything. My aptitude is mediocre; I'm the worst in terms of talent among us. I think Fan Cheng will be the first to break through to the Divine Rope realm."
Bai Zhan nodded in agreement. "I also think it'll be Fan Cheng. While his combat power might not match mine, his foundational cultivation is very solid."
"What do you mean my combat power doesn't match yours?" Fan Cheng glared at Bai Zhan, displeased.
"Naturally, it doesn't. What, you want to fight right now!?" Bai Zhan's eyes gleamed with anticipation, eager to settle the score with Fan Cheng immediately.
Fan Cheng ignored Bai Zhan, knowing full well that this fellow was just looking for an excuse to fight him. He quickly changed the subject, his tone becoming somber. "Even if we break through to the Divine Rope realm, our strength will still be too weak. His Majesty is currently at the Saint realm. Between the Divine Rope realm and the Saint realm, there are still two major realms: the Heaven-Treading realm and the Quasi-Saint realm. It's too difficult, too difficult to catch up to His Majesty's pace!"
Hearing Fan Cheng's words, the others fell silent. This was a question that had been weighing heavily on their minds during this period.
A hundred years ago, when the four of them followed His Majesty in the uprising, the gap in their cultivation wasn't that significant. His Majesty was in the Divine Rope realm, and they were in the Body Building realm. With effort, they could still catch up. But time flew by, and now, as they were about to reach the Divine Rope realm, His Majesty's progress had been terrifyingly swift; he had directly become a Saint!
This disparity, coupled with the feeling that no matter how hard they tried, they would only fall further behind, was truly disheartening and made them feel powerless. Now, they could no longer assist His Majesty in any significant way, only handle minor matters. This made the four of them feel stifled and ashamed.
Agula sighed, "His Majesty is a peerless genius, incomparable to us. Being able to handle some affairs for His Majesty is already enough." He felt that trying to keep pace with His Majesty was pure fantasy.
"I fear that in the future, we won't even have the qualification to share His Majesty's burdens!" Chen Dahai lamented. He had deeply realized this the day His Majesty returned from the Northern Territory.
The Saint realm was almost omnipotent in the Great Wilderness. With sufficient ruthlessness, one could conquer an entire cultivation empire in a single day. This incredibly powerful ceiling meant that they, the guards, had become mere decorations. Their remaining roles were to clear out rogue cultivators, demonic beasts, and bandit cultivators, among others.
Agula empathized. He used to be able to guard the western front, confronting the demon soldiers of the Demonic Beast Mountain Range. But now, Da Qian had formed an alliance with the Myriad Demon Kingdom, and friction between them had ceased. He had consequently stepped down from his post guarding the western front. Although Da Qian was now very safe and their lives were much easier, all of this was brought about by His Majesty. They were like children, protected by His Majesty, unable to offer any real help. This was something the four of them, who had fought hard since the uprising, found difficult to adapt to!
"Regardless of anything else, our cultivation must improve!" Fan Cheng said with great seriousness.
"This expedition to Earth is an opportunity. His Majesty said that during the Crossing Tribulation period, low-level cultivators who train on Earth will benefit greatly. Not only will there be a constant emergence of heavenly treasures, but the spiritual energy is also extremely active. After the Crossing Tribulation begins, there will also be an overflow of Dao rhymes, aiding our cultivation and comprehension," Chen Dahai added, nodding.
During the Crossing Tribulation period, low-level cultivators could at least advance one major realm. This time, the four of them would go all out! They would not return until they broke through to the Heaven-Treading realm!