Various mysterious phenomena contested against each other within the Water Cloud Formation.
Xiao Chen continued his intense pursuit of a breakthrough while the Holy Daughter and Chu Xiang waited patiently for the results.
The two felt very curious about whether Xiao Chen would succeed or not.
They wondered how strong Xiao Chen would be after he advanced to Sovereign Personage.
However, the two ended up waiting until dawn without any results.
Xiao Chenâs attempt to break through this time took the longest so far.
âIt looks like we will not know the results so quickly.â
As the Heavenly Fragranceâs Holy Daughter watched the sun rise, she sighed and said, âChu Xiang, you keep watch here. If he fails this time, the consequences will be quite severe.â
âWhat do you mean?â Chu Xiang did not know how horrifying Xiao Chenâs accumulations were and could not understand what the Holy Daughter feared.
The Heavenly Fragranceâs Holy Daughter did not explain much. âThe rebound of Veritable Essence Energy wonât be that easy to bear.â
Chu Xiang nodded and said, âI got it. I will look after Young Master Xiao and make sure nothing happens to him in the Heavenly Fragranceâs residence.â
âGood.â
Chu Xiang ended up waiting for three days.
For the past three days, the Water Cloud Formation, which the Holy Daughter laid, suffered several strikes but managed to remain stable.
The Water Cloud Formation did not leak out Xiao Chenâs Dragon Race aura and his horrifying mysterious phenomena.
The news of Xiao Chen staying in the Heavenly Fragranceâs residence spread throughout Peach Blossom City in the past three days. This shocked countless people.
To think that the Heavenly Fragrance let a male stay in their residence. This had never happened before.
This made everyone wonder about Xiao Chenâs identity.
After asking around, everyone felt shocked.
It turned out that Xiao Chen was the mysterious person who uprooted eighty-odd strongholds of the Heavenly Slaughter Sectâs branch.
Xiao Chen had triggered the recent storm between the righteous factions and demonic factions.
After that, more information spread. The wine that Xiao Chen brought for the Wine King Contest was Waning Moon.
The Old Seven Du, whose name had shaken Peach Blossom City but who had not entered Peach Blossom City in thirty years after being defeated by Great Master Yuanfei, got someone to bring a bottle of wine to make a comeback.
That was not all!
As people investigated further, they dug up Xiao Chenâs past in the Divine Dragon Empire.
They investigated so thoroughly because the Heavenly Fragranceâs Holy Daughter had extremely high prestige in the Desolate Sea. She was the dream partner of countless people.
There had never been a male cultivator who got invited to stay in the Heavenly Fragranceâs residence before.
Xiao Chen was the first.
The people coming to the Peach Blossom Wine Festival were all outstanding talents of the various regions. They all have powerful factions behind them. Three days was more than enough time to do a thorough investigation.
However, Xiao Chen still failed to hog the spotlight in Peach Blossom City.
Right now, the most popular topic in Peach Blossom City was the Peach Blossom Wine Festival.
During the centennial wine festival, Peach Blossom Cityâs City Lord would not only agree to a reasonable request of the Wine King Contest winner but also take out one of his treasures as a reward.
Rumor said that the reward for this round was a mysterious key.
Others did not know what this key was for, but the major factions of the Righteous Dao and Demonic Dao did.
More and more outstanding talents from various places flocked to Peach Blossom City for this key.
Everyone believed that the one with the best hope of winning the Wine King Contest was Xiahou Wu, the Hound Lion Empireâs Crown Prince.
This was because he brought Great Master Yuanfei with him.
Great Master Yuanfei was a legendary brewer in Peach Blossom City. He had won practically all the wine festivals he participated in during the past few decades.
However, this wine festival was somewhat different.
The number of people who came far surpassed the previous rounds. Not only did the strongest disciples of countless Righteous Dao sects come, but the Young Sect Masters of the Blood Flame Sect and the Heavenly Slaughter Sect did too.
The six great Demonic Dao sects were like the Holy Lands of the Righteous Dao among the Demonic Dao factions.
The Blood Flame Sect and the Heavenly Slaughter Sect were two of the six great Demonic Dao sects.
Not counting the Heavenly Fragranceâs Holy Daughter, the cultivator with the greatest prestige among the Righteous Dao factions was the Profound Heaven Holy Landâs Holy Son. After him would be the Glacial Mountain Manorâs Ye Han, the Hound Lion Empireâs Xiahou Wu, and the various Rank 7 sectsâ strongest disciples.
Many factions of the Righteous Dao and Demonic Dao gathered simultaneously, a once-in-a-century event.
This Peach Blossom Wine Festival appeared ordinary, but in reality, undercurrents started flowing long ago when the factions of the Righteous Dao and Demonic Dao gathered.
After the many factions arrived, the storm from Xiao Chenâs lodging at the Heavenly Fragranceâs residence slowly faded away.
The Heavenly Fragranceâs residence remained as bustling as ever.
The outstanding talents of the various major factions came to visit nearly every day.
However, the Heavenly Fragranceâs Holy Daughter rejected every meeting, merely thanking the guests for coming.
Only two days remained before the Wine King Contest started. However, Xiao Chen still showed no signs of coming out.
Chu Xiang, who had been guarding Xiao Chenâs villa, started to feel somewhat worried.
âWhatâs wrong with Young Master Xiao? Should I go in to take a look?â Chu Xiang showed some worry on her pretty face.
Xiao Chen had already worked on his breakthrough for five days. She had never seen anyone take so long to break through to Sovereign Personage.
However, an interruption was a cultivatorâs greatest fear when one tried to make a breakthrough.
Hence, Chu Xiang did not dare to act rashly, only wait anxiously.
âIs there still no activity?â A figure appeared in the air. Chu Xiang turned her head to look and saw that it was the Heavenly Fragranceâs Holy Daughter.
âYes, Senior Sister. There are still no signs of him coming out. In fact, there were no activities from the Water Cloud Formation in the past few days. It is like a dead pool in there, with no activity at all.â
The Heavenly Fragranceâs Holy Daughter nodded. Seeing that Chu Xiang felt somewhat worried, she said softly, âDonât worry. Let me take a look.â
The Holy Daughter personally laid the Water Cloud Formation. Others could not see the scene inside or feel any aura from it; however, she was an exception.
A faint light flashed in the Holy Daughterâs eyes as she peered through the rippling water screen.
The villa looked calm and peaceful. The previous mysterious phenomena had disappeared.
The entire villa looked dull and lonely. Even the fallen leaves in the villa looked slightly yellow. It was scarily quiet.
Did he fail? The Heavenly Fragranceâs Holy Daughter wondered to herself. This scene does not look like one of someone who had succeeded in their breakthrough.
Just when the Holy Daughter focused her gaze on Xiao Chen, who was seated cross-legged, he suddenly opened his eyes.
The twoâs gazes met. The Heavenly Fragranceâs Holy Daughter saw an ancient and imposing azure-colored dragon figure in Xiao Chenâs eyes.
The azure-colored dragon figure flashed by.
Then, the Sovereign Personage Will in Xiao Chenâs Soul Pool burst out of his body.
Clouds and winds gathered in that instant. Strong winds blew, and fallen leaves flew about.
The startled Heavenly Fragranceâs Holy Daughter withdrew her gaze and reflexively took a step back.
Chu Xiang quickly went over to support the Holy Daughter. âSenior Sister, whatâs wrong?â
The Heavenly Fragranceâs Holy Daughter pressed her hand to her forehead, feeling a slight, piercing pain in her eyes. Xiao Chenâs gaze appeared very scary earlier.
The dragon image that passed in a flash had caught her off guard. The ancient Dragon Might had shaken her mind and soul.
âIâm fine. Come in with me. Letâs go and congratulate Young Master Xiao.â
The Heavenly Fragranceâs Holy Daughter waved her hand and descended to enter.
When Chu Xiang heard that, she felt slightly stunned before reacting to the Holy Daughterâs words. Xiao Chen succeeded in breaking through to Sovereign Personage.
Chu Xiang quickly followed. For the past few days, she had been on edge and felt worried.
Xiao Chen had finally succeeded; it truly had been difficult.
When Chu Xiang broke through to Sovereign Personage, it had not been this hair-raising.
âYoung Master Xiao, congratulations on advancing to the Sovereign Stage,â the Heavenly Fragranceâs Holy Daughter said softly after entering.
Xiao Chen saw the Water Cloud Formation above and smiled faintly. âMany thanks to the Heavenly Fragranceâs Holy Daughter and Miss Chu Xiang for protecting me.â
The Sovereign Stage was the final stage of the Cloud Sea Realm.
Upon reaching this stage, one became a sovereign of people, the peak of being a person. If one cultivated further, one would no longer be in the realm of being a person.
From the initial Veritable Personage to the current Sovereign Personage, this path had not been easy for Xiao Chen. Others would not understand the difficulties involved.
Xiao Chen came from an abandoned land and climbed to where he was step by step. If others learned of this, no one would believe it.
Few could advance to Sovereign Personage, even among the Central Great Realmâs outstanding talents.
Those who could advance to Sovereign Personage at Xiao Chenâs age were even fewer.
Such people would be outstanding talents from the Holy Lands or true inheritors of Rank 7 sects. Practically none would be like Xiao Chen, arriving at this stage by climbing step by step.
The Heavenly Fragranceâs Holy Daughter seemed to want to peer into Xiao Chenâs secrets. However, she discovered that he was heavily shrouded in mist, appearing even more mysterious than herself.
The Holy Daughter could only give up. She said, âYou just advanced to the Sovereign Stage and should cultivate properly to stabilize your cultivation. However, the Wine King Contest will begin in two days. Iâm afraid that Young Master Xiao wonât have much time to familiarize yourself with your new strength.â
Feeling shocked, Xiao Chen asked, âHow long did I take to make my breakthrough?â
âA total of five days!â Chu Xiang said from the side, raising her hand.
Time was tight. Xiao Chen had to put aside his joy from advancing to the Sovereign Stage for now.
[TL Note: We deleted two lines from the translation in order to maintain consistency in the story. Here are the two lines if you are interested: He needed to spend some time preparing for the Wine King Contest. He had to do his best to win the Wine King Contest, to fulfill Grandpa Sevenâs final wish and protect the village for one hundred years.]