Soon, the news of the annulment of the marriage between Chen Xuan and Ayin Qingzhu spread throughout Nine Heavens Taiqing Palace.
Back then, when it was announced that the Palace Master of Nine Heavens Taiqing Palace was going to betrothe Ayin Qingzhu to Chen Xuan, who had joined the sect for less than five years, young disciples across all super sects in the Eastern Xuan Region went wild.
They would have given anything to take Chen Xuan's place.
Some even gathered experts from the younger generation to come to Nine Heavens Taiqing Palace and challenge him.
Without exception, every single one of them was defeated by Chen Xuan.
From then on, no one from the younger generation in the Eastern Xuan Region dared to show up and challenge him again.
When the two of them got married, Qin Xiuqing had invited several major super sects of the Eastern Xuan Region to attend.
It was a grand and lively affair that made everyone green with envy.
Yet, only a year after their marriage, they were divorcing.
What on earth was going on here? All sorts of wild and varied rumors began to circulate through Nine Heavens Taiqing Palace.
No one knew who had started it or where it had come from, but the rumor was that Ayin Qingzhu had lost her chastity in the Great Yan Empire, cuckolding Senior Brother Chen Xuan!
That was why Chen Xuan had called off the engagement.
Hearing this news, many of Chen Xuan's followers flew into a rage. They banded together, determined to track down Ayin Qingzhu and demand an explanation.
When Qin Xiuqing caught wind of this, she issued a direct order: open discussion of the matter was strictly forbidden, and no one was to disturb Ayin Qingzhu's cultivation. Anyone who violated this rule would be expelled from Nine Heavens Taiqing Palace.
Only then did the uproar subside.
However, people still whispered about it behind closed doors, completely baffled.
As one of the supreme beauties of the Eastern Xuan Region, Ayin Qingzhu had countless admirers. Yet she had actually gone to a low-level empire, found some unknown man, and cuckolded a top-tier genius like Chen Xuan.
They had all thought the two of them were the golden boy and jade girl of the entire Tianxuan Continent.
Never did they expect that while the golden boy remained a golden boy, the jade girl had turned into a wanton woman.
Inside Chen Xuan's courtyard at Nine Heavens Taiqing Palace, Chen Fei clenched his fists and shouted, "Senior Brother, don't you worry! The brothers will definitely get justice for you."
"That's right! Anyone daring to cuckold our boss—not to mention him, we won't even spare a single dog from his family!" Zhang Chao's eyes blazed with fury.
Dozens of others stood behind them, expressing their readiness to go through fire and water for Chen Xuan.
Chen Xuan merely shook his head.
"Brothers, I am already content just having brothers like you. As for revenge, don't you worry your heads about it. I have my own plans."
Chen Fei said with a murderous aura, "Senior Brother! Just leave it to us!"
Chen Xuan shook his head first, then patted him on the shoulder with a smile.
"Chen Fei, take the brothers and focus on your cultivation. I believe you can all become the backbone of Nine Heavens Taiqing Palace."
"Senior Brother..." Chen Fei wanted to say more, but Chen Xuan cut him off.
"Alright, your task is to cultivate properly, and stay out of everything else!"
"But..."
"Am I your senior brother, or are you the senior brother?"
"Of course you are!"
"There you have it. Hurry back now, I still have to cultivate."
Seeing how adamant he was, the group had no choice but to drop the matter.
Once they had all left, Chen Xuan returned to his room to boost his strength.
Although the One-Yuan Nirvana Stage was enough to sweep through the Great Yan Empire sideways, it was still better to raise his strength a bit further just to be safe.
Logically speaking, having just broken through not long ago, achieving another breakthrough in his realm should have been nearly impossible.
Fortunately for him, he had obtained a Nirvana Divine Pill from a system draw not long ago. Such pills were priceless and virtually impossible to find on the market.
Its greatest advantage was that when consumed by a practitioner in the Nirvana Stage, it could directly elevate their cultivation by one to three yuan levels.
Not only did it come with zero side effects, but it also avoided any instability in one's cultivation foundation.
Simple, crude, direct, and effective.
He retrieved the Nirvana Divine Pill from the system inventory and swallowed it.
The moment the pill touched his tongue, a vast wave of medicinal power melted inside his body.
The surrounding spiritual energy continuously poured into him, transforming into Nirvana Qi that frantically tempered his physical body and the Yuan Power within.
His aura surged upward incessantly! Brilliant golden light radiated from every pore across his skin.
Finally, a luminous shield resembling solid gold formed over his body, glowing brightly and radiating an indomitable, formidable aura.
This was the hallmark of stepping into the Two-Yuan Nirvana Stage: the Golden Light Shield.
Yet, it was not over yet.
His breakthrough was still continuing! The commotion caused by his breakthrough was simply too massive.
Soon, everyone in Nine Heavens Taiqing Palace was alerted. They all rushed over to gather outside Chen Xuan's courtyard and watch.
Several elders wore expressions of envy and jealousy, clicking their tongues in amazement.
"Hasn't Chen Xuan only just broken through to the Nirvana Stage? How is he advancing to the Two-Yuan Nirvana Stage already?!"
"This kid's talent is terrifying!"
"Wait, look—his breakthrough momentum hasn't stopped, and his aura is still soaring!"
"Does that mean... gasp!"
"This... how is this possible?"
"Good heavens, Chen Xuan is only in his teens! Qingzhu truly made a foolish decision!"
Feeling Chen Xuan's continuously surging aura, the elders and disciples within the palace could not help but feel a sense of pity for Ayin Qingzhu.
Although Ayin Qingzhu's cultivation talent was already top-tier across the entire Eastern Xuan Region, compared to Chen Xuan, she still fell far too short.
If the two of them had stayed together, they surely would have led Nine Heavens Taiqing Palace to supremacy over the Eastern Xuan Region in the future, and dominating the entire Tianxuan Continent might not even have been out of the question.
Yet all of this had become utterly impossible due to Ayin Qingzhu's betrayal.
[Ding! Ayin Qingzhu generates feelings of jealousy. Emotion Value +199]
Inside the courtyard, Chen Xuan heard the prompt and a cold smirk curved the corner of his mouth.
Being jealous now was still far too early! Just wait and taste true despair!
Standing in a distant corner, Ayin Qingzhu fixed her gaze on Chen Xuan's courtyard, her hands gripping the trunk of a nearby tree so tightly her knuckles turned white.
The elders' discussions reached her ears like sharp blades stabbing straight into her heart, leaving a bitter, agonizing taste in her mouth.
By now, she had become the village fool in everyone's eyes, labeled as someone utterly lacking in foresight and vision.
Ayin Qingzhu gripped her hands tightly, her eyes flashing with unwillingness.
Though her master had grounded her and forbidden her from leaving seclusion until she reached the Nirvana Stage, the moment she sensed Chen Xuan's surging aura, she had rushed right over, desperate to see what was happening.
When she heard that Chen Xuan had already broken through to the Two-Yuan Nirvana Stage, her heart grew even more wretched.
Right at that moment, however, an even more terrifying momentum erupted from Chen Xuan's courtyard!
That mighty aura had reached the Three-Yuan Nirvana Stage!
Ayin Qingzhu froze completely.
How could this be?
She had asked around: Chen Xuan had spent mere days at most advancing to the One-Yuan Nirvana Stage. In such a short span of time, how on earth was he cultivating?!
What baffled her even more was that Chen Xuan's breakthrough still hadn't stopped! His aura continued to climb.
Before long, he had broken straight through to the Four-Yuan Nirvana Stage!
Advancing through three Nirvana levels all at once—such a feat was unprecedented, and it would likely be hard for anyone to ever surpass it!
Yet, the question lingering in her mind was whether Chen Xuan could survive the Threefold Nirvana Tribulation.
The Threefold Nirvana Tribulation was certainly not as simple as 1+1+1 equals three!
If he were to perish from this, perhaps it would actually be a blessing in disguise for her!