Chapter 189
Chapter 189: The Undying Totem and Shangguan Shuyi
Morning.
5:55.
Jiang Nan slowly opened his eyes and sat up from the soft couch.
He furrowed his brow slightly, a flicker of puzzlement crossing his gaze.
Why did he have an erotic dream?
Jiang Nan mused inwardly.
Before heading to Soul-Return Town, he had clearly already resolved the Dragon Nature issue.
By all logic, he should currently be in Sage Mode.
Could it be…
That the Phoenix Sovereign he had glimpsed last night—whether her face or that achingly ripe figure—
Had simply been too perfectly aligned with his little head's tastes, triggering this kind of uncontrollable physiological response?
It's never happened before.
Jiang Nan expressionlessly lifted his blanket and looked down at his Pillar of Heaven.
A normal man might have felt rather smug in this moment.
But for the absolutely rational Jiang Nan, any physiological impulse that fell outside his big head's control—
Was a direct challenge to his own willpower!
"Pathetic thing. Get down!"
Jiang Nan's eyes turned cold. He raised his right hand and delivered a sharp slap downward.
Hiss…
As though truly sensing the big head's inviolable wrath and killing intent—
Helpless, the little head could only obediently comply, swiftly deflating and lying flat.
Seeing this, Jiang Nan gave a satisfied nod, having fully reclaimed control of his body.
‘Time to find Guo Shuai and the others. It's almost dawn.’
He rolled out of bed, put on his Dark Flying Fish Robe, wrapped the God-Slaying Spear in black cloth, and secured it across his back.
Just as he turned to leave, Jiang Nan's gaze idly swept across the large bed behind him.
His footsteps halted.
"Hm?"
Jiang Nan's eyes sharpened. With keen precision, he noticed that last night, Xiao Que had clearly laid out gold-silk satin sheets—
Yet now, the color of the sheets had changed!
They had been replaced by plain white sheets, and the air still carried a faint lingering trace of a delicate fragrance.
‘The sheets have been changed.’
That precision-instrument mind of Jiang Nan's whirred at full speed.
‘Could it be…last night wasn't a dream?!’
‘But if it wasn't a dream, who was it?’
‘The Phoenix Sovereign?’
‘No—the scent and sensation didn't match.’
Just as Jiang Nan stood there frowning, his thoughts tangled in suspicion—
The very instant the hour hand aligned precisely on 6:00 AM sharp!
Hum!!!
A familiar, mischievous voice resounded across the entire Savage Realm!
The Sky Screen descended!
【Good morning, my dear warriors! Welcome to Day 8 on the Road to Survival!】
【Yesterday, this Savage Realm saw all kinds of extremely entertaining stories unfold!】
【Quite the spectacle for the Sky Screen to behold!】
【Especially in a certain small town… tsk tsk tsk.】
【A certain haughty old bird of the feathered variety actually turned tail and fled at the critical moment!】
【This "Ye Gong Loves Dragons" performance was so good, the Sky Screen nearly died laughing!】
【Hahaha, what a waste of several thousand years~】
Bang!
Inside the Forest of the Middle Grove, the Phoenix Sovereign—who had been brooding under her blankets—heard this full-screen broadcast mockery.
She slammed a palm down in fury, shattering her priceless vanity table, her beautiful face flushing crimson.
"Shameless creature! How dare it spy from the shadows!"
"Once this sovereign's plan succeeds, the first place I'm going is Dragon-Summer Imperial City to slap your face!"
The Phoenix Sovereign roared in fury.
As though she knew the Sky Screen personally.
The Sky Screen, whether out of fear or simply because it was time, moved on to the main matter.
【All right, enough chatter! Warriors, please lend your ears!】
【On Day 10, a trial aimed at newcomers will begin!】
【Rewards and risks go hand in hand—do consider carefully~】
【Of course, the Sky Screen sincerely hopes everyone will participate enthusiastically!】
【After all… this concerns your path home!】
【And finally, as per tradition, here is the segment you've all been waiting for!】
【The Day 7 Newcomer Leaderboard—revealed now!】
……
【1st Place: No Words Needed (Huaxia Nation)】
【Location: Eerie Island (S-Grade)】
【Kills: Scholar Ghost·Righteous Aura x 1 (S-Grade), Scholar Ghost x 1 (B-Grade)】
【Score: 55,000 (Sky Screen: Finally, no need to smash the abacus.)】
……
【2nd Place: Still-Gotta-Age-Before-Eating】
【Location: Polar Ice Wastes (A-Grade)】
【Kills: Frost Sub-Dragon (A-Grade) x 1】
【Score: 10,000】
……
【3rd Place: Needs-A-Bit-More-Roasting】
【Location: Polar Ice Wastes (A-Grade)】
【Kills: Undying Snow Mountain Fox (B-Grade) x 1】
【Score: 5,000】
……
【20th Place: Foundation General】
【Status: Deceased】
【Sky Screen: This brave warrior, mid-battle, refused to wear their defensive helmet in order to preserve their hairstyle while touching up their foundation against the open wind—and was headshot by a low-tier minion, completing the epic "The Underdog Strikes Back" achievement! Let us observe 3 seconds of silence for their beauty~ Pfft hahaha!】
【Location: Polar Ice Wastes (A-Grade)】
【Kills: Frost Chill Skeleton Archer (E-Grade) x 15】
【Score: 1,500】
……
Jiang Nan's brow furrowed for no more than half a second.
He then promptly tossed the eternal mystery of who it had been last night clean out of his mind.
After all, he was the one who had enjoyed it, and he was hardly the one who had suffered any loss.
Digging into something like that was nothing but a waste of time.
He reined in his thoughts and turned his attention to the Day 7 top-rank reward the Sky Screen had just delivered.
A wooden carving landed in his palm.
Undying Totem
【Item】: Undying Totem
【Type】: Single-Use Consumable
【Grade】: S-Grade
【Function】: Automatically triggers upon near-death, instantly restoring 40% of maximum HP.
【Information】: Want to die? I disagree!
"A fine item."
Jiang Nan turned the small totem over in his hand.
It reminded him of the 【Scapegoat Straw Doll】 he had used in the Rose High School sub-instance.
Though both were life-saving treasures, they differed fundamentally in nature.
The Scapegoat Straw Doll was an active defense—it had to be activated in advance to take effect.
If he were ambushed and killed in an instant, he wouldn't even have a chance to activate it.
The Undying Totem, on the other hand, was a passive ability.
As long as it was on his person, it would automatically trigger the moment he neared death—maximum margin for error!
Jiang Nan silently hung the Undying Totem on his belt alongside the 【Sovereign Lantern】.
He then pushed open the doors of Phoenix Roost Pavilion and left the Forest of the Middle Grove.
He set off in the direction of the 3rd Ring, intending to rendezvous with Guo Shuai and the others.
……
Forest of the Middle Grove, Main Hall.
The Phoenix Sovereign peered through the carved window, watching Jiang Nan's retreating figure from the shadows.
Seeing that Jiang Nan had not lingered to live off her generosity but had gone to participate in the selection tournament—
The Phoenix Sovereign's face showed not a trace of disappointment. On the contrary, a smile curved her lips.
"This sovereign has always loved a man with ambition."
The Phoenix Sovereign's red lips curved upward. She returned to the seat of honor at the center of the main hall.
"Since you wish to enter the competition on your own merits, this sovereign will naturally provide you with a 【fair】 stage."
In high spirits, she called toward the hall entrance: "Xiao Que! Come in!"
Yet the hall echoed with her own voice alone, and no response came.
The Phoenix Sovereign's delicate brows knitted slightly. She wondered inwardly:
‘Could it be that because I turned tail and fled last night—'
‘I left that foolish girl alone on the rooftop in the cold wind, and now she's sulking and refusing to show herself?’
Just then, a young handmaiden responsible for cleaning walked in and knelt on the floor to report.
"Your Grace, Phoenix Sovereign… Xiao Que won't be able to come today."
"What happened?" the Phoenix Sovereign asked, puzzled.
The young handmaiden reported truthfully: "Xiao Que said that last night, while patrolling the rooftop…"
"The roof tiles were slippery from moisture, and she accidentally fell."
"Her legs were severely injured—both legs simply cannot close together, and she can only walk with her feet turned outward…"
The handmaiden swallowed and continued.
"Xiao Que was in too much pain to bear it, so she went to see the imperial physician first thing this morning."
"She passed word that if Your Grace has any instructions, they can be temporarily delegated to us lesser attendants."
"Ah~ I see."
"No wonder that foolish girl dared not respond."
The Phoenix Sovereign nodded in sudden understanding.
As for Xiao Que's occupational injury, this 5,000-year-old maiden of the Great Chu—pure as a blank page—never once considered any alternative interpretation.
She simply found the explanation entirely reasonable.
After all, Phoenix Roost Pavilion was long overdue for repairs. Last night, even from inside the room, she had heard…
Slap slap slap—probably the sound of roof tiles falling.
"That roof on Phoenix Roost Pavilion really does need fixing."
"Pass word along—have someone go to the 3rd Ring and find a few repairmen. Make sure the roof is patched before nightfall tonight."
"To prevent drafts."
The Phoenix Sovereign instructed.
"Yes, Your Grace."
The young handmaiden nodded repeatedly.
"Furthermore…"
The Phoenix Sovereign's expression turned serious. "Go and summon the host of this Groom Selection Tournament. This sovereign has important matters to discuss with her."
"Your servant obeys."
The young handmaiden accepted her orders and withdrew from the main hall.
Approximately 10 minutes later—
A beautiful woman of tall, slender build walked into the hall.
She wore black-and-white daoist robes, her long hair tied back in a black-and-white ponytail.
In her hand she held a folding fan.
This was the female scholar the Phoenix Sovereign had taken under her wing 1,000 years ago—
Now bearing full responsibility for the day-to-day management of Soul-Return Town's 2nd and 3rd Rings, and the overall director of this selection tournament…Shangguan Shuyi.
Shangguan Shuyi walked to the center of the hall and snapped her folding fan shut.
She then dropped to one knee, clasped both fists, and declared: "Your subordinate Shangguan Shuyi pays respects to the Phoenix Sovereign!"
"Rise, dear subject."
The Phoenix Sovereign raised her hand slightly.
Shangguan Shuyi stood, head respectfully bowed, awaiting her instructions.
The Phoenix Sovereign cleared her throat lightly, her tone turning solemn.
"Shangguan, the Groom Selection Tournament officially begins today at noon."
"This competition concerns this sovereign's lifelong affairs, and the dignity of Soul-Return Town."
"As the overall director, you must ensure absolute fairness! Openness! Transparency!"
"All participants must be treated equally—not the slightest favoritism. Do you understand?"
Shangguan Shuyi's expression sharpened at once. She clasped her fists and responded in a clear voice: "Your subordinate understands!"
"Upholding the absolute fairness of the competition is precisely your subordinate's duty!"
"Please rest assured, Your Grace. Any petty person who dares to cheat in this competition—your subordinate will punish without mercy!"
"Good."
The Phoenix Sovereign nodded with satisfaction.
The groundwork was laid. Now came the main point.
The Phoenix Sovereign leaned slightly forward, lowered her voice, and addressed Shangguan Shuyi in a tone laden with implication:
"However… Shangguan."
"Among this tournament's participants, there is a young man named Jiang Nan."
"This person's… situation is rather special."
The Phoenix Sovereign gave Shangguan Shuyi a knowing look and hinted obliquely:
"In the upcoming competition rounds, as the examiner, you must on this sovereign's behalf…"
"Give this Jiang Nan special consideration."
"Remember—do not neglect him in the slightest."
"Do you understand what this sovereign means?"
The Phoenix Sovereign's true intent was:
‘This man is my intended husband. Be smart about it!’
‘Give him a clear path through the competition—just make sure he gets to the finals!’
However—
The 2 of them were operating in completely different registers, like a cross-server conversation!
Standing below, Shangguan Shuyi heard these words and immediately arrived at her own perfectly self-consistent conclusion.
‘The Phoenix Sovereign just finished emphasizing that the competition must be fair and impartial!’
‘And the very next second she named a person called Jiang Nan?’
‘Hiss… I understand! This person called Jiang Nan must absolutely be someone trying to use the back door!’
‘Or perhaps someone who has already displeased the Phoenix Sovereign!’
‘The sovereign is deliberately warning me—I cannot let a rule-breaker like this exploit any loopholes!’
‘Therefore, "special consideration" and "do not neglect him" can only be a hint—'
‘I must be extremely harsh toward this Jiang Nan!’
‘Apply the strictest rules and the most hellish difficulty to him specifically!’
‘Make him retreat in the face of obstacles—or eliminate him directly from the competition as a warning to others!’
Shangguan Shuyi's eyes shone with razor-sharp intelligence.
"Your subordinate completely understands!!"
She clasped her fists and pledged with unwavering conviction:
"Your Grace, please put your mind completely at ease! Leave this matter entirely to your subordinate!"
"Your subordinate will administer the most rigorous special consideration to him!"
"Guaranteed to leave him with an unforgettable experience—your subordinate will not fail Your Grace's expectations!"
The Phoenix Sovereign listened to this full-confidence pledge and felt deeply reassured.
"Excellent! Worthy of being this sovereign's trusted subject—how reassuring."
"Go. This sovereign will be here awaiting your good news."
The Phoenix Sovereign waved her hand, smiling broadly.
‘As for that Heavenly Blade Dragon King who had come just now, begging and pleading?’
The Phoenix Sovereign gave a cold snort. She had absolutely no intention of telling him that the Dragon God's Reincarnation was also in this very town.
‘Who told that thickheaded fool to dare invoke "saving all living beings" as moral leverage against her?’
‘Let him go cool his heels somewhere!’
"Your subordinate takes her leave!"
Shangguan Shuyi respectfully bowed and walked out of the main hall.
Stepping out of the Forest of the Middle Grove's gates, Shangguan Shuyi opened her folding fan and fanned herself against the cool morning breeze.
As someone who had only arrived in Soul-Return Town 1,000 years ago—a latecomer to this place—
She had absolutely no idea what the legendary Dragon God looked like, let alone that the Dragon God's name was Jiang Nan.
Her mind was now fully occupied with how to carry out the Phoenix Sovereign's covert instructions.
"Jiang Nan, was it…"
Shangguan Shuyi tapped her folding fan against her palm.
"You dare pull tricks and undermine fairness right under the Phoenix Sovereign's nose?"
"Hmph. Since you've landed in my hands, let me show you what true hellish difficulty looks like…"