Chapter 1451: Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining

Shangguan Yi’s halo of bad luck was no joke.

Everywhere she went in the Vermilion Bird Sect, everyone there knew about it. It was like a bug in her program blighting her and everyone around her with constant bad luck, with no one able to figure out why this was the case.

An Lin suddenly came to the realization why an invincible War God such as himself would suddenly be defeated and tortured countless times by a Heavenly God. Could it be…

That this had something to do with Sister Shangguan Yi?

Shangguan Yi was still sobbing beside him like a helpless little girl, and he silently cast this thought to the back of his mind. This must have been just a coincidence.

At the very least, he shouldn’t be blaming her for this. If he wanted to blame anyone, he should blame himself for being too weak.

An Lin patted Shangguan Yi’s shoulder with a smile. “Actually, every cloud has a silver lining. You don’t just bring people bad luck, you simultaneously bring people good luck as well.”

Shangguan Yi shuddered slightly before looking up at An Lin with tears on her gorgeous features. “When have I ever brought good luck to others?”

An Lin analyzed with a serious expression, “Think about it, we had extremely lousy luck after entering the Vermilion Bird Trial Grounds and encountered the black phoenix, who was at the Return to Void Pinnacle Stage…

“However, after that arduous battle, I managed to get a drop of vermilion bird blood essence from him and that drop of blood essence gave Xiaolan a second chance at cultivation. Is this not good luck? If you hadn’t attracted the black phoenix to us, I would’ve never obtained the vermilion bird blood essence!”

Shangguan Yi was a little dumbstruck. “This… You’re blaming the black phoenix incident on me?”

An Lin spoke with a serious expression, “When we’re together, I’m blaming all instances of bad luck on you!”

Shangguan Yi: “…”

An Lin’s expression softened at the sight of the pitiable expression on Shangguan Yi’s face. “Of course, all instances of good luck will also be attributed to you. After all, it’s like I just said, every cloud has a silver lining.”

Shangguan Yi blinked her teary eyes and burst into laughter.

“What is this twisted logic…”

“It’s all solid reasoning!”

An Lin continued, “And also the snow maidens incident. The Heavenly Time God wanted to destroy your entire race, but I came to save the snow maidens because of you. As such, you saved over a hundred million snow maidens!”

Shangguan Yi looked up at An Lin with guilt and gratitude. “That’s because you’re a good person…”

An Lin was caught a little off guard, but he accepted the compliment. He was indeed a very good person, after all. “The only thing I’m confused about is why the Heavenly Time God decided to target the snow maidens first this time. Aren’t they always thinking about destroying the human race?”

“That’s because snow maidens are humans as well.” Shangguan Yi looked up at An Lin.

“Snow maidens are humans?!” An Lin’s eyes widened with astonishment.

“Why are you so shocked? How do the snow maidens not look like humans?” Shangguan Yi pouted with displeasure.

“You’re telling me they’re humans when they can reproduce without a single man among them?” An Lin was completely incredulous.

Shangguan Yi blushed slightly. “I was a human in my past life. I felt like men were disgusting and horrendous creatures, so I hid in a snow mountain to cultivate… After that, I managed to successfully attain my dao. Not only did I manage to transform my life essence, but I also invented a method for asexual reproduction. That’s how snow maidens came to be…”

An Lin’s mouth gaped open. He was even more shocked to hear this than when he heard how snow maidens were humans.

He knew that Shangguan Yi was the Ice Matriarch in her past life, which meant that this Ice Matriarch had created an entire race!

Just one person was able to create an entire race, and it was an extremely powerful and renowned race on the Tai Chu Continent at that. How terrifyingly powerful was she?

“By the way, you said you thought men were all disgusting in your past life, so now…” An Lin turned toward Shangguan Yi with curiosity on his face.

“Of course it’s not the same thing now!” Shangguan Yi was eager to clear up any misunderstanding An Lin might have. “The Ice Matriarch is the Ice Matriarch, and I am me. I’m completely different from the person I was in my past life.”

An Lin nodded.

Shangguan Yi really was different in this life. She was a lot more unlucky.

A thought suddenly occurred to him. “You always bring good luck along with the bad. I wonder if we’ll have some good luck here as well.”

Shangguan Yi looked up at the vast expanse of golden space around them and could not see anything that indicated good luck. “Doesn’t look like it. There doesn’t appear to be anything here.”

An Lin stood up and began to explore.

He unleashed his divine sense to investigate this space, only to find that there seemed to be no end to this place.

He drew his Evil-Slaying Sword and slashed down toward the soft ground, but even the blade of a divine tool was unable to leave the slightest trace on the ground.

“Wait, this doesn’t appear to be matter…” An Lin’s sword had been impeded by something, but it didn’t feel as if it had struck anything substantial.

“You’re right.” Shangguan Yi stood up. “Chen Chen told me that this world is constructed from the Heavenly Time God’s residual power. Following the Heavenly Time God’s death, this place became a space with no will of its own. Furthermore, due to the special properties of the heavenly time power, this space will never decay or disappear.”

An Lin was developing a throbbing headache upon hearing this.

Most spell techniques would disappear over time with no one to maintain them.

However, this spell technique was an exception. Its caster had already died, but the spell technique itself could remain for all of eternity! This meant that if they couldn’t find a way to get out of this place, they were going to be trapped here forever!

No wonder Shangguan Yi had said that their current situation was not much different from death.

After all, there was a very high likelihood that they were going to be confined forever here!

“Once Chen Chen comes back, I’ll get him to teach me the method to remain unaffected by this river of time as well. I’m going to join them and search for clues within the river,” An Lin said with a determined expression.

“Me too. There’s always more strength in numbers.” Shangguan Yi nodded.

The two of them looked out over the river.

Soon, ripples began to emerge from the river.

Chen Chen slowly appeared with an extremely exhausted expression.

A hint of a smile appeared on his face upon seeing An Lin. “You’re awake, An Lin. How are your injuries?”

An Lin smiled. “I’m pretty much fully recovered thanks to the Great Empress’ immortal pill. How are things going on your end?”

Chen Chen made his way over to An Lin with a slightly distressed expression. “Not well. This river is an embodiment of evil in this world. One can fall into the worlds depicted by the images on the river and will then have to endure unspeakable torture. Seeing as the river can take us to different worlds or spaces, there should be a way back to the Tai Chu Continent within these images, but I haven’t found it yet…”

“Teach me the method to enter this river. I’ll help you out,” An Lin offered.

Chen Chen nodded. A white light appeared on his fingertip, which he laid on An Lin’s forehead. “Don’t resist. I’m going to inject the Void Body Mantra into your mind.”

A short while later.

When An Lin opened his eyes again, his body had become insubstantial and illusionary.

“So you’re using a method like this to erase your own existence, thereby making even the heavenly time power ignore your presence…”

An Lin’s eyes lit up as he stood beside the river filled with heinous and infernal images. Then, he carefully lowered his foot into it!

…